Iran Rejects U.S. Threats, Denies Requesting Talks as Trump Sends Naval Armada
Iran has firmly rejected U.S. warnings and denied requesting any direct negotiations, as President Donald Trump moves to escalate pressure with a massive naval deployment to the region.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, told state media Wednesday that neither he nor Tehran had initiated contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. “There was no contact between me and Witkoff in recent days, and no request for negotiations was made from us,” Araqchi said. He added that while intermediaries remain in communication, Iran will not engage in talks “under threats or excessive demands.”
The statement comes in response to Trump’s announcement that a “massive armada,” led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, is heading toward Iran. On his Truth Social account, Trump described the fleet as larger and more powerful than a previous deployment to Venezuela, warning Tehran to reach a nuclear deal or face severe military consequences. “Time is running out… Make a deal! The next attack will be far worse!” he wrote, referencing the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which the U.S. described as “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, reiterated Tehran’s openness to initiatives aimed at preventing war, so long as they respect international law. Despite this, Iranian officials insist that dialogue cannot occur under coercion, signaling a standoff in the Gulf.
The U.S. military’s latest show of force comes amid nationwide protests in Iran, marking the country’s deadliest crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Analysts warn that escalating threats risk destabilizing the region further, raising fears of another military confrontation with potentially severe consequences for both sides.
Trump’s repeated threats follow a series of high-profile U.S. operations abroad, including the overnight raid on Caracas earlier this month that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. These actions reflect the administration’s willingness to use direct military force to achieve strategic objectives, a posture now extended to Iran.
As tensions mount, international observers and regional powers are closely watching the Gulf, with uncertainty growing over whether diplomacy can avert a new confrontation or whether the U.S.-Iran standoff will spiral into open conflict.