Trump warns Iran over protests and nuclear activity

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran over its crackdown on protesters and the potential resumption of its nuclear programme, as reported by Atalaya and agencies on January 25th.

US sources stated that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided‑missile destroyers are expected to reach the Middle East in the coming days.

One official added that the US is also considering deploying additional air‑defence systems in the region, a move seen as crucial for protecting American bases from a potential Iranian strike.

These deployments broaden the range of options available to Trump, both to strengthen the defence of US forces amid heightened tensions and to enable any further military action following the June 2025 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“We have a lot of ships in that direction, just in case… I would prefer nothing to happen, but we are watching them very closely,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to the US after meeting world leaders in Davos, Switzerland.

He added, ‘We have a navy… heading in that direction, and we may not have to use it.’

The warships began moving out of the Asia‑Pacific region last week as tensions between Iran and the United States rose following Iran’s harsh crackdown on recent protests.

Trump has repeatedly warned of action over the killing of demonstrators, though the protests eased last week. He then asserted that he had halted the executions of prisoners, claiming that Iran had cancelled nearly 840 executions in response to his warning.

He reportedly said, “If you hang those people, you will be hit harder than you have ever been hit before. It will make what we did to your Iranian nuclear programme look insignificant.”

He continued, “An hour before this horrible event took place, they cancelled it,” describing the move as a “good sign.”

The US military has periodically reinforced its presence in the Middle East during periods of heightened tension, usually for defensive purposes.

In 2025, the military undertook a significant troop build‑up ahead of the June strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Trump has maintained that the US would respond if Tehran attempted to restart its nuclear programme after those strikes.

He said, “If they try to do it again, they’ll have to go to another area. We’ll hit them there too, just as easily.”

Iran is required to brief the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, on the status of the sites struck by the United States and on the nuclear material believed to be present there.

The agency has not inspected or confirmed Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium for at least seven months, even though such verification is meant to occur monthly, according to the watchdog.

Unrest in Iran began in December 2025 with small demonstrations in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar over economic hardship, which rapidly spread nationwide.

The US‑based human rights group HRANA has verified 4,519 deaths linked to the protests so far, including 4,251 demonstrators, and is reviewing a further 9,049 reported deaths.

Atalayar via Reuters, Maghrebi.org