US Deploys Third Aircraft Carrier Near Iran Amid Ongoing Conflict and Stalled Diplomacy

The United States is deploying a third US aircraft carrier to the waters around Iran as the war enters its eighth month, with both sides weighing potential escalation and diplomatic engagement, according to a US official speaking to Al Jazeera.

The official stated that the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group departed its San Diego base on Sunday, followed the next day by the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Force carrying more than 2,000 Marines. By the end of November, three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups are scheduled to be positioned around Iran, providing President Donald Trump with a broader range of options.

Al Jazeera's Tanya Noury, reporting from Washington, noted that this new deployment brings thousands of additional troops and air power—including F-35 fighter jets—to supplement the approximately 50,000 US service members already stationed in the region. Sources inside the Pentagon and White House indicate the goal is to maintain military readiness regardless of diplomatic developments, with no current plans to withdraw assets even if an agreement is reached with Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that forces remain prepared should President Donald Trump order new strikes. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump told Fox News that he believes the US will secure a victory in the war very soon, while also suggesting that a return to military action remains possible.

Alongside the military buildup, Washington has increased economic pressure by sanctioning Iran's rail and automotive conglomerates.

On the diplomatic front, Iran proposed a seven-day roadmap through Qatar to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks in exchange for ending the US naval blockade, providing sanctions relief, and establishing a regional ceasefire covering Lebanon and Yemen. This plan was subsequently rejected by President Donald Trump.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told NBC that the demands for frozen funds and sanctions relief were non-negotiable, referencing existing UN Security Council resolutions against Iran's nuclear weapons programme. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC that Tehran is fully prepared to resume conflict, while also emphasizing a desire for peace in statements on X.

Analysts such as Abas Aslani of the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies and former US ambassador Richard Schmierer commented on the complex dynamics between military leverage and political timing. Additionally, an AP-NORC poll indicates that nearly 70 percent of Americans feel the war has not been worth fighting, a trend that President Donald Trump has dismissed.