US Deploys Second Carrier Strike Group to West Asia Amid Tensions with Iran

US President Donald Trump has deployed a second carrier strike group to West Asia in the latest move to build pressure on Iran, according to the New York Times. Trump has ordered the Gerald R Ford Carrier Strike Group —comprising the flagship USS Gerald R Ford and its support and escort ships— to join the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in West Asia. It is currently stationed in the Caribbean Sea and was involved last month in the US invasion of Venezuela. The USS Gerald R Ford is the world’s largest warship. It is understood to be able to carry up to 90 aircraft, including around 60 fighter planes. The Times reported that the carrier strike group received the order for deployment to West Asia on Thursday. Notably, that would mean the carrier strike group received its order a day after Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As per reports, Netanyahu has been pushing Trump to expand the scope of US-Iran nuclear talks to draw maximalist concessions from Iran. While the US-Iran talks are currently focused on the Iranian nuclear programme, Netanyahu has stressed that the talks should also seek limits on Iran’s ballistic missile programme and an end to its support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. The Times reported that the carrier strike group’s personnel were told they would not be expected to return home until April or early May. Trump has already amassed an entire carrier strike group —the Abraham Lincoln— in West Asia and deployed additional warships to the region. In recent weeks, he has frequently warned Iran of an attack if it does not reach a deal on its nuclear programme. Trump on Thursday warned that Iran would face a “very traumatic” response if it did not reach a nuclear deal with the administration. Trump, however, said he expected to reach an agreement with Iran “over the next month,” and added that the deal should come quickly. Last week, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, held indirect talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman. They did not reach any breakthrough in the meeting. Amid Trump’s muscle-flexing, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the Financial Times that expanding ongoing talks about Iran’s nuclear programme to include the ballistic missile programme would risk “nothing but another war” — something Netanyahu has been pushing for. Turkey has been mediating between the United States and Iran along with Qatar, Oman, and Egypt. Fidan said the Trump administration had signalled a willingness to be flexible on a key demand that Iran end all uranium enrichment — a demand that had long been a major irritant for Iran. As for Iran, Fidan said he believed Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime “genuinely wants to reach a real agreement,” and would accept restrictions on nuclear enrichment levels and a strict inspections regime. “It is positive that the Americans appear willing to tolerate Iranian enrichment within clearly set boundaries. The Iranians now recognise that they need to reach a deal with the Americans, and the Americans understand that the Iranians have certain limits. It’s pointless to try to force them,” said Fidan. US consumer prices rose 0.2% in January, less than expected, with annual inflation cooling to 2.4%. Core inflation edged up to 0.3% monthly. The data suggests the Fed may keep rates unchanged as underlying price pressures persist, especially in services. Get the latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.