U.S. Naval Fleet Heads Toward Iran as Trump Issues Warning

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that an American naval fleet, or “armada,” has been sent toward Iran. However, he expressed hope that there would be no need to use this military force. At the same time, he issued renewed warnings to Tehran regarding the killing of protesters and the possible resumption of its nuclear program. British news agency Reuters reported the development.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States after meeting world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said, “A lot of our ships are heading in that direction (toward Iran). I don’t want to see anything unpleasant happen, but we are watching them very closely.”

He added, “We have an armada going there; perhaps we won’t have to use it.”

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Middle East within the next few days. In addition, plans are underway to deploy additional air defense systems to prevent potential Iranian attacks on U.S. bases in the region.

The deployment is intended to ensure the protection of U.S. forces amid the current tense situation following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, and to keep the option of military action open if necessary. The warships began their journey from the Asia-Pacific region last week. Tensions between the two countries have recently escalated further following widespread government crackdowns on protesters in Iran.

Trump claimed that Iran canceled the execution of nearly 840 people due to his threats. He said, “I told them that if those people were hanged, you would be hit in a way you have never seen. Compared to that, what we did to your nuclear program would look insignificant.”

According to Trump, the decision to cancel the executions just one hour before the scheduled time was a “good sign.”

However, Trump warned that if Iran restarts its nuclear program, the United States would strike again. He said, “If they try again, they will have to do it in another place. We will strike there just as easily.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it has been unable to verify Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium for at least seven months. According to the agency, Iran possesses 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent. If further enriched, this amount could be sufficient to produce up to ten nuclear bombs.

Meanwhile, protests that began on December 28 over Iran’s economic hardships have spread across the country. The human rights organization HRANA said it has confirmed the deaths of 4,519 people so far in the protests. However, in an interview with Reuters, an Iranian official claimed that the death toll has exceeded 5,000, including 500 members of the security forces.

When asked how many people had been killed in the protests, Trump said, “No one knows for sure… but whatever the number is, it is very high.”