U.S., Iran intensify rhetoric as another 'armada' heads to Middle East

The United States and Iran have intensified rhetoric amid heightened U.S. military activity in the Middle East, following the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that another U.S. "armada" was heading toward Iran, expressing hope that Tehran would reach a deal with Washington. 

"There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now," Trump said. "I hope they make a deal."

U.S. Central Command announced that American air forces would conduct a multi-day readiness exercise across its area of responsibility, one day after the carrier group's deployment – an action widely seen as a significant escalation of the U.S. military posture near Iran.

While Trump has repeatedly threatened possible military action against Iran, there is so far no indication that the White House has made a final decision.

Israeli newspaper Maariv reported that Washington would inform Israel shortly before launching any military action against Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned at a televised press conference that "if Iran makes the grave mistake of attacking Israel, we will respond with a force that Iran has never seen."

Iranian officials have also issued stern warnings. 

Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy of the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying that while neighboring countries are considered friends, any use of their land, airspace, or waters against Iran would render them hostile.

Meanwhile, Iran issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Tuesday for air navigation along the Strait of Hormuz due to live-fire military drills scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday, according to Anadolu Agency. 

Alongside military preparedness, Iran has intensified regional diplomatic efforts. 

In a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready to support any process that promotes peace and conflict prevention "within the framework of international law, while fully safeguarding the rights of the country and its people." He also called for collective cooperation among Muslim countries to ensure regional security, stability and development.

In response, the Saudi crown prince said the kingdom would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions or attacks against Iran by any party.

On the same day, the foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar emphasized the need to continue diplomatic efforts to maintain regional stability and reduce tensions during a phone conversation. 

In response to U.S. military deployments, Iran has stepped up diplomatic engagement, reiterating that it has never sought – and will never seek – to acquire nuclear weapons. Analysts say this stance is intended to deny other countries any pretext for launching military strikes against Iran. At the same time, Tehran has stressed that its armed forces remain on high alert and ready to retaliate.

Military commentator Wei Dongxu told CMG that Iran's dual-track approach of diplomacy and military preparedness aims to constrain U.S. actions. Diplomatically, Iran seeks to gain understanding and support from neighboring countries, signal its unwillingness to provoke conflict, and counter what it sees as U.S. threats to regional stability, Wei said.  

Regarding the military preparations, Wei said Iran aims first to minimize potential losses in the event of a sudden conflict, and second to warn potential provocateurs that the use of force would come at a cost.

As for why the U.S. has not made a final decision, Qin Tian, deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said the cost-effectiveness of striking Iran is the main and most difficult concern.

The Trump administration hopes to achieve the greatest gains at the lowest cost, but in the case of Iran, it is still unclear whether this can be realized, Qin said, adding that so Trump has now put both military and diplomatic options on the table.