Washington: With an aim to intensify pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, the United States has deployed the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Persian Gulf. The move comes while talks with Tehran are still happening. It shows that the United States is ready to use military force if the negotiations fail.
Earlier reports had suggested the USS George H.W. Bush might be sent, but the Ford has now been chosen for the mission. The USS Abraham Lincoln and several other American vessels are already stationed in the region. These deployments show the scale of US military presence in the Middle East.
Commissioned in May 2017, the USS Gerald R. Ford is the first of its class. It is designed to carry over 75 aircraft, including stealth fighters such as the F-35. At 337 metres long with a full-load displacement of 100,000 tonnes, the carrier is equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system and advanced arresting gear.
It can accommodate more than 4,500 personnel on board. Previously deployed in the Caribbean during operations linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the carrier is now expected to stay in the region through late April or May, with extended deployment affecting crew rotations and maintenance schedules.
The move comes as part of the “maximum pressure” strategy, which combines sanctions, military presence and strategic threats to push Iran toward a new nuclear agreement. The United States considers Iran’s uranium enrichment at weapons-grade levels a serious threat.
The deployment of the Ford is intended to strengthen Washington’s negotiating position while reassuring allies such as Israel and Saudi Arabia. It effectively doubles America’s aerial strike capabilities in the Gulf.
Analysts say that if a second carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, were also sent, the US presence in the region would be further reinforced. Military experts see this move as a sign the United States is serious, even as the world calls for peaceful talks.
The USS Gerald R. Ford joins an already tense environment in the Middle East, defined by Israeli-Iranian confrontations, Houthi attacks and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. By positioning its most powerful naval assets, the United States aims to pressure Iran into accepting stricter terms than the previous nuclear deal.
At the same time, the deployment highlights the risks of escalation, as a failure in negotiations could ignite a larger conflict in the region.
Washington is using both talks and visible military power, showing it prefers negotiations but is ready to act if Iran refuses. The presence of the world’s largest aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf highlights the stakes and indicates that the coming weeks could prove decisive in determining the future of the US-Iran nuclear dialogue.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
