US President Donald Trump has again sent a strong message to Iran on the nuclear deal issue, saying that “time is quickly running out” to reach an agreement.
The warning comes amid an increase in the US naval and military presence in the Gulf region, which has further heightened Iran-US tensions.
Trump said in a speech that a “large” US fleet was moving towards Iran with “rapid and powerful intent.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by saying that Iran’s armed forces were fully prepared to respond to any aggression by land or sea.
The United States and its allies have long expressed concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran has consistently insisted is peaceful. Tensions between the two countries have been rising since the United States threatened to intervene in the crackdown on protests in Iran this month.
Trump called on Iran to return to the negotiating table on social media, saying the US goal was a “fair and equitable” deal without nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that while Tehran was ready for talks, they had to be “genuine and based on mutual respect.