Diplomacy or deterrence? After peace talks, US envoys visit warship; Iran warns American bases will burn – showdown explained | World News

Tehran/Washington: Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated once again. Iran warned the United States that any attack would trigger retaliation across the Middle East and that American military bases in the region would become priority targets.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that diplomatic talks with Washington may restart soon and explained how Iran would respond in case of a military attack. According to him, Tehran will attack US bases in the region, not the American mainland. His words showed that we were ready to escalate tensions in the conflict area.

Trump’s statement came shortly after US Special Representative Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, visited the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, stationed near Iran. The visit came after high-level talks between Iran and the United States held in Oman a day earlier.

Araghchi said a next round of talks was not planned, but both sides wanted a new round of meetings soon.

Trump also stated that progress has been made in diplomacy. He said the United States expects to meet with Iranian representatives again early next week. His statement showed that talks were continuing despite increasing pressure.

A few hours after the Oman meeting, Trump signed an executive order targeting countries that trade with Iran. The order proposed additional tariffs. Officials did not disclose the exact rate. Policy observers believe taxes could rise as high as 25 percent.

Describing the Oman dialogue as indirect, Araghchi said that the talks were limited to the nuclear file. He ruled out any negotiations on uranium enrichment, saying it was Iran’s sovereign right. He said his country’s nuclear program would continue and claimed that US military strikes on June 22, 2025 had failed to eliminate Iran’s capabilities.

He has shown openness to a confidence-building nuclear deal with Washington, but has ruled out talks on Iran’s missile program, saying missile capability is a fundamental security issue that will remain outside diplomatic talks.

Iran’s military structure also repeated this harsh line. Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, warned that any military action against Iran would have severe consequences. He said the enemies understand the extent of retaliation they will face and the conflict could spread to the wider region.

On the American side, military signals became more visible. Witkoff confirmed his visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln. He was accompanied by US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper. He said they met with sailors and sailors from the aircraft carrier strike group and praised their role in maintaining security and projecting power.

The carrier is currently deployed in the Arabian Sea. The deployment places it within Iran’s operational reach. Strategic observers think the positioning is deliberate. Reports from defense correspondents say the warship will play a central role in any future attack scenario. The timing of the visit sent a strategic message ahead of the next diplomatic tour.

Journalists who follow the Pentagon say that the US force presence in the region continues to increase. Despite the diplomatic route, military assets remain alert. The stance reflects a dual approach combining negotiation and deterrence.

President Trump expressed confidence about a possible deal. He said Iran appears more willing than before and added the coming agreement could look different from past attempts. However, he refrained from giving details.

After the talks, Araghchi went to Doha. There he spoke at the Al Jazeera Forum. His speech went beyond nuclear diplomacy. He spoke at length about Israel’s regional role and the Palestinian issue, describing Palestine as a test of global commitment to international law and human rights. He said that the human losses in Gaza shook the global conscience. He talked about the suffering witnessed by people of different faiths and regions.

He said stability cannot take root where an actor operates above the law. Accusing Israel of pursuing regional dominance, he said that the approach weakens neighboring states across military, technological, economic and social fronts. He said that the expansion of military capacity on one side creates pressure for disarmament on the other.

Economic stress is also increasing in Iran. The national currency fell to its lowest level in history. Foreign exchange markets in Tehran currently peg the value of one US dollar at around 1.59 million riyals. The slide accelerated following the American aircraft carrier deployment. The currency was trading around 1.5 million riyals against the dollar just a week ago.

The deployment of naval forces follows widespread anti-government protests in Iran late last year and early this year. Washington warned of possible action at the time. An Iranian human rights group based in the United States claims that approximately 6,000 protesters died during the unrest.