President Donald Trump who initially stated he would strike Iran over its crackdown on protests, later switched his focus to Iran’s nuclear programme. File
| Picture Credit score: AP
Requested if he desires regime change in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump advised reporters on Friday (February 13, 2026) that it “could be the very best factor that might occur”. Mr. Trump, who final month threatened to strike Iran if Iran killed protesters, confirmed {that a} second plane service is “going out shortly” to West Asia. “For 47 years, they’ve been speaking and speaking and speaking,” Mr. Trump stated. “Within the meantime, we’ve misplaced numerous lives whereas they speak. Legs blown off, arms blown off, faces blown off. We’ve been occurring for a very long time. So, let’s see what occurs.”
The U.S. has already deployed USS Abraham Lincoln to the Arabian Sea, some 500 km off Iran’s Persian Gulf coast. On Friday (February 13, 2026), officers advised U.S. media that the second service going to the area could be USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest plane service. Ford is at present within the Caribbean the place it was deployed earlier than Mr. Trump’s January 3 assault on Venezuela and the kidnapping of its President, Nicolas Maduro. The final time West Asian waters had two plane carriers was in June 2025 when the U.S. joined Israel to bomb Iran throughout the 12-day warfare.
Mr. Trump’s choice to ship a second service to West Asia got here shut on the heels of his assembly, in Washington, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu, who was scheduled to journey to the U.S. later this month, moved up his journey after the U.S. held talks with Iran in Muscat, Oman, on February 6. Whereas there was no breakthrough within the talks, each side agreed to proceed the dialogue.
Speaking factors
Mr. Trump, who initially stated he would strike Iran over its crackdown on protests, later switched his focus to Iran’s nuclear programme, which he claimed to have “obliterated” within the June strike. Not too long ago, he has repeatedly warned that Iran would face “profound penalties” if it didn’t conform to a take care of the U.S. Tehran says it is able to discuss its nuclear programme, however solely in regards to the nuclear programme. Israel, however, has demanded that any deal between the U.S. and Iran also needs to tackle the latter’s ballistic missile functionality and its assist for militia teams within the area resembling Hamas, Houthis and Hezbollah.
Whereas diplomats are set to proceed talks, the U.S. is constructing a warlike navy presence within the area. In addition to the Lincoln strike group with its air wing together with F/A-18E Tremendous Hornets, F-35C Lightning Iis and EA-18G Growlers, the Pentagon has additionally despatched guided missile destroyers and fight ships to the Persian Gulf, Pink Sea, Strait of Hormuz and Mediterranean. It has additionally moved some 35 F-15E Strike Eagles to the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, tanker plane to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, apart from A-10 and MQ-9 drones and digital warfare plane. The U.S. has additionally deployed further THAAD and Patriot methods to guard its bases in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
The U.S. has some 50,000 troops throughout at the very least 19 bases within the area. The variety of troops is predicted to go up by one other 5,000 as soon as Ford reaches West Asia’s waters.
Iran’s response
Iran has stated that it’s prepared for “truthful and equitable” talks, however wouldn’t settle for coercion. President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated Iran just isn’t in search of to construct a nuclear bomb and that it is able to open the nation up for verification. However whereas preserving the door open for a diplomatic resolution, Iran says its fingers stay “on the set off”. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has carried out a stay drill within the Persian Gulf in current weeks. On February 11, the forty seventh anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian authorities additionally mobilised large crowds throughout the nation to counter the Western narrative that it lacks public assist. Iran’s high safety officers say even a restricted U.S. strike may set off an all-out regional warfare.
The U.S. is ramping up navy strain on Iran to extract most concessions as a part of a possible deal. Iran has pushed again in opposition to sweeping calls for from the U.S. and Israel, warning that any assault could be expensive. Whereas Mr. Trump, who seems cautious of getting drawn into extended conflicts, might desire swift result-oriented navy motion if diplomacy fails, Iran’s doctrine just isn’t constructed round fast victory however round denying victory to its adversary. The scenario stays tense and sophisticated. Mr. Trump desires a deal on his phrases and has threatened to make use of power if he doesn’t get it. Iran, which was bombed in June 2025 whereas nonetheless engaged in talks with the U.S., seeks a deal that respects its purple strains, and has warned that any new assault may set off a wider warfare. Israel is watching carefully to see how occasions unfold subsequent.
Revealed – February 14, 2026 05:43 pm IST
