Donald Trump has warned Iran that “time is running out” to make a deal and that the “next attack” by US forces will be “far worse” than previous strikes.
In a post on Truth Social, the US President warned that a “massive armada” was on its way to the country in preparation for possible military action.
“Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” he wrote.
Trump has been threatening intervention ever since protests erupted in the country last month, prompting a ruthless crackdown by the Tehran regime.
The armada is “moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose” and is larger than the one which was sent to Venezuela, he added.
The US president said he hopes Iran will come to the table for a “fair and equitable deal” to ensure it had “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS”.
“Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse!” he wrote.
On 22 June last year, the US carried out a blitz attack on a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities, Fordow, Natan and Isfahan, its only military action during the twelve day war between Iran and Israel.
Trump’s threats of a renewed attack on Iran began after widespread protests erupted in late December across the country, with hundreds of thousands believed to have taken to the street to voice their discontent with the Iranian regime.
Sources told Axios on Tuesday that Mr Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to strike Iran. He is expected to decide after holding more consultations this week and being presented with more military options.
He told the outlet that a diplomatic resolution was still possible, adding: “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”
Earlier this month, Trump initially warned the US would carry out strikes on Iran if it did not stop killing protesters on the streets, and if it executed any of the thousands that were arrested during the unrest.
But the US president held off from ordering an attack after the protests largely abated following a regime crackdown which some estimates say killed tens of thousands of people.
On Monday, a US aircraft carrier and several warships have arrived in the Middle East, intensifying concerns that Trump may order a strike.
The president had already warned that an “armada” was on its way, saying his administration was “watching” Iran following weeks of deadly protests across the country.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and a number of guided-missile destroyers are in the Middle East region, which comes under the US military’s Central Command, US officials said on Monday.
“We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case … I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” Mr Trump told reporters on board Air Force One last Thursday.
“We have an armada … heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it.”
