US President Donald Trump has hinted at a possible deal with Iran that would prevent military strikes, after Washington deployed a naval battle group off the country's shores. The move came amid Trump's threats to intervene in Iran's deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iran is "talking to us" and expressed hope for a satisfactory deal. However, he refused to confirm whether US allies in the region would be informed of plans due to security concerns.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that any attack by the US would spark a regional war. Trump dismissed this warning as expected, saying "Of course he is going to say that."
The situation escalated on Saturday with an explosion in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, which local firefighters attributed to a gas leak. Iran's authorities have denied reports that the incident was linked to any attack or sabotage.
Iran has announced plans for a live-fire drill in the strait of Hormuz, a key transit hub for global energy supplies, which US Central Command had warned against "any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near US forces."
In response to the EU designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, Iranian officials have vowed to consider all EU militaries to be terrorist groups. The move has sparked criticism from European leaders.
The standoff between the US and Iran appears to be on a knife-edge, with both sides trading barbs and warning of potential consequences for any escalation. As tensions remain high, diplomats and experts are watching closely for any sign of a breakthrough or further conflict.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iran is "talking to us" and expressed hope for a satisfactory deal. However, he refused to confirm whether US allies in the region would be informed of plans due to security concerns.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that any attack by the US would spark a regional war. Trump dismissed this warning as expected, saying "Of course he is going to say that."
The situation escalated on Saturday with an explosion in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, which local firefighters attributed to a gas leak. Iran's authorities have denied reports that the incident was linked to any attack or sabotage.
Iran has announced plans for a live-fire drill in the strait of Hormuz, a key transit hub for global energy supplies, which US Central Command had warned against "any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near US forces."
In response to the EU designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization, Iranian officials have vowed to consider all EU militaries to be terrorist groups. The move has sparked criticism from European leaders.
The standoff between the US and Iran appears to be on a knife-edge, with both sides trading barbs and warning of potential consequences for any escalation. As tensions remain high, diplomats and experts are watching closely for any sign of a breakthrough or further conflict.
. I think Trump's move to deploy a naval battle group is a clever tactic, showing strength without actually committing to a military strike. The fact that he's leaving out his allies from the plan due to security concerns makes sense too - we've seen how quickly things can escalate in the Middle East.
. It's not just about Iran being upset, it's also about European countries feeling like they're being bullied by the US. I think this whole situation is a powder keg waiting to be ignited... we need some level-headed diplomacy to prevent another conflict from happening 
. The EU and other world powers need to step in and facilitate a calm conversation between the US and Iran before things get out of hand 
.
and probably spark another war in the middle east 
not good 
i dont no wut 2 bleeve rn lol he's just tryna avoid a war n all we need is another mess like this in the world...i mean whats up wth him 1 min hes talkin bout dealin w/ iran n next thing u know hes threatnin 2 attack them 
. And what's up with Trump being all secretive about his plans? 
Can't we just know what's going on here? 
. It's like, totally unreasonable to expect us to not get worried when our friends are being called out as terrorist groups 
Like, what if there was a live chat or something where Trump and Iran could just have a civilized conversation? 
Wouldn't that be so much better than all the insults and threats back and forth? 