Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has said that Iran is being closely monitored by Washington, while confirming that a large US naval deployment is moving toward the Gulf region as a precautionary measure.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday while returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump warned Tehran against any escalation, particularly over human rights actions and nuclear activities. “I said, if you hang those people, you’re going to be hit harder than you’ve ever been hit. It will make what we did to your Iran nuclear look like peanuts,” Trump was quoted as saying.
The President revealed that the United States has dispatched a “massive fleet” toward the region, adding that its use may not be necessary. “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. We’ll see what happens,” he said, indicating the move was meant to deter further instability.
US media reports in recent days have suggested that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and its strike group were redirected from exercises in the South China Sea toward West Asia. Ship-tracking data showed the carrier passing through the Strait of Malacca earlier this week, placing it within days of entering the region, though US defence officials have not formally confirmed its final destination.
Trump also told CNBC earlier this week that while he hoped to avoid further military action against Iran, the US would respond decisively if Tehran resumed its nuclear programme. The US had previously carried out air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, joining Israel during a brief conflict with Tehran.
Iran, meanwhile, has issued strong warnings against any renewed attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Tehran would respond forcefully if targeted. He said any large-scale confrontation would be prolonged, severe, and destabilising for the wider region, affecting people far beyond West Asia.
Against this backdrop, Iran temporarily shut its airspace last week amid heightened tensions, while diplomatic efforts by Gulf and West Asian nations reportedly sought to dissuade Washington from military action. Iran is also facing internal unrest following recent anti-government protests, with rights groups reporting thousands of deaths and arrests, figures that authorities are yet to independently confirm.
The situation continues to evolve as diplomatic and military signals from both sides point to a period of heightened regional uncertainty.
