Iran Suddenly Wants to Strike a Deal After ‘Big Armada’ Arrives: Trump
President Donald Trump says Iran has signaled interest in negotiating as U.S. military forces, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and added F-15E aircraft, move closer too the region following a harsh crackdown on anti-government protests. Reports of the death toll vary widely—Time cited unofficial Iranian claims of up to 30,000 killed, Iran’s government has acknowledged 3,117 deaths, and a human rights group estimated 5,459—with thousands of incidents under investigation. Trump says he warned Iran against mass killings and briefly considered military action; a senior U.S. official indicated the management is open to talks if Iran accepts known terms. Those terms reportedly include removing enriched uranium, limiting long-range missiles, ending support for regional militias, and banning domestic uranium enrichment. U.S. intelligence assessments suggest Iran’s grip on power is at its weakest since 1979, driven in part by economic discontent, while administration officials and some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, press for strong measures to back protesters.
As potential retribution lumbers closer to Iran, its leaders want to make a deal with the United States, according to President Donald Trump.
Earlier this month, Iran put its foot down after weeks of anti-government protests and dispersed the demonstrators. Iranian officials have unofficially said that up to 30,000 people may have been killed in the crackdown, according to Time.
The government has officially admitted to killing 3,117 people, while a human rights group put the death toll at 5,459 deaths, with 17,031 incidents under investigation.
Prior to the crackdown, Trump had warned Iran not to commit a mass slaughter of protesters and has said his intervention prevented Iran from executing many of the thousands arrested.
Trump considered military action when the protests were suppressed, but did not act at the time. However, military assets were put in motion: the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is now in the Middle East region, giving Trump military options he did not have earlier in the month.
“We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” Trump said, according to Axios.
As the strike force inches closer, Iran is bending, Trump said.
“They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”
What Axios called a “senior U.S. official” said Trump is willing to discuss options.
“If they want to contact us and they know what the terms are, then we’re going to have the conversation,” the U.S. official said.
The official said Iran has had terms of a deal sent to them many times in the past year. The terms include taking enriched uranium out of Iran, a cap on Iran’s number of long-range missiles, an end to Iran’s backing of militias in the region, and a ban on enriching uranium in Iran.
Intelligence reports “signal that the Iranian government’s hold on power is at its weakest point since the shah was overthrown in the 1979 revolution,” according to The New York Times.
Widespread disaffection, rooted in economic issues, has weakened the government’s support.
“President Trump is consistently briefed on intelligence matters around the world,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “It would be a dereliction of duty as commander in chief if he were not regularly briefed on these matters. With respect to Iran, President Trump continues to closely monitor the situation.”
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said he believes Trump will back up his December pledge to protesters that he would help them.
“The goal is to end the regime,” Graham said. “They may stop killing them today, but if they’re in charge next month, they’ll kill them then.”
The New York Times report noted that in addition to the carrier strike group, which includes ships equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the military has sent additional F-15E aircraft to bolster offensive capabilities.
The U.S. has also increased missile defense assets in the region and networked with allies.
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