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The U.S. is redirecting the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships from the Caribbean to the Middle East amid ongoing Iran nuclear talks, local media reported.
Crew members were informed of the change on Thursday, according to four U.S. officials who spoke to the New York Times, and the carrier is now expected to return in late April or early May. The move places the Ford carrier strike group alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already operating in the Persian Gulf.
The shift follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks earlier this week that Washington wanted a second aircraft carrier in the region as part of efforts to increase pressure on Iran’s leadership.
Under the new orders, the Ford strike group will bolster U.S. naval capacity in and around the Gulf, where carrier-based aircraft and missile systems can operate from international waters without depending on host-nation bases. Aircraft from the carrier took part in a Jan. 3 operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Since talks between the two sides began, Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with airstrikes and warned of tougher measures if negotiations fail. He again warned on Thursday that Iran could face "very traumatic" consequences if nuclear negotiations with Washington fail, while saying he still expects progress in the coming weeks. He said the U.S. wants a deal but is prepared to escalate pressure if diplomacy collapses.
“I don’t want that to happen, but we have to make a deal,” Trump told reporters, adding that he hopes for a result “over the next month” from talks with Tehran.
Washington and Tehran have not set a firm date for the next round of indirect nuclear negotiations following the Feb. 6 talks in Muscat, Oman.
Iran’s delegation described that meeting as "relatively good," but said it was too early to judge the overall process and that further discussions would proceed only if both sides agree on a path forward.
Trump later said new talks would take place "early" next week without giving a date, while Iran’s top security official said the timing of the next round remains under review and will be announced later.
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