A major US naval strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has entered the Middle East, marking a sharp escalation in tensions with Iran as protests in the Islamic Republic continue to be met with lethal force.
US president Donald Trump told Axios that Iran “wants to make a deal” but did not rule out military action. “They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk,” Trump claimed, while refusing to disclose details of options presented by his national security team. “Diplomacy is still on the table,” he said, before adding that a strike remains a possibility.
The US Central Command confirmed in a statement on X that the strike group had arrived in the region “to promote regional security and stability.” Trump, welcoming the move, boasted, “We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela.”
Tensions have surged following mass protests in Iran that began in late December as a response to deepening economic hardship. Initially peaceful, the demonstrations quickly turned political with chants against the regime and clashes with security forces.
Human rights monitors claim over 6,000 people have been killed—an estimate reported by a US-based rights group—while official figures from the Iranian government place the death toll at 3,117.
As the crackdown intensified, Trump threatened military action, warning of a “massive fleet” ready to respond. The deployment of the Abraham Lincoln comes amid growing US rhetoric against Iran and follows months of deadly unrest.
In a defiant statement on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned of a “comprehensive and regret‑inducing ” response in the event of any aggression. Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran remains confident in its defensive capabilities and dismissed the US naval deployment as having no impact on Iran’s determination to defend its people.
Iran media outlet Borna, quoted navy commander Shahram Irani as saying that the country’s naval forces are “not merely defensive, but also a stabilizing anchor in the region.”
Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, accused both Israel and the United States of exploiting Iran’s economic crisis to destabilize the country.
Speaking at a military leadership conference, Larijani said the recent unrest was a continuation of the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, asserting, “They wanted people in the streets—but they failed.”
The June conflict saw Israel launch strikes inside Iranian territory, with the United States providing air support under the pretext of deterring Iran’s nuclear ambitions. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on the US Al-Udeid air base in Qatar. That confrontation ended when Trump declared a ceasefire and announced a war-ending agreement.
