Washington (Web Desk): US President Donald Trump has said Washington is deploying a powerful naval presence toward the Gulf region while closely monitoring Iran, even as he sought to calm speculation about an immediate military confrontation and indicated a willingness to pursue dialogue.
Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One while returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump described the movement of what he called a “massive fleet” as a precautionary step.
He said the United States was keeping a sharp eye on Iran and stressed that he would prefer to avoid any escalation.
The president has repeatedly maintained that military options remain available following US backing of Israel during a 12-day conflict in June that targeted Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. In recent days, however, the tone from both Washington and Tehran has suggested a renewed emphasis on diplomacy rather than immediate action.
At the World Economic Forum (WEF), Trump said the US had struck Iranian uranium enrichment facilities last year to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, an allegation Iran firmly rejects.
He said such an outcome could not be allowed, while also noting that Iran appeared interested in talks and that the US was prepared to engage.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded with a warning of their own, saying their forces were on high alert and ready to act if provoked, with commanders stressing that they were prepared for any scenario.
Inside Iran, weeks of unrest that began in late December posed a serious challenge to the leadership of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests have since faded following a sweeping security crackdown and an unprecedented shutdown of internet access across the country.
Last week, Trump stepped back from earlier threats of military action tied to Iran’s response to the demonstrations after the White House said Tehran had paused the planned executions of detained protesters.
The confrontation has continued to be marked by sharp and often shifting rhetoric. Earlier this week, Trump warned Iran’s leadership that any attempt on his life in response to a strike aimed at Khamenei would result in devastating consequences.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on Thursday, accused the United States and Israel of inflaming the protests as an act of revenge for what he described as their defeat in the recent 12-day conflict.
Revolutionary Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour cautioned both Israel and the United States against making miscalculations, urging them to reflect on the lessons of the latest war and warning that further confrontation would bring even harsher consequences.
He said the Guards and the Iranian nation were more prepared than ever to carry out the directives of the supreme commander.
Meanwhile, General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, who heads Iran’s joint command headquarters, warned that if the US launched an attack, American interests, military bases and centres of influence across the region would be treated as legitimate targets by Iranian forces.