The United States is deploying a third aircraft carrier to the waters around Iran, according to a US official speaking to Al Jazeera. This deployment occurs as the conflict enters its eighth month, with both the US and Iran considering escalation and diplomatic engagement. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group departed from its San Diego base on Sunday, followed by the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Force, which carries over 2,000 Marines. By the end of November, three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups are expected to be positioned around Iran.
The official indicated that this concentration of military force would provide President Donald Trump with a broader range of options should he decide to take action. Al Jazeera’s Tanya Noury reported from Washington that the new deployment includes thousands of additional troops and air power, including F-35 fighter jets, on top of the approximately 50,000 US service members already stationed in the region.
The objective, according to Noury, citing Pentagon and White House sources, is to maintain military options for Trump regardless of the diplomatic developments, with no plans for the Pentagon to withdraw any assets even if an agreement with Iran is reached. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that forces are “ready to go” if Trump orders new strikes.
Trump has publicly maintained the threat of military action, stating in an interview with Fox News that he believes the US is “going to win the war” with Iran “very soon.” He also suggested that a return to military action “is possible” but preferred not to elaborate before the November midterm elections.
In conjunction with the military buildup, the US has imposed new economic sanctions on Iran’s rail and automotive sectors, with the Treasury Department describing these measures as efforts to diminish Tehran’s revenue.
Iran has proposed a seven-day roadmap through Qatar, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks in exchange for an end to the US naval blockade, sanctions relief, and a regional ceasefire involving Lebanon and Yemen.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz stated that the demands for frozen funds and sanctions relief are non-negotiable, emphasizing that these sanctions are not solely US-imposed but are global sanctions supported by seven UN Security Council resolutions regarding Iran's nuclear weapons program.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that Tehran is “fully prepared” to resume military actions, while also stating on social media that their purpose in New York is to seek peace, not war.
Analysts suggest that the mixed signals from both sides are intentional. Abas Aslani from the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies noted that the focus has shifted from whether to negotiate to who will relinquish primary leverage first. Former US ambassador Richard Schmierer remarked that Trump faces the challenge of delaying decisions until after the midterms while managing the political implications of concessions similar to a previously criticized June deal.
A recent AP-NORC poll indicates that nearly 70 percent of Americans believe the war has not been worth fighting, a decline in approval ratings that Trump has dismissed by claiming that “the pollsters are corrupt.”