In late December 2025, widespread protests and clashes erupted across Iran due to the country's ongoing economic crisis, gradually evolving into a large-scale movement challenging the authorities. 

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, called on Iranians to keep protesting, telling them to "take over your institutions" and "save the names of the killers."

The U.S. military buildup follows Trump's recent endorsement of anti-government protests in Iran, where he said, "Help is on its way." Israel, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region have been on high alert for days in anticipation of a U.S. strike.

On January 28, Trump said in a Truth Social post that a massive armada, headed by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and larger than that sent to Venezuela, is heading to Iran.

USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the region on January 27, putting it closer to assist in any potential U.S. operations targeting Iran. Iran's army said on January 29 that it inducted 1,000 strategic drones into the combat formations of its four military branches, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The drones were developed by army specialists in cooperation with the defense ministry to address evolving threats and incorporate lessons learned from the "12-day war," Tasnim said.

Also on January 29, the Trump administration is hosting senior defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia for talks on Iran this week as President Trump considers military strikes.

As the United States continues to pressure Iran, tensions in the region are rising. Several Middle Eastern countries have issued statements emphasizing that their territories must not be used for military actions against Iran, calling on both sides to resume dialogue and ease the situation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi is due to visit Türkiye on January 30 amid escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to emphasize that Türkiye is closely following recent developments in Iran and to underline that Iran's security, peace, and stability are of great importance to Ankara, the report said, quoting Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.