According to the Jerusalam post, United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran to urgently return to negotiations over its nuclear program, cautioning that any further refusal could lead to significantly harsher US military action.
In a social media post, Trump said he hoped Tehran would “come to the table” and agree to a new nuclear deal, emphasizing that time was running out.
“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal. No nuclear weapons, one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” Trump wrote.
The warning followed Trump’s remarks during a speech in Clive, Iowa, where he announced that an additional US military “armada” was heading toward the region. Trump referenced past US military action against Iran, suggesting that previous warnings had already been followed by force.
“The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” Trump wrote, adding that another US naval armada was currently en route toward Iran.
Trump, who withdrew the United States from the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Tehran during his first term in office, reiterated his long-standing position that Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. He claimed that US military action earlier this year had significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
“In June, we obliterated Iran’s nuclear capacity in Operation Midnight Hammer,” Trump said during his Iowa address. “People had been waiting for 22 years to do that. They were about a month away from having a nuclear weapon. We had to do it.”
“There’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now,” Trump added, saying Iran “should have made a deal the first time.”
Iranian officials appeared to dismiss the latest overture. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had not been in contact with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days and had not requested negotiations, according to Iranian state media.
Meanwhile, the US military has continued preparations amid rising tensions. On Tuesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it was conducting multi-day readiness exercises aimed at improving operational flexibility and regional coordination.
According to CENTCOM, the drills are “designed to enhance asset and personnel dispersal capability, strengthen regional partnerships and prepare for flexible response execution throughout CENTCOM,” while demonstrating a “credible, combat-ready, and responsible presence designed to deter aggression.”
The announcement followed a recent meeting between CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, focused on strengthening defensive cooperation between the two allies.
On Monday, a US source confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group had arrived in CENTCOM waters in the Indian Ocean. A Reuters report said the group includes destroyers, additional warships, and fighter aircraft.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One last week, Trump said the United States was closely monitoring Iran’s actions and confirmed that Washington had “a massive fleet heading in that direction,” underscoring the administration’s readiness to escalate if diplomacy fails.
If you love political news or like to get more news happening around the globe, use the button below to get more verified news happening around Nigeria and the world today.
Leave a Reply