Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a sharp warning to the United States following Washington’s deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford — the world’s largest aircraft carrier — to the Middle East, where it is set to join the USS Abraham Lincoln and other American naval assets operating under US Central Command. The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing nuclear negotiations between the two countries in Geneva.
In a post on social media platform X, Khamenei warned that Iran possesses weapons capable of destroying American warships, stating that while a US aircraft carrier represents formidable military power, Iran has capabilities that could send such vessels “to the bottom of the sea.” He accompanied the statement with an AI-generated image depicting the USS Gerald R. Ford heavily damaged and sinking, underscoring the confrontational tone of his message. Khamenei also rejected US assertions of unmatched military strength, suggesting that even the most powerful armed forces can suffer serious setbacks.
The escalation in rhetoric coincides with renewed diplomatic engagement between Iranian and US officials, who met in Geneva for a second round of talks focused on Iran’s nuclear programme and potential limits on uranium enrichment. The negotiations aim to revive or replace arrangements that collapsed after the United States withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). While negotiators reported limited progress and agreement on certain guiding principles, significant disagreements remain, particularly over enrichment levels and sanctions relief.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, leading Tehran’s delegation, said discussions had produced a preliminary understanding on broad principles that could form the basis of a future agreement, with talks now expected to move toward drafting a potential framework. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed hope that diplomacy would succeed but warned that failure of negotiations would carry serious consequences for Iran.
Alongside diplomatic efforts, military activity in the region has intensified. The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford adds to an already substantial US naval presence in the Middle East, signalling Washington’s intent to reinforce deterrence amid growing instability. At the same time, Iran has conducted maritime military exercises involving live missile launches in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically critical waterway through which a significant portion of global oil shipments passes.
The combination of heightened military posturing and fragile diplomatic engagement reflects the delicate balance currently shaping US–Iran relations, with negotiations continuing even as both sides project strength in an increasingly tense regional environment.
