The United States military is reportedly prepared for possible strikes on Iran as early as this weekend, according to multiple US media outlets citing unnamed sources, reported The Guardian. However, Donald Trump has not made a final decision on whether to proceed.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that Iran halt its nuclear programme and has warned that force could be used if a deal is not reached. Reports from The New York Times, CBS News and CNN say the US has assembled significant air and naval assets in the Middle East to launch an attack in the coming days.
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Timeline still unclear
According to Reuters, a senior US official indicated that forces deployed to the region are expected to be fully in place by mid-March. CBS reported that the timeline for any strike could extend beyond this weekend.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not specify a deadline for Iran to reach a deal. "Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump," she was quoted as saying by The Guardian, adding that the administration "totally obliterated Iran's nuclear facilities", but that "diplomacy" was always the president's "first option". She also noted there was a "little bit of progress" after talks in Geneva, but "we're still very far apart on some issues".
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"He is spending a lot of time thinking about this," one source told CNN.
Military build-up in region
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group is already in the region, while the USS Gerald R Ford is en route. Dozens of refuelling aircraft and more than 50 additional fighter jets have also been positioned, reports say.
Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei posted an image online warning. "More dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea."
Diplomatic efforts continue, but tensions remain high.
