US and Iran talks stall as carrier arrives
Mediators from Qatar, Russia, and China failed to bridge the gap, while military cargo planes and the USS Theodore Roosevelt move into position.
By Nour Haddad ·
US-Iran negotiations have hit a wall. Two regional sources confirmed the impasse on Tuesday, coinciding with a visible surge in American military assets moving toward the Middle East.
Mediators from Qatar, Russia, and China spent recent days attempting to broker a deal. Their goal was to secure enough progress to prevent an immediate US strike. That effort failed to produce a breakthrough.
Iran’s position remains firm. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, posted on X that Washington’s response to Tehran’s demands was not convincing. He stated that the Strait of Hormuz would only open once the US provided a full and explicit answer to Iran’s seven conditions.
Those conditions include a complete stop to the war in Gaza and Lebanon, the lifting of all sanctions, and the return of frozen Iranian assets. Tehran also seeks compensation for war damages and international guarantees against future attacks. Crucially, Iran demands recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
American forces continue to build up. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows several US military cargo aircraft leaving Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and landing in Israel. Fort Bliss is a major hub for air and missile defense. Additional cargo planes from the same base have arrived in Israel in the last few days.
At sea, the USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group were tracked near the Strait of Malacca in Asia. That location suggests the carrier will enter the US Central Command area by next week. Its arrival could bring the number of US carriers in the region to three, a level not seen in previous operations.
US officials told The New York Times that Central Command prepared strike plans for as early as Wednesday, following the midterm elections. The decision to execute the strike rests with the US president.
The current military posture contrasts with the stalled diplomatic track. While officials say the ball is in the president's court, the physical movement of ships and planes indicates readiness for a potential kinetic response.
