Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Reports: The wounded is an Israeli occupation forces officer.
Reports indicate that a 25-year-old man was wounded and that the man behind the operation was "neutralized".
Reports indicate a stabbing operation took place at the Chain Gate (Bab al-Silsila Minaret) in the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied al-Quds.
Iran MFA: Iran has not received any written proposal from the US on the nuclear deal, whether directly or indirectly.
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Yemen: Israeli aggression targets the port of As-Salif, Hodeidah governorate.
Reuters: The Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 72 martyrs in Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip since dawn today
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Iran maintains that its talks with the Europeans and its indirect negotiations with the United States are proceeding on separate tracks
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Istanbul: Talks with the European Troika are being led by Iran's deputy foreign ministers for political and legal affairs
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Bombardment of the Gaza Strip by land, sea, and air has continued since the early morning

US sends second aircraft carrier to ME, further militarizing region

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al-Monitor
  • 22 Mar 2025 00:11
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The Pentagon's decision closely follows rising tensions between the US and Iran, as US President Donald Trump gives Iran a 2-month ultimatum to reach a nuclear deal.

Listen
  • x
  • Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is moored near Split, Croatia, Feb. 14, 2022 (AP)Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is moored near Split, Croatia, Feb. 14, 2022 (AP)

The Pentagon approved plans to send the USS Carl S. Vinson aircraft carrier to the Middle East, Al-Monitor reported, as the US continues to attack Yemen and President Donald Trump threatens Iran with military action.

The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed off orders to the USS Carl S. Vinson, a Nimitz-class carrier that was participating in military drills, to sail to the Middle East, extending its deployment by three months, according to Al-Monitor, citing a US official.

The Vinson is set to join the USS Harry S. Truman strike group, which has been involved in the campaign against Yemeni operations in the Red Sea and was expected to return to port at the end of the month.

Likewise, Hegseth extended the Truman’s deployment in the region for an additional month.

The deployments come amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with the US president ordering assaults on Yemen while threatening Iranian leaders to halt Tehran's nuclear program, despite it being peaceful as repeatedly affirmed. 

This, according to AP, will be the second time in six months that the US has kept two carrier strike groups in that region, with generally only one there. Prior to that, it had been years since the US had committed that much warship power to the Middle East.

Related News

Trump administration planning to send 1 million Palestinians to Libya

'Israel' concerned, says US withholding info about indirect Iran talks

Wider context

Since returning to the White House for a second term in January, Trump reinstated his "maximum pressure" campaign of sanctions against Iran, echoing his strategy from his first presidency. In his initial term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, reimposing sweeping economic sanctions.

Tehran initially continued to comply with the 2015 deal for a year after Washington’s withdrawal but later began scaling back its commitments. Although the Biden administration stated publically it wanted to revive the deal, negotiations stalled, leaving Iran unwilling to engage while sanctions remain in place.

Iran has consistently ruled out direct negotiations with the US while sanctions remain in place. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently reaffirmed this stance, stating that Iran "definitely will not negotiate directly while facing pressure, threats, and increased sanctions."

After reclaiming the presidency in January, Trump reinstated his "maximum pressure" policy, similar to his first term. 

Iran reviews Trump's letters

According to IRNA on Monday, Iran is in the process of reviewing a letter from Trump, with a formal response to be issued once the assessment is complete, as Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated during his weekly press briefing in Tehran nearly a week after the letter was received.

The correspondence, which Trump announced on March 7, was sent to Sayyed Ali Khamenei amid the administration's continued "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, while also expressing an interest in negotiations.

Baghaei clarified that Tehran has no intention of making the letter public, emphasizing that media speculation does not necessarily reflect its content. He noted that its overall tone remains consistent with Trump's previous public remarks. Iran's response to this correspondence will be conveyed through diplomatic channels following a thorough review, he said. He also dismissed any link between the letter and Araghchi's visit to Oman, which had been scheduled in advance.

  • United States
  • Pentagon
  • US
  • Yemen
  • Donald Trump
  • Iran

Most Read

Two F-35 jets arrive at it's new operational base Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. (AP)

F-35 near-misses over Yemen signal new risks for 'Israel': Forbes

  • Politics
  • 14 May 2025
Palestinians pray over bodies of people killed in the Israeli bombardment who were brought from the Shifa hospital before burying them in a mass grave in the town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023. (AP )

Gaza casualty figures mask a much bigger horror, new study shows

  • Politics
  • 11 May 2025
Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

  • Politics
  • 15 May 2025
Abu Obaida

Abu Obeida posts shortly after Israeli reports about his assassination

  • Palestine
  • 15 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Romanian presidential front-runner accuses Macron of interference
Europe

Romanian presidential front-runner accuses Macron of interference

Syria signs $800 million deal with UAE to develop Tartus Port
MENA

Syria signs $800 million deal with UAE to develop Tartus Port

Some Pakistanis have taken to the streets in protest over India's decision to suspend the water deal. (AP Photo: Anjum Naveed)
Politics

India threatens Pakistan’s water supply with Indus river project plans

Former FBI chief accused of calling for Trump’s assassination
US & Canada

Former FBI chief accused of calling for Trump’s assassination

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS