US deploys carrier strike group to send message to Iran

The US is deploying an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East to send a “clear and unmistakable” message to Iran that any attack on American interests or its allies will be met with “unrelenting force”, National Security Advisor John Bolton has said.

Bolton said on Sunday the decision to deploy the USS AbrahamLincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the US Central Commandregion in the Middle East was in response to a number of “troubling andescalatory indications and warnings” from Iran.

   

The deployment of the strike group and bomber task forcecomes after US President Donald Trump last month refused to give waivers tocountries like India from buying oil from Iran, in an attempt to reduce Iran’soil exports to zero.

After coming to power, Trump withdrew from the Iraniannuclear deal last year and has imposed stringent sanctions against what hedescribes as the “authoritarian” Iranian regime.

“In response to a number of troubling and escalatoryindications and warnings, the United States is deploying the USS AbrahamLincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the US Central Commandregion to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that anyattack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met withunrelenting force,” Bolton said.

“The United States is not seeking war with the Iranianregime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy,the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces,” he saidin a statement.

The US is seeking to ramp up pressure on Iran to counterwhat the White House perceives to be a potential threat.

Last month, the US designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard aforeign terrorist organisation, the first time the designation has been appliedto a government entity.

The designation categorises Iran’s military alongside groupslike ISIS, al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who controlsthe elite military force, called the designation a “vicious move” anda “mistake.”

The Trump administration insists that it is not seeking totopple Iran’s Islamist regime, but that it only seeks to push the government tostop supporting proxy militias and terrorist groups and otherwise change itsbehaviour.

Some of the administration’s critics, however, fear that itsactions and rhetoric could provoke the Iranians in a manner that may lead to amilitary confrontation.

Bolton’s remarks also came as new violence erupts betweenIsrael and the Palestinians in Gaza. The group Islamic Jihad, which has afoothold in Gaza, is seen as an Iranian proxy.

Trump recently tweeted about the violent situation insouthern Israel and Gaza.

“We support Israel 100 per cent in its defense of itscitizens,” Trump said.

“To the Gazan people — these terrorist acts againstIsrael will bring you nothing but more misery. End the violence and worktowards peace – it can happen!” he said.

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