The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, arrives in Greece amid threat of offensive on Iran

The United States increases military pressure. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in the world, arrived at an American naval base on the Greek island of Crete (south), with a view to strengthening the American military deployment in the Middle East, an AFP photographer noted on Tuesday.

Amid the threat of a US offensive against Iran, the warship arrived at the Souda Bay naval base on the island of Crete, local media reported Monday evening.

The Greek Defense Ministry on Monday evening declined to comment. The United States Embassy in Athens, contacted Tuesday morning, did not immediately respond.

Dozens of combat planes

After ordering targeted strikes on Iran in June, Donald Trump has not ruled out using the military option again against the Islamic Republic, with which the United States is discussing its nuclear program at the same time.

Washington currently has thirteen warships in the Middle East: an aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln, which arrived at the end of January, nine destroyers and three light frigates.

It’s rare for two U.S. aircraft carriers — which carry dozens of fighter jets and are manned by thousands of sailors — to be in the Middle East at the same time. Naval Base Souda is home to approximately 1,000 personnel, including military personnel, U.S. civilian employees, local employees, contractors and family members.

Iran and the United States renewed dialogue on February 6 in Muscat, the capital of Oman, after an escalation of threats from both sides. A second negotiation session was held last Tuesday near Geneva, Switzerland.

Tehran assured that it had agreed with Washington on “a set of guiding principles” for a possible agreement but the American vice-president, JD Vance, stressed that differences persisted on the American “red lines”.