President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Iran through a stark ultimatum on his Truth Social platform, declaring that time is expiring for Tehran to engage in nuclear negotiations. The warning coincides with a substantial U.S. naval deployment to the Persian Gulf, described by Trump as a “massive Armada” advancing with “great power, enthusiasm, and purpose.”
This military mobilization follows Iran’s severe crackdown on domestic protests that began in late December. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), approximately 5,633 protesters are among nearly 6,000 confirmed fatalities, with an additional 17,000 alleged deaths under investigation despite communication blackouts. Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) estimates the final death toll could surpass 25,000.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. approach, stating through AFP translation that “conducting diplomacy through military threat cannot be effective or useful.” He emphasized that successful negotiations would require Washington to “set aside threats, excessive demands and raising illogical issues.”
The nuclear standoff intensifies as BBC Verify confirms the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Middle East. Trump referenced the June 2025 U.S. strikes—codenamed “Midnight Hammer”—that targeted Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan uranium enrichment facilities, warning that “the next attack will be far worse.” While Trump urged Iran to “quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS,” Tehran maintains its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful and denies weapons development ambitions.
The U.S. president characterized the current naval presence as exceeding the force deployed prior to the seizure of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolás Maduro, emphasizing its readiness to “rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”