The United States has tightened its naval grip on Iran through an unprecedented buildup of aircraft carriers and warships, in a move that reflects a strategy of “military pressure in exchange for negotiations,” alongside a fragile diplomatic track between the two sides.
According to international media reports, U.S. Central Command has deployed three aircraft carrier strike groups in the Middle East, the largest deployment of its kind since 2003, intensifying military pressure on Tehran amid rising tensions.
This escalation comes as the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush nears arrival in the region, joining both the Abraham Lincoln, operating in the Arabian Sea, and the Gerald Ford, deployed in the Red Sea, thereby widening the naval cordon imposed around Iran.
The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is leading deployment operations in the Arabian Sea, backed by an advanced air wing, warships, and nuclear submarines, as part of enforcing a naval blockade on vital waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, a major artery for global energy transport.
According to the sources, U.S. forces have succeeded in intercepting dozens of vessels linked to the transport of Iranian oil as part of tightening economic and military restrictions on Tehran, with a large number of tankers being blocked or diverted.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford continues its operations after returning to service following maintenance work, operating within the area of responsibility of U.S. Central Command in the Red Sea and recording one of the longest naval deployments in U.S. Navy history.
This military buildup, which includes dozens of warships, hundreds of aircraft, and thousands of troops, reflects Washington’s readiness for escalation scenarios while keeping the door to negotiations open, particularly in light of a fragile ceasefire between the two sides.
Despite this escalation, the duration of this military deployment remains unclear, but indicators confirm that the U.S. administration is adhering to a policy of military pressure while awaiting the outcome of talks with Iran, amid fears that the diplomatic track could collapse at any moment.
