U.S. military buildup in Middle East draws warning from Iran

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the Middle East, according to the U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers began deploying from the Asia-Pacific region earlier this month, as tensions between Iran and the United States escalated following a crackdown on protests across Iran.

U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility stretches from Northeast Africa across the Middle East to Central and South Asia, according to its website.

U.S. President Donald Trump had repeatedly threatened possible military action against Iran.

The U.S. military has in the past surged forces into the Middle East at times of heightened tensions, moves that were often defensive.

However, the U.S. military staged a major buildup last year ahead of its June strikes against Iran's nuclear program.

In addition to the carrier and warships, the Pentagon is also moving fighter jets and air-defense systems to the Middle East.

Over the weekend, the U.S. military announced that it would carry out an exercise in the region "to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat air power."

Responding to U.S. military movements in West Asia and its ongoing joint drills with Gulf states, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday that Iran will give a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any aggression.

"We have been and still are faced with hybrid warfare. In the aftermath of Israel's military aggression against Iran in June, we have been faced with new claims and threats from the United States and Israel every day over the past," Baghaei said.

Baghaei added that countries in West Asia know that Iran would not be the sole target of regional insecurity. "Insecurity is contagious," he said, adding that "any country that respects peace and international law should adopt a clear stance towards U.S. threats against other states."

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem was quoted by al-Manar local TV channel as saying, "If Israel and the United States launch an aggression against Iran, we will choose how to act at the appropriate time, but we will not be neutral."

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday reaffirmed its commitment not to allow its airspace, territory or waters to be used in any military actions against Iran, according to a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The UAE will not provide any logistical support for hostile military operations against Iran and the country believes that dialogue, de-escalation, adherence to international law and respect for state sovereignty constitute the most effective foundations for addressing current crises, said the statement.

(With input from agencies)