Shafaq News- Washington

The recent US military buildup in the Middle East aims to strengthen Washington’s leverage over Tehran, rather than prepare for an immediate military strike, according to Professor Todd Belt, director of the Political Management Program at George Washington University.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Belt noted that the deployment of additional naval assets is part of a strategy he calls “battleship diplomacy,” noting that President Donald Trump’s administration is pursuing both a nuclear deal and a planned shift away from the “theocratic” regime.

“US ambitions extend beyond curbing Iran’s missile program or regional proxies,” Belt added.

Trump previously informed Axios that Washington now has a “big armada next to Iran, bigger than Venezuela,” observing that Iran is seeking negotiations, further indicating that military options remain on the table.

Earlier reports from Israeli media pointed that Israel expects potential US military action against Iran and is preparing for possible retaliation from Tehran, even though the US President has yet to make a final decision. Trump confirmed the movement of a “massive fleet” toward the region amid escalating warnings over Iran’s response to protests that erupted in December 2025. While tensions have eased in recent weeks, the Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates more than 5,000 deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, figures that remain difficult to verify due to prolonged internet disruptions.

Iran has warned that any US strike, limited or extensive, would be treated as an “all-out war” and met with a full response.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington D.C.

Read more: Washington holds back: Calculated pressure, notwar, shapes US policy toward Iran