World’s largest aircraft carrier heads toward Middle East amid Iran tensions

(TNND) — The world’s largest aircraft carrier and its escort ships were on the move on Wednesday and headed toward the Middle East as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to rise amid nuclear deal talks.

The USS Gerald R. Ford will join the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Arabian Sea, as a major show of force, USNI reported. President Donald Trump previously warned it would “be very traumatic for Iran” if they don’t make a deal.

The Ford began its current deployment from Norfolk, Virginia, in late June 2025, which means the ship and crew have been deployed for about eight months. Trump sent the Ford to the Caribbean in October as part of the administration’s lead-up to the surprise raid and capture of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump expressed optimism last week that a nuclear deal could be made with Iran, but said he was prepared for the alternative.

“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump told Axios, referring to U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities last summer.

The news outlet reported the U.S. also moved more than 50 fighter jets to the Middle East on Tuesday.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei continues to strongly reject U.S. threats while insisting Iran will not submit to foreign pressure.

Khamenei responded to Trump’s threats by saying that even the strongest army in the world can be “slapped.”

“The US president repeatedly says our military is the strongest military in the world. The strongest military in the world may sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” he wrote on social media.

A second round of indirect talks happened in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi acting as mediator.

Iranian officials said the two sides reached an agreement on a set of “guiding principles” to shape a potential broader deal.

Iran’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, described the talks as “more constructive” and said both sides would now work on drafting proposal texts for a future third round of negotiations.