Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Washington and Tehran edged closer to a dangerous standoff as former US President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Iran, declaring that “time is running out” for negotiations over its nuclear programme amid an expanding American military presence in the Gulf.
Trump said a powerful US naval force, described by him as a “massive armada”, was rapidly moving towards the region with what he called “great power, enthusiasm and purpose”. The remarks were made in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, signalling a renewed escalation in rhetoric at a time of heightened regional tension.
In a sharply worded response, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said Tehran remained open to dialogue, but only on the basis of mutual respect and shared interests. However, it warned that if Iran were pushed or threatened, it would defend itself and “respond like never before”.
Calling on Tehran to immediately engage in talks, Trump wrote that he hoped Iran would “come to the table” to negotiate a “fair and equitable deal” that would ensure there are “no nuclear weapons”. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is purely peaceful and has repeatedly denied any intention to develop nuclear arms.
Trump further claimed that the current naval deployment in the Gulf exceeded the scale of forces previously sent to Venezuela, asserting that the US military was fully prepared to act swiftly and decisively if required. He warned that any future military action would be far more severe than past operations.
Referring to US strikes carried out in June 2025 on key Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, Trump cautioned that a repeat confrontation would bring devastating consequences. Those strikes, conducted during a brief but intense conflict involving Israel, were described by American officials as having significantly delayed Iran’s nuclear capabilities under an operation known as Midnight Hammer.
Iran has contested that assessment. Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of Iran’s state broadcaster, said the country did not suffer major damage as sensitive materials had already been removed from the targeted sites.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected Washington’s approach, saying diplomacy pursued through military pressure could not succeed. He said negotiations would only be possible if the United States abandoned threats, excessive demands and what he termed illogical preconditions.
Meanwhile, open source analysis by BBC Verify tracked several US military deployments to the region. A US defence official confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln led the naval force now operating in the Middle East.
Following the June strikes, Iran retaliated by launching missiles at a US military base in Qatar, an attack Trump later dismissed as weak and anticipated.
As military manoeuvres intensify and diplomatic language hardens, analysts warn that the narrowing space for dialogue raises the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile region.
