1. What threat did President Trump issue to Iran?
Mr. Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that “time is running out” to negotiate a deal on its nuclear program, threatening military action if Tehran does not come to the negotiating table. He said he has dispatched a U.S. armada led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln that is “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
2. What are the U.S. demands in potential negotiations with Iran?
The Trump administration is pushing for Iran to remove highly enriched uranium from the country, allow free access to surprise inspections of its facilities, accept limits on its long-range ballistic missile program, and end support for militant proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis. Mr. Trump’s core insistence is that Iran not acquire nuclear weapons.
3. What previous military action has the U.S. taken against Iran?
Mr. Trump referenced Operation Midnight Hammer in June, when the U.S. military struck major Iranian nuclear sites, calling it “a major destruction of Iran.” He warned that any next attack would be “far worse” and told Iran not to “make that happen again.”
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4. How does this Iran deployment compare to other recent U.S. military actions?
Mr. Trump said the fleet sent to Iran is larger than the one he dispatched to Venezuela, which was used to enforce changes in that country alongside the capture of President Nicolas Maduro on narco-terrorism charges. Both operations demonstrate the administration’s willingness to use military force to achieve foreign policy objectives.
5. What domestic pressures is Iran currently facing?
Tehran has been dealing with major protests from its own people who are frustrated with economic conditions. Mr. Trump previously threatened to strike Iran in support of these protesters but pulled back after saying the Islamic Republic called off mass executions of demonstrators.
Read more: Trump urges Iran to deal on nuclear ambitions, or else U.S. fleet will act with ’speed and violence’
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