U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Wednesday, urging it to enter negotiations on a new nuclear agreement and warning that time is “running out.”
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He said the force is “moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm and purpose,” describing it as a larger fleet, led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, than the one previously sent to Venezuela. As in that case, he wrote, it is “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
Trump talks about the 'big, beautiful Armada'
“I hope Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties,” Trump wrote. “Time is running out, it is truly of the essence. As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL. They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse!”
Trump’s warning came just hours after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied earlier Wednesday that Tehran is currently holding negotiations with the United States. Araghchi, who led talks with Washington ahead of the “12-day war” with Israel and the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities last June, said he has not been in contact in recent days with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.
“We did not initiate talks,” Araghchi said, adding that while some countries are attempting to mediate and Iran is in contact with them, negotiations cannot occur under threats. He said Washington must recognize that talks require clear rules and must be conducted on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
An Iranian source told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is aligned with Iran’s so-called resistance axis, that amid what Tehran sees as an expanding enemy military buildup, defense has become its top priority. The source said Iran would raise its defensive readiness to the highest level in response to increased U.S. military activity and is taking the prospect of war seriously.
The source said Iran would be willing to engage in negotiations only if the United States does not attempt to dictate the outcome in advance, adding that any attack on Iran would be met with strikes on the base or location from which it originated, in an effort to deter further action. The source added that Washington cannot compel Iran to negotiate through military pressure, noting that military action would not be a simple option for the United States because Iran’s response would be proportional.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi echoed those messages, saying Iran would respond appropriately to any U.S. attack, even a limited one. He said Iran’s current priority is not negotiations with Washington but preparing for war “at 200 percent,” while noting that channels of communication remain open.
Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani warned that an attack on Iran could escalate into a regional conflict. She said Tehran hopes to resolve disputes through diplomatic means but is determined to defend the country and its national interests. Iran does not seek war, she said, but will take whatever steps are necessary to defend itself, adding that Iran is not afraid of confrontation and that any conflict could spread across the region and beyond.
First published: 14:48, 01.28.26