US President Donald Trump said that he is considering the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, intensifying pressure on Tehran amid diplomatic talks.
"We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump told Axios, confirming that he is "thinking" about an additional deployment.
A US official corroborated that internal discussions regarding a second strike group are underway, which would join the USS Abraham Lincoln currently stationed in the area.
Trump framed the choice for Iran as a binary one, asserting, "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," referring to the US strikes last June, when US forces carried out airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
The US president indicated that he anticipates a second round of negotiations with Iranian officials next week, claiming that Tehran is now more seriously engaged.
He suggested his willingness to use force has changed the diplomatic landscape. "Last time they didn't believe I would do it," he said, adding that the Iranian leadership had previously "overplayed their hand."
Trump said that an accord that would include Iran's nuclear program is a "no-brainer" and voiced optimism about curbing its ballistic missile capabilities. "We can make a great deal with Iran," he said.
On the White House visit this Wednesday of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump dismissed concerns of friction between the two, saying that Netanyahu "also wants a deal. He wants a good deal."
Iran and the US are preparing for the next round of nuclear negotiations, which took place in Oman on Friday after a nearly eight-month suspension.
Tension has escalated between Washington and Tehran, fueled by an American military buildup in the Persian Gulf and repeated threats of military action by Trump.
