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New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has announced that a “massive Armada” is currently steaming toward Iran. The move, characterised by the President as a display of “great power and purpose,” is a transparent attempt to force the Iranian leadership into negotiating a new nuclear and security deal.
Trump gives ultimatum on Truth Social
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump described the fleet as a force of unprecedented scale, claiming it exceeds the naval strength previously deployed toward Venezuela."A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump warned that the fleet is prepared to "rapidly fulfil its mission with speed and violence, if necessary."
The US President’s objective remains a "fair and equitable" agreement that ensures Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. “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!” he warned.
Trump concluded with a blunt warning. "The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again."
Rallying support in Iowa
The President doubled down on his rhetoric during a campaign-style event in Iowa, where he spoke glowingly of the naval deployment. "There is another beautiful armada heading toward Iran right now," he told cheering supporters.
While expressing hope for a diplomatic resolution, Trump maintained a "deal-or-else" posture. "I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They’d have a country," he remarked, referring to his previous administration’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord.
Protests and crackdowns
The sudden military posturing comes amid significant domestic turmoil within Iran. Tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets to protest economic hardships. Trump had previously threatened US intervention if the Iranian government used lethal force against these "peaceful" protesters.
Though he briefly softened his tone after claiming the "killing of protesters had stopped," the threat of military action remains tied to Tehran’s internal handling of dissent.
Tehran’s defiant response
The Iranian leadership has met the "Armada" announcement with a mixture of defiance and dismissal. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dispelled rumours of back-channel diplomacy, stating there had been no contact with US envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Our stance is clear: Negotiations don’t go along with threats,” Araghchi told state media. He reiterated that Iran is prepared for war if the US chooses to “test” them, promising a “swift and comprehensive” response to any transgression.
Similarly, earlier this month, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the US tactics, asserting that American threats are “aimed at disrupting the security of the region” and will ultimately result in nothing but further instability.
