Trump Flags US Naval ‘Armada’ Near Iran, Says Door Remains Open for Talks

Washington, Jan 28: Former US President Donald Trump emphasized a dual approach to Iran on Wednesday, highlighting the deployment of a major naval armada to the region while indicating a willingness to engage in talks under specific conditions.

Speaking to Axios, Trump described the situation with Iran as “in flux” and noted that significant American military assets, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, have been moved closer to exert pressure. “We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” he said, asserting that Iranian officials had reached out multiple times expressing interest in negotiations.

A senior US official confirmed that Washington remains open to talks, provided Tehran agrees to pre-set conditions. These include a complete halt to uranium enrichment, restrictions on long-range missile programs, removal of enriched uranium stockpiles, and an end to support for regional proxy groups. While Iran has shown willingness to discuss, it has rejected these terms so far.

Trump also revisited past US military operations against Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming that strikes in June last year had effectively neutralized Iran’s nuclear capacity, though the actual impact remains uncertain. “People have been waiting for 22 years to do that,” he said, referring to the bombing of three nuclear sites.

The former President stressed that his approach combines military readiness with strategic diplomacy. During last June’s 12-day conflict, he allowed Israel to launch a pre-emptive strike against an Iranian missile attack, demonstrating a balance between force and negotiation.

Trump indicated that further military options are under review and may expand following the arrival of the US naval forces in the region. The administration continues to monitor developments closely while signaling that dialogue remains conditional on Iran meeting specific requirements.