October 3, Kathmandu – The United States is reinforcing its military presence in West Asia. Alongside approximately 9,000 troops, the American aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt has been deployed to the region. Previously, the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington were already stationed there. With the arrival of the Roosevelt, there will be three active US aircraft carriers in West Asia by the end of October. This move comes as US President Donald Trump signals the possibility of new attacks on Iran, particularly after the November 3 midterm elections. Trump has already rejected Iran’s previous ceasefire proposals.
According to Al Jazeera, American forces could expand their presence around Iran with three warships and two Marine units deployed by the end of November, pending orders from Trump. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the military is fully prepared to take action if President Trump orders strikes against Iran. In an interview with Time magazine, Trump confirmed he has refused Iran’s ceasefire offer. Though Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump deemed the offer insufficient for the US.
Following the rejection of the ceasefire proposal, Trump indicated that the possibility of increased attacks on Iran after the November 3 elections cannot be ruled out. Last week, at the United Nations General Assembly, Trump claimed that if he chose to, he could completely dismantle Iran. The US has consistently emphasized that preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons remains a key objective for any military engagement. Iran had offered a seven-day ceasefire proposal to the US, which included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and beginning talks on its nuclear program, but the US dismissed the offer.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Iran is willing under the agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but insists on the lifting of foreign sanctions, release of frozen assets, and permission to sell oil. He likened this demand to the temporary ceasefire agreement made in June, though the agreement was broken after attacks from both sides. Military actions between the US, Israel, and Iran escalated starting February 28, when US and Israeli forces commenced operations against Iran. In response, Iran attacked Israeli and American military targets. The US aims to reduce Iran’s nuclear capacity, while Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful and asserts its right to use the technology.
