Trump again threatens Iran with 'armada' as region seeks diplomatic resolution

US President Donald Trump has said that a military "armada" is on its way to Iran and warned the country's government to enter into negotiations, as regional states attempt to distance themselves from potential US military strikes that could have wide-ranging repercussions.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump said, "A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose."

"Like Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfil its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary," Trump said, in reference to a US operation in early January that saw the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro.

He called on Iran to negotiate a deal with the US, threatening that time was running out and mentioning previous US strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow.

"The next attack will be far worse", Trump warned, adding, "Don't make that happen again."

Trump's comments come amid a US military buildup in the region.

On Monday, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has three escorting destroyers carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles, entered US Central Command's (CENTCOM) area of operations, joining several other US ships in the region.

Alongside the fleet, the US military has been moving F-15E Strike Eagles, as well as Patriot air defence and THAAD anti-ballistic missile batteries, to the Middle East.

CENTCOM also announced the start of multi-day readiness exercises to "demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat power" across the region.

In response, Iran's mission to the UN stated in a post on X that "Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests – BUT IF PUSHED IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!"

Iran has placed its military on high alert in preparation for US strikes, while its regional proxy militias Kataeb Hezbollah in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis in Yemen, warned they would aid Iran in the event of a war.

Diplomatic action from the Gulf, Turkey

Amid the US military buildup, regional states have attempted to cool the situation and hedge against Iranian retaliation in the event the US does strike Iran.

On Monday, the UAE said that it would not let its airspace, territory, or water sbe used for any strike against Iran.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday told Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian that the country would also not let its territory be used in an attack against Iran.

Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also held discussions with Iran's secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, with Iranian state television saying that the two discussed ways to reach a  diplomatic solutions.

Iran has previously warned that in the event of any US strike against it, US military bases in the region would become "legitimate targets."

Araghchi denies US talks

Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi also said in televised comments that he had not been in contact with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days, and that the country has not been seeking negotiations.

"If they [the US] want negotiations to take shape, they must certainly set aside threats, excessive demands and raising illogical issues," he added.

The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported Iranian sources as saying that intensive negotiations had been underway through several channels, but there had been no result yet due to "impossible" conditions placed on Iran regarding issues related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, as well as its regional policies.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had recently called Araghchi to discuss efforts to ease tension, according to Reuters, citing a Turkish foreign ministry source.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Fidan said that it was wrong to launch a war against Iran and that the country was ready to negotiate on its nuclear programme.

"My advice has always been to our American friends: close the files one by one with the Iranians. Start the nuclear issue and close it. Then move onto the others."

"If you put them as a package, all of them, it will be very difficult for our Iranian friends to digest and to really process it," he added.

On Wednesday, Turkish broadcaster TRT said Turkish authorities had arrested six people suspected of spying for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps by monitoring military sites used by the US, including the Incirlik air base.