Washington, Jan 28 (.) US President Donald Trump has renewed his hard-line stance on Iran, underscoring a growing American military presence in the region while simultaneously signalling openness to negotiations, as tensions escalate over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters and broader regional security concerns.
Speaking at a campaign-style event in Clive, Iowa, Trump pointed to what he described as a significant US naval buildup in the Middle East. “By the way, there’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now,” he said. “So we’ll see. I hope they make a deal. They should have made a deal the first time. They’d have a country.”
Trump’s remarks highlighted Washington’s dual-track approach, combining military pressure with the possibility of diplomacy. The message was echoed in a separate interview with Axios, where Trump described the situation with Iran as “in flux,” noting that major US military assets had been repositioned closer to the region.
“We have a big armada next to Iran, bigger than Venezuela,” Trump said, adding that Iranian officials had repeatedly signalled an interest in talks. “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”
Following the interview, a senior US official confirmed that Washington remains open to negotiations if Iran initiates contact under clearly defined conditions. “With regard to Iran, we are open for business,” the official said. “If they want to contact us, and they know what the terms are, then we’re going to have the conversation.”
Earlier this month, US special envoy Steve Witkoff outlined those terms, which include a ban on uranium enrichment, the removal of existing enriched uranium, limits on Iran’s long-range missile programme, and the cessation of support for regional proxy forces. Tehran has categorically rejected these demands, despite expressing willingness to negotiate.
Trump also referred to US military strikes carried out in June, claiming they had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities by hitting three major facilities. However, the extent of damage to Iran’s enrichment programme remains unclear. The president recalled that “people have been waiting for 22 years” for such action.
The renewed threat comes as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has moved into the Indian Ocean, placing it within the operational area of US Central Command and closer to any potential action against Iran.
The carrier group includes guided missile cruisers, destroyers, and other warships.
Inside Iran, tensions remain high as the death toll from the government’s crackdown on protests continues to rise. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Sunday that at least 5,520 protesters have been killed since demonstrations began late last month, with another 17,091 deaths still under review.
During Friday prayers, a senior cleric warned Washington against launching any attack. “The trillion dollars you invested in the region are under the watch of our missiles,” said Mohammad Ali Akbari.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran is “more than capable” of responding to any US aggression with what he termed a “regretful” response. “The arrival of one or several warships does not impact Iran’s defensive determination,” he said, adding that Iran’s armed forces are closely monitoring developments.
Iranian military officials have also claimed significant improvements in missile capabilities since the 12-day war with Israel in June, during which Iran launched waves of missiles and drones at Israeli targets after Israel carried out surprise strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. The US later joined the conflict, targeting key Iranian nuclear sites.
Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned that any aggression would immediately turn “all American interests, bases, and centres of influence into legitimate targets.” Iranian officials have also cautioned that US allies in the region could be struck, a concern that has prompted Gulf Arab states to lobby Washington against military action.
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