In a striking warning directed at Iran, Donald Trump asserted that the window for reaching an agreement regarding its nuclear program is rapidly closing, coinciding with an increase in US military presence in the Gulf region.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described a formidable naval force, referred to as a "massive Armada," that is advancing towards Iran with significant speed, power, and determination.
On the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by emphasizing that diplomacy cannot be effectively conducted under the threat of military force, suggesting that such tactics are counterproductive.
Previously, Trump had expressed his intention to support protesters amid a harsh and unprecedented crackdown on demonstrations occurring in Iran earlier this month. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), nearly 6,000 individuals have been confirmed dead since the unrest erupted in late December, which includes over 5,600 protesters. The agency is also looking into an alarming number of additional fatalities, reportedly around 17,000, which were reported despite a nationwide internet blackout lasting almost three weeks. Meanwhile, the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) has cautioned that the final death toll might surpass 25,000.
"If they [the US] seek to initiate negotiations, they must genuinely abandon threats, unreasonable demands, and illogical matters," Araghchi stated during a televised address, as translated by AFP news agency. He expressed hope that Iran would soon be willing to engage in discussions leading to a fair and just agreement—one that excludes nuclear weapon development.
Trump reiterated that Iran's assertion of its nuclear program being peaceful is unfounded and stated unequivocally that the US naval fleet in the Gulf surpasses the size of the one previously dispatched to Venezuela when US forces intervened against former leader Nicolás Maduro.
He further declared that this military presence is "ready, willing, and able to swiftly carry out its mission with great speed and ferocity if required." Referring to previous US strikes on critical Iranian nuclear facilities—which occurred during Israel's 12-day conflict last year—Trump warned, "The next attack will be significantly worse! Don’t let that situation arise again."
Utilizing open-source intelligence, BBC Verify has been tracking US military movements in the area, and a defense official confirmed that a naval "armada" led by the USS Abraham Lincoln has indeed arrived in the Middle East. In June 2025, the US executed strikes targeting three uranium enrichment plants in Iran: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. American officials indicated that this operation, codenamed "Midnight Hammer," had substantially hindered Tehran's ambitions of developing nuclear weaponry.
