US President Donald Trump shared a photo of the largest American aircraft carrier on his "Truth Social" media account and at the same time hardened his rhetoric against Tehran.
Modern.az reports that he said a change of power in Iran would be "the best thing that could happen".
According to Reuters, the Pentagon is preparing for a possible multi-week military operation against Iran if the White House decides. Military command is considering a one-time strike or a long-term campaign that could target not only nuclear facilities but also the country's public infrastructure.
Agency sources note that the new plan could be significantly broader than previous strikes and could lead to a series of retaliatory attacks. The Iranian army had previously stated its readiness to launch retaliatory strikes against American bases in the region.
Trump confirmed the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the Middle East. It will join US forces already deployed in the region.
"If we don't reach an agreement, we will need this," Trump said, emphasizing that the aircraft carrier would depart "very soon". This move is perceived as a show of force amidst the breakdown of diplomatic relations.
In response to a direct question about regime change, Trump stated that the Iranian leadership has been "talking for 47 years without taking significant action". His words were interpreted as a direct signal to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously warned that regime change in Iran would be considerably more difficult than attempts to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, given the stability and entrenched structure of the Iranian political system.
Trump reiterated Washington's firm stance: "We do not want any uranium enrichment". Until recently, Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60%, claiming its program was peaceful.
The President also noted that previous strikes had "destroyed" a number of nuclear facilities, but if necessary, remaining targets could be struck.
