The United States Plans to Deploy a Second Aircraft Carrier in the Middle East

SadaNews - The United States intends to deploy a second aircraft carrier in the Middle East as part of preparations for a potential attack on Iran, according to the "Wall Street Journal".

The newspaper cited three American officials on Wednesday, stating that the Department of Defense (Pentagon) has been instructed to prepare a second aircraft carrier for deployment in the region as part of military preparations for a possible attack on Iran.

The officials added that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering sending the second aircraft carrier to the Middle East in anticipation of a military operation if negotiations with Iran fail, "but no official order has been issued yet and the situation may change".

One official pointed out that if a decision is made, the Department of Defense may deploy the aircraft carrier "USS George H.W. Bush" from the East Coast of the United States to the region in about two weeks.

On Tuesday, President Trump said he is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East if negotiations with Iran fail.

On January 26, last year, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that the "USS Abraham Lincoln" aircraft carrier was deployed in the Middle East "to support regional security and stability".

On Friday, Trump described the first round of indirect negotiations with Iran in Muscat as "very good", adding that Tehran had strongly expressed its desire to reach a new agreement, and that both parties plan to meet again next week.

Tehran asserts that the U.S. administration and Israel are fabricating pretexts for military intervention and regime change, threatening to respond to any military attack, even if limited, while insisting on lifting the western economic sanctions imposed on it in exchange for restricting its nuclear program.

In contrast, the United States demands that Iran completely halt its uranium enrichment activities and transfer highly enriched uranium out of the country.