Washington DC [US], February 14 (ANI): US President Donald Trump said that for nearly five decades, Iran has prolonged negotiations while lives were lost, asserting that the issue would now be resolved “once and for all.”
Speaking to reporters, Trump said Iran had been “talking and talking” for 47 years as conflicts continued. He added that US military strength in the region had significantly increased. “Tremendous power has arrived, and additional power is coming. Other carriers are going out shortly. We’ll see it through and get it settled once and for all,” he said.
Trump confirmed that the United States has deployed a “very big carrier group” toward Iran, while maintaining that he would still prefer a diplomatic resolution. “I would love to see if we could make a deal. They’ve been difficult to make a deal with. I thought we would have had one last time. They wish they did. That’s what we did — Midnight Hammer,” he said, referring to prior US strikes.
Trump also reiterated his claim that he ended “eight wars in 10 months,” calling the Russia-Ukraine conflict the most challenging. “It takes two to tango. It’s a mess, but I think we’ll get there,” he said.
Earlier, Trump visited Fort Bragg, where he criticised former President Joe Biden over the base’s renaming during the previous administration. The base, originally named after a Confederate general, was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 and later reverted to Fort Bragg in honour of a World War II paratrooper after Trump returned to office.
US, Iran likely to hold nuclear talks in Geneva on February 17
Washington DC [US], February 15 (ANI):
The United States and Iran are expected to hold the next round of nuclear deal talks on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, CNN reported.
According to the report, US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to attend. The talks come amid Trump’s renewed push for an agreement and his warning that failure to reach a deal could be “traumatic” for Iran.
Trump said his recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “very good,” adding, “We have to make a deal. If they don’t make a deal, it’s going to be a different story.”
Iran and the US last held nuclear discussions in April 2025 in Muscat and Rome. However, on June 21–22, 2025, under Operation Midnight Hammer, the United States conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which Tehran condemned as violations of international law and the UN Charter.
The Iranian nuclear deal dates back to July 2015, when the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed, capping Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.67 per cent. The agreement collapsed in 2018 after Trump withdrew the US from the accord.
Meanwhile, Russia’s TASS reported that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US would take place in Geneva on February 17–18.
US deploys second aircraft carrier to West Asia amid Iran tensions
Washington DC [US], February 13 (ANI):
The United States is deploying a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with its escort ships from the Caribbean to West Asia, the New York Times reported.
The carrier strike group is set to join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already operating in the Persian Gulf. US officials said the deployment is not expected to conclude until late April or early May.
Originally intended as a European cruise, the USS Ford’s deployment was redirected as part of Trump’s broader pressure campaign. Its warplanes previously participated in a January 3 operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the report said.
Following his meeting with Netanyahu, Trump reiterated that Iran had previously been struck under Operation Midnight Hammer for failing to reach a deal, expressing hope that Tehran would act “more reasonably” this time.
Recently, Iranian official Ali Larijani, speaking to Al Jazeera, said indirect negotiations with Washington are ongoing in Oman but that no formal proposal has been received. He rejected demands for zero uranium enrichment, stating Iran requires enrichment for energy and medical purposes.
Iranian state media, citing IRNA, reported Larijani warning that if the US attacks Iran, Tehran would target US military bases across the region.
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