USS Tripoli — this is an amphibious ship that carries about 3500 Marines and sailors.
The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament warned that Iranian forces "are expecting American soldiers" due to the arrival of another 3500 American servicemen in the Middle East.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Iran "will unleash fire" on any American troops attempting to penetrate Iranian territory.
The U.S. Central Command reported (X) that recently arrived sailors and Marines are part of a unit commanded by the combat ship USS Tripoli, which also includes landing and transport vehicles.
His arrival coincided with a report from the Washington Post that the Pentagon is preparing for weeks-long ground operations in Iran. U.S. officials have not yet confirmed whether ground troops will be deployed.
In his message published by Iranian state media, Ghalibaf also stated that 'the enemy publicly signals negotiations, while secretly planning a ground attack.'
Jeremy Bowen: Trump is waging war based on instincts, and it is not working.
Is Trump's suspension of attacks on Iranian energy diplomatic in nature or is it an escalation?
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated when the war may end. In recent days, he has talked about both the war being nearly over and considering further actions against Iran, including in the energy sector.
Earlier this week, American media reported that his administration is preparing to request $200 billion (150 billion pounds sterling) from Congress as emergency funding for the ongoing military operation in Iran, indicating his desire to continue it.
Last week, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he is not sending ground troops to Iran, but added, 'If I were doing that, I certainly wouldn't tell you.'
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday that while the U.S. can achieve its military objectives without ground troops, Trump must 'be prepared for various unforeseen circumstances.'
According to the Washington Post, citing American officials, any potential ground operation approved by the White House may include raids involving regular troops and special forces, but will not constitute a full-scale invasion of Iran.
The Axios news agency also reported that the Pentagon is developing military options for delivering a 'final blow' to Iran, which may include the use of ground troops as well as a bombing campaign.
The U.S. has already deployed a number of military assets in the Middle East as part of its campaign against Iran. These include bombers and fighters, as well as aircraft carriers and missile interceptors.
On Saturday, the most modern aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy, USS Gerald R Ford, arrived in Croatia for repairs after a fire on board, which injured sailors and caused significant damage.
It is also unclear whether peace negotiations are taking place between the U.S. and Iran.
Iran denies that such negotiations took place. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that messaging with the U.S. through intermediaries occurred, but this was neither 'dialogue, nor negotiations, nor anything of the sort.'
Trump stated that negotiations are underway and going 'very well', and claimed that Iran 'fears' acknowledging the existence of negotiations, 'because it fears being killed by its own people.'
According to numerous reports, the president conveyed to the Iranians — through Pakistan, acting as an intermediary — a plan of 15 points for conflict resolution.
Although the official text of this plan has not yet been published, it is reported to be a collection of demands that the U.S. and Israel have made to Iran over the years, including a demand for Iran to abandon its nuclear program.
Tehran responded with its own demands, including recognition of control over the Strait of Hormuz, reparations for military damage, and the withdrawal of American bases from the Middle East.
The U.S. is 'making a list of 15 points, outlining its wishes and seeking what it failed to achieve in the war,' said Ghalibaf on Sunday.
As a result of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, which began on February 28, the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed, along with several other high-ranking Iranian officials. According to HRANA, a U.S.-based organization monitoring human rights violations in Iran, more than 1551 Iranian civilians were killed in the explosions.
In response, Iran struck Israeli and American military bases in the Middle East, disrupting major transportation hubs for international air travel and causing a sharp rise in oil prices.
#US-IranTalks #TrumpSaysIranWarHasBeenWon #TrumpSeeksQuickEndToIranWar #OilPricesDrop
