Trump Announces Military Movement Toward Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that a US naval force is moving toward Iran, while stressing that he hopes it will not be used, as he renewed warnings to Tehran over the killing of protesters and any attempt to restart its nuclear program.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States after meetings with global leaders in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said that a significant number of US vessels were heading in Iran’s direction as a precaution. He added that Washington was closely monitoring developments and did not wish to see the situation escalate.

Trump reiterated that the deployment was intended as a deterrent, saying the United States had a war fleet moving toward the region but might not need to use it. US warships began repositioning from the Asia-Pacific region last week as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified following a violent crackdown on protests across Iran.

The US president has repeatedly threatened action against Iran over the killing of demonstrators, although protests appeared to subside last week and Trump said he had succeeded in halting executions of detainees. He warned that any executions would have triggered a response far stronger than previous US strikes, including those targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Trump said the reported cancellation of executions shortly before they were due to take place was a positive sign.

Trump also warned that the United States would act if Iran attempted to revive its nuclear activities following US strikes on key sites in June. He said that any renewed effort would be met with further military action, regardless of location.

US officials said on Thursday that the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, along with several guided-missile destroyers, is expected to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. One official added that additional air defense systems are also being considered for deployment, which could be critical if Iran were to target US bases in the region.

The expanded military deployment broadens Trump’s options, both to strengthen the protection of US forces amid ongoing tensions and to enable further military action if deemed necessary, following the earlier strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.