Washington Increases Pressure on Iran by Sending a Second Aircraft Carrier

The United States has sent the largest aircraft carrier in the world, USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Middle East, making it the second in the region alongside USS Abraham Lincoln. Experts interpret this move as a multi-level strategic pressure tool rather than preparation for immediate war with Iran.

The Purpose of the Move

Middle East affairs researcher, Elian Sarkis, confirms that sending the second aircraft carrier aims to:
Modify Iran's behavior and increase the cost of refusal in negotiations.
Send a strong deterrent message to Iran's regional allies.
Enhance U.S. military influence without directly slipping into armed conflict.

Shock and Awe Strategy

International relations expert, Mohammad Bayram, believes that the military buildup reflects a doctrine of coercive deterrence, creating a sense of imminent attack to force the adversary to modify its behavior, while keeping the military option open as a negotiating tool.
Bayram explained that the U.S. messages are multi-level:
Direct deterrence to Iran that the military option is ready.
Increase the cost of refusal in negotiations.
A message to Washington's regional allies, such as Israel, that it is the primary security guarantor in the region.

War is Not the First Option

Analysts indicate that sending the second aircraft carrier is not a precursor to an imminent war, but rather a step within an ongoing pressure strategy, allowing Iran the opportunity to reach a nuclear agreement under strict U.S. conditions, while keeping the military option on the table as a deterrent should negotiations fail.