Trump Escalates Iran Tensions With Nuclear Ultimatum, Military Buildup
US President Donald Trump has issued a stark ultimatum to Iran, demanding the Islamic Republic enter nuclear negotiations or face military consequences "far worse" than previous strikes, as Washington deploys additional naval assets to the Middle East in a dramatic escalation of regional tensions.In a social media post Wednesday, Trump warned that "time is running out" for Iran to negotiate a nuclear deal, referencing what he described as a June military operation that "obliterated Iran's nuclear capacity." The president claimed Iran was "about a month away from having a nuclear weapon" before the alleged strike."The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again," Trump wrote, announcing that another US naval "armada" is en route to Iranian waters. The deployment follows confirmation that the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has arrived in Central Command waters in the Indian Ocean, accompanied by destroyers and fighter aircraft.Iran's response was swift and defiant. The country's UN mission warned that any US military action would prompt Tehran to "defend itself and respond like never before," drawing parallels to costly American interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq that "squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives."Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, escalated the rhetoric further, stating that any US military action would see Iran targeting "the US, Israel, and those who support it." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied recent contact with US special envoy Steve Witkoff regarding potential negotiations.The current crisis marks a significant departure from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which Trump withdrew from during his first presidency. US Central Command has announced multi-day readiness exercises designed to "enhance asset and personnel dispersal capability" and demonstrate America's "credible, combat-ready" presence in the region.The escalation comes amid broader Middle Eastern tensions and represents a critical test of Trump's renewed "maximum pressure" approach toward Iran. Regional allies are closely monitoring developments as both sides appear to be positioning for either diplomatic breakthrough or military confrontation.Based on reporting from The Jerusalem Post and Reuters.
