Washington/Tehran, Feb 13 (.) US President Donald Trump has ordered for the redeployment of its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group, redirecting it from the Caribbean to West Asia amid escalating tensions with Iran and ongoing nuclear negotiations, as per US officials.

The move will place the Ford alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln and its escorts in the region, significantly bolstering Washington’s naval power amid a diplomatic environment fraught with massive mistrust, animosity, and greatly heightened regional instability.

Trump made the decision to send the Ford after recent discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the lack of any practical results from Washington’s indirect talks with Tehran over its nuclear programme.

Trump has publicly pressured Iran to agree to a deal within weeks, warning of “very traumatic” consequences if no agreement is reached, and signalled that the Washington must continue to maintain military leverage over Tehran, which is already entrapped in massive socio-political unrest, and a drowning economy.

The Ford, the US Navy’s most advanced carrier and one of just 11 in the fleet, had been operating in the Caribbean following a large-scale deployment last year, which included participation in operations related to Venezuela.

According to officials, the redeployment represents a rapid shift in focus back to the Middle East and aligns with a broader US military buildup in the region, which already includes guided-missile destroyers and surveillance aircraft supporting the Lincoln’s strike group, reports Axios.

Military officials further noted, that the deployment is part of a strategy to increase pressure on Tehran during sensitive nuclear discussions, though it has received much criticism, as many have warned that the addition of another carrier could be perceived as a major escalation, which greatly undermines diplomacy, and could potentially rule it out entirely.

Iran has repeatedly stated that it will not negotiate under the threat of any kind of military action, with officials in Tehran publicly rejecting all talks that include broader issues beyond nuclear constraints; especially under a military threat.

The timing of the order – which comes amid high-level diplomacy and uncertain negotiation prospects – underscores how Washington is balancing diplomatic engagement with a substantial show of force, leading to many concerns within the region.

Gulf Arab states have warned that any military confrontation could trigger wider conflict following recent unrest linked to the Israel-Hamas war and protests within Iran itself, and have even warned that they won’t allow their territory to be used by the US for waging war against Iran, as the US has multiple bases within the region in Gulf states, thus complicating any Washington offensive.

The Ford’s journey from the Caribbean toward West Asia is expected to take several weeks, during which the carrier and its accompanying vessels will transit strategic waterways to join the existing US naval presence.

Though they will be reinforcing US deterrence on one hand, any offensive will become increasingly complex, on account of lack of cooperation from most Gulf states who have refused to become party to Washington’s war preparations, leading region facing mounting geopolitical pressure.

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