Donald Trump has threatened Iran with a major attack, greater than what the US inflicted on the Islamic regime just six months ago, warning "time is running out" for its government to make a deal on the future of its nuclear ambitions.
The US president said any strike by American forces "will be far worse" than its last round of attacks, when stealth bombers flew a secret mission halfway around the world to target underground nuclear facilities during the 12-day Israel–Iran war in June.
It follows weeks of speculation about whether the US would attack Iran following a brutal and bloody crackdown against anti-regime protesters by Iranian security forces, which it is feared has killed tens of thousands of people.
Mr Trump had encouraged demonstrators to take to the streets of the country, and promised to protect them.
The latest rhetoric from the Oval Office coincides with the arrival of a US Navy carrier strike group in the Middle East region — something Mr Trump described as "a massive armada".
"It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela," he said on his Truth Social platform.
"Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.
"Hopefully Iran will quickly 'Come to the Table' and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties."
He did not specify how quickly he wanted a deal from Tehran, but said time was "truly of the essence."
"As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!" he posted.
"They didn't, and there was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' a major destruction of Iran.
"The next attack will be far worse! Don't make that happen again."
[EL TWEET: Iran Mission to UN]Posting a screenshot of Mr Trump's post, Tehran's mission to the United Nations wrote on X that the country was prepared for discussions but would defend itself if provoked.
"Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests — BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!" the mission said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later posted that the country's "brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their finger on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression".
He said that Iran "has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable" nuclear deal.
Iran attacked Al Udeid air base in Qatar in June in response to Mr Trump sending American warplanes to bomb Iranian nuclear enrichment sites during the war with Israel last year.
Before Israel attacked on June 13, the US had been attempting to negotiate a deal with Iran to rein in its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions.
In 2015, then-US president Barack Obama brokered a deal with Iran for sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program, but Mr Trump withdrew from the arrangement in 2018.
Doctors put protest crackdown death toll near 30,000
The Middle East has been at a state of high alert since the uprising against the Iranian regime and the promises of protection from President Trump.
He had shown restraint following, as he described it, assurances from Tehran that the planned execution of more than 800 protesters would not go ahead.
But in the days since, horrific stories have emerged from Iran of the barbarity of efforts by Iranian security forces to quell the demonstrations.
One human rights monitor, Human Rights Activists in Iran, has verified more than 5,800 protesters having been killed. It is investigating more than 17,000 other cases, and said it has also verified more than 42,300 people having been detained.
Other groups, including one coalition of doctors operating outside of Iran and collating information fed to them by colleagues inside the country, have estimated the death toll is closer to 30,000.
In recent days, countries in the region have sounded the alarm about any military intervention.
The United Arab Emirates, situated on the opposite side of the Persian Gulf from Iran, warned it would not allow its airspace to be used in any military action against the country.
Saudi Arabia took a similar stance after its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, spoke to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Despite being a key partner of the United States in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is wary of any conflict with Iran given an attack on Saudi oil facilities in 2019.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen, which are backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. But international investigations pointed blame squarely at Iran.
Israel remains at a heightened state of readiness, given the likelihood it would be a target of any Iranian intervention.
In June last year, Israel launched strikes against Iranian nuclear and military sites. It was the catalyst for a 12-day war between the two nations, with Iran firing volleys of missiles at Israel — not all of which were intercepted by the country's sophisticated air defences.
"If Iran makes the grave mistake of attacking Israel, we will respond with a force Iran has never seen before," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday night.
