US President Donald Trump once again warned Iran, asking it to "come to the table" and negotiate what he described as an "equitable" deal, while making it clear that Tehran must abandon any pursuit of nuclear weapons or face severe consequences. Referring to the recent Operation Midnight Hammer, Trump warned that any future military action would be "far worse" if Iran failed to comply.
Reiterating his earlier claim about a US "armada" moving towards the region, he said the fleet was already en route to Iran and was "ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission with speed and violence, if necessary."
Come to table and negotiate: Trump
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary."
He warned that "time is running out" and described the situation as truly of the essence. "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! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was "Operation Midnight Hammer," a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again," he added
Trump's remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, as Washington continues to pressure Tehran over its nuclear programme and regional activities.
Tehran warns it will respond 'like never before'
Iran responded on Wednesday through its mission to the United Nations, saying it is willing to engage with Washington "based on mutual respect and interests."
In a post on X, Tehran warned: "BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"
Amid the exchange of warnings, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that Washington is closely monitoring Tehran's actions and confirmed there is "a massive fleet heading in that direction."
At the same time, US Central Command said on Tuesday it was preparing multi-day readiness drills "designed to enhance asset and personnel dispersal capability, strengthen regional partnerships, and prepare for flexible response execution throughout."
Separately, a US source told The Jerusalem Post that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group had entered CENTCOM waters in the Indian Ocean.
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