The US is arming itself in the Middle East. The largest concentration of forces since 2003

The US has intensified military preparations for a potential war with Iran, the Wall Street Journal wrote on Friday. On that day, the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford approached Israel. Thursday's talks on Iran's nuclear and missile programs did not bring any breakthrough.

USS Gerald R. Ford is the second American aircraft carrier in the Middle East. There are already large US air and naval forces in the region. For the first time, the United States also sent F-22 fighters to an air base in Israel. Air tankers were also transferred to the airport near Tel Aviv. According to the media, the US has gathered the largest military force around Iran since the Iraq war in 2003.

At the same time, the US is withdrawing non-essential staff and family members of diplomats from two embassies in the Middle East, preparing for potential retaliatory strikes from Iran if war breaks out. This applies to the embassies in Israel and Lebanon.

On Thursday, Fox News, citing American officials, reported the reduction of staff at the headquarters of the American 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The television recalled that a similar evacuation was carried out before last year's American operation Midnight Hammer, during which US troops attacked Iranian nuclear installations.

Iran announced retaliation in the event of a US strike. This could put 30-40 thousand people at particular risk. American soldiers stationed in 13 military bases in the Middle East.

The timing of a potential military operation against Iran is unknown. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit Israel on Monday to inform the local authorities about talks with Iran. The visit is scheduled to last until Tuesday, the State Department announced.

Other countries are also taking action in connection with the possible outbreak of war. The British Foreign Office said it was temporarily withdrawing staff from its embassy in Tehran, which will now operate remotely. Canada and China have ordered their citizens to leave Iran immediately. Foreign embassies in Israel have prepared contingency plans in the event of Iranian attacks, local diplomats said. Australia has ordered family members of diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the countries. She also proposed voluntary evacuations for the families of diplomats in Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled on Friday that the security situation in the Middle East is unstable and the risk of escalation is high. The ministry called on people to leave Iran and Lebanon immediately and advised against all travel to Israel.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is not satisfied with how Iran is negotiating. He repeated that Tehran cannot have nuclear weapons. Trump also said that he had not yet made a final decision on Iran. He assured that he would not like to use the armed forces against Iran, but at the same time admitted that sometimes there is such a need.

In turn, US Vice President JD Vance told the Washington Post on Thursday that Trump was considering striking Iran, but there was “no chance” that the United States would be drawn into a long war in the Middle East. On Friday, he met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who acted as a mediator in the Iran-US negotiations.

The latest round of talks between Iran and the US in Geneva ended on Thursday without a breakthrough. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said after the negotiations that to reach an agreement, the US would have to back down on its “exorbitant demands.”

Iran rejected the most important US proposals, including the transfer of enriched uranium abroad, the suspension of uranium enrichment and the decommissioning of some nuclear facilities, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing well-informed sources.

On Monday, representatives of Iran and the US are scheduled to meet in Vienna for technical talks.

In recent months, Iran has strengthened the defense of its nuclear facilities, also repairing the damage caused during the last war with Israel, which can be considered preparations for a conflict with the US – world media wrote last week, based on the analysis of satellite images.

A confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), discussed by the media on Friday, shows that the IAEA is unable to verify whether Iran has stopped enriching uranium and cannot assess the state of stocks of uranium enriched by this country.

From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)

Sun/Apr/