Trump flags hurdles in Iran talks, to send second aircraft carrier
Shafaq News- Washington (Updated at 23:21)
Negotiations between the United States and Iran “remain challenging,” US President Donald Trump said on Friday, signalling uncertainty over the chances of reaching a swift agreement.
Trump told reporters that securing a deal during previous talks had proven challenging, though he believed an agreement could “still be achieved.”
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, increasing US military presence in the region amid ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, US President Donald Trump said earlier today, adding to journalists that the United States would need the carrier in case of no deal. "If we need it, we'll have it ready, a very big force."
The move follows Trump’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on January 11, where he reaffirmed his intention to continue pursuing an agreement with Tehran. Later, Trump indicated that negotiations could extend “as long as a month,” while expressing hope for a quicker resolution.
Washington and Tehran remain locked in high-stakes diplomacy after a round of indirect talks in Oman on February 6, described by both sides as a “good start” despite deep disagreements. The discussions, mediated by Muscat, exposed sharp divisions over the scope of a potential deal, with Iran insisting negotiations remain strictly limited to the nuclear file and rejecting any limits on its missile program, while the Trump administration pushes for broader concessions, including zero uranium enrichment and scrutiny of Tehran’s regional activities.
Read more: US-Iran Muscat talks: A diplomatic opening shadowed by red lines
