US President Donald Trump has hinted at a new tougher stance ahead of possible negotiations between the United States and Iran.
He said the U.S. military deployment around Iran would continue and that the military operation could resume if no agreement was reached.
In a message on social media on Wednesday, Trump said U.S. warships, fighter jets, soldiers and military equipment would remain in the current position. The military presence will remain in place until Iran reaches an effective agreement.
He also warned that a possible military response would be “massive and unprecedented if there is a failure in the negotiations.”
The official dialogue between the United States and Iran is scheduled to begin in Islamabad on April 10. The talks will lead the US side, Vice President J. D. Vance and Iran’s delegation, Mohammed Bager Ghalibaf, the speaker of parliament.
The talks are based on Washington’s proposed fifteen-point plan and Tehran’s counter-proposition. Both sides are trying to reach an agreement on a framework of the ceasefire, although there are still differences over terms and deadlines.
While the dialogue in Islamabad is seen as an important diplomatic initiative to defuse the ongoing tensions, analysts believe the situation could become more complicated by the announcement of the continued military presence.