A closed meeting held on September 30 at the Quantico military base in Virginia has increased the likelihood of new tensions in the region.
Modern.az reports that at the meeting, US President Donald Trump and Pentagon chief Pit Hegset addressed more than 800 generals and admirals, stating that the main mission of the US army is “to be ready for war and to win.”
It is reported that specific plans were discussed in the closed part of the meeting. US media, however, points to Iran as the target country.
After the strikes by Israel and the US on Iran's nuclear facilities in June, Tehran refused to halt its nuclear program and ruled out direct dialogue with Washington.
At the same time, the US has increased its military activity in the Middle East. The Pentagon has sent refueling aircraft and the “Gerald Ford” aircraft carrier to the region. During his speech at the UN General Assembly, Trump stated that “many former commanders are no longer alive” in Iran.
Tehran, however, demonstrates an opposing stance. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected the US demands, while the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, called the talks a “dead end.” Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, also stated that the strikes only temporarily slowed down the nuclear program, and the process will continue.
“The Washington Post” writes that the construction of a secret underground facility near Natanz has accelerated. According to the newspaper, the new tunnels could be intended for uranium enrichment or storage.
