By PERKIN AMALARAJ

Published: 20:27 BST, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 20:27 BST, 2 April 2025

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US President Donald Trump has moved another aircraft carrier to the Middle East after amassing stealth bombers to the nearby Chagos Islands, amid fears he may be gearing up to strike Iran. The US is moving the USS Carl Vinson from Asia, where it normally patrols the South China Sea, to the Persian Gulf, directly south of Iran, to join its sister carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

US President Donald Trump has moved another aircraft carrier to the Middle East after amassing stealth bombers to the nearby Chagos Islands, amid fears he may be gearing up to strike Iran. The US is moving the USS Carl Vinson from Asia, where it normally patrols the South China Sea, to the Persian Gulf, directly south of Iran, to join its sister carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

Trump appears to be making good on a threat to attack Iran with a 'bombing the likes to which they have never seen before' should its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refuse to destroy its nuclear program and stop supporting proxy wars in the Middle East. America has already moved six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to the Chagos Islands, a third of its fleet, with satellite imagery showing them resting at the Diego Garcia military base on the UK-controlled island.

Trump appears to be making good on a threat to attack Iran with a ‘bombing the likes to which they have never seen before’ should its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refuse to destroy its nuclear program and stop supporting proxy wars in the Middle East. America has already moved six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to the Chagos Islands, a third of its fleet, with satellite imagery showing them resting at the Diego Garcia military base on the UK-controlled island.

These high-tech planes have the capability of carrying bunker busting bombs across Iran that could destroy its military and nuclear sites. The B-2 Spirits will likely be supported by a fleet of six Stratotanker in-flight refueling craft, which were seen at Diego Garcia. These would give the Spirits the capability to fly to Iran, deliver payloads and fly back to the Chagos Islands in a roughly 5,000-mile round trip.

These high-tech planes have the capability of carrying bunker busting bombs across Iran that could destroy its military and nuclear sites. The B-2 Spirits will likely be supported by a fleet of six Stratotanker in-flight refueling craft, which were seen at Diego Garcia. These would give the Spirits the capability to fly to Iran, deliver payloads and fly back to the Chagos Islands in a roughly 5,000-mile round trip.

But Iran appears to be stepping up to the military challenge, with Khamenei adviser Ali Larijani telling local media: 'If America or Israel bomb Iran under the nuclear pretext, Iran will be compelled to move toward producing an atomic bomb.' Last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had substantially increased its production of nuclear-capable uranium, and had increased its stockpile of near-weapons grade material.

But Iran appears to be stepping up to the military challenge, with Khamenei adviser Ali Larijani telling local media: ‘If America or Israel bomb Iran under the nuclear pretext, Iran will be compelled to move toward producing an atomic bomb.’ Last month, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had substantially increased its production of nuclear-capable uranium, and had increased its stockpile of near-weapons grade material.

The US is also exerting financial pressure on Iran, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday meeting in Washington with 16 global banks and federal law enforcement agencies on U.S. sanctions policy on Iran including efforts to cut its oil exports. Bessent said President Donald Trump's administration is applying economic pressure to the maximum extent possible to disrupt Iran's access to financial resources that help it fund Hamas and other militant groups throughout the Middle East and its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon.

The US is also exerting financial pressure on Iran, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday meeting in Washington with 16 global banks and federal law enforcement agencies on U.S. sanctions policy on Iran including efforts to cut its oil exports. Bessent said President Donald Trump’s administration is applying economic pressure to the maximum extent possible to disrupt Iran’s access to financial resources that help it fund Hamas and other militant groups throughout the Middle East and its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon.

'This includes the billions of dollars each year that Iran generates via its oil sales, which the regime also uses to finance its dangerous agenda and support its multiple terrorist proxies and partners,' Bessent said, according to a copy of his remarks. Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

‘This includes the billions of dollars each year that Iran generates via its oil sales, which the regime also uses to finance its dangerous agenda and support its multiple terrorist proxies and partners,’ Bessent said, according to a copy of his remarks. Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes.

Trump restored his policy of maximum pressure on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero. In March Treasury slapped sanctions on tankers carrying Iranian oil and on a Chinese 'teapot' refinery for processing the oil. Teapots are small, independent refineries in China. China's national oil company refineries have stopped buying Iranian oil over concerns about sanctions.

Trump restored his policy of maximum pressure on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero. In March Treasury slapped sanctions on tankers carrying Iranian oil and on a Chinese ‘teapot’ refinery for processing the oil. Teapots are small, independent refineries in China. China’s national oil company refineries have stopped buying Iranian oil over concerns about sanctions.

Bessent mentioned the U.S. sanctioning of Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd, the small refinery, and its chief executive officer for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian crude oil, including from vessels linked to the Houthis and the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. 'Teapot refinery purchases of Iranian oil provide the primary economic lifeline for the Iranian regime,' Bessent said.

Bessent mentioned the U.S. sanctioning of Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd, the small refinery, and its chief executive officer for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil, including from vessels linked to the Houthis and the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics. ‘Teapot refinery purchases of Iranian oil provide the primary economic lifeline for the Iranian regime,’ Bessent said.

Bessent also warned the banks that Iran conducts its foreign exchange activities through a covert shadow banking network. 'My message to financial institutions worldwide is unequivocal: safeguard your institutions from being exploited by this malign network, so you can continue to serve your legitimate clients with integrity,' Bessent told the banks, according to the Treasury Department. The department did not immediately respond to a request about which banks and agencies participated.

Bessent also warned the banks that Iran conducts its foreign exchange activities through a covert shadow banking network. ‘My message to financial institutions worldwide is unequivocal: safeguard your institutions from being exploited by this malign network, so you can continue to serve your legitimate clients with integrity,’ Bessent told the banks, according to the Treasury Department. The department did not immediately respond to a request about which banks and agencies participated.

Bessent said Treasury uses tools such as Wednesday's meeting to bring together financial institutions, regulatory agencies, and law enforcement, to disrupt what it calls Iran's illicit revenue streams. In an NBC interview over the weekend, Trump also threatened so-called secondary tariffs, which affect buyers of a country's goods, on both Russia and Iran. He signed an executive order in March authorizing such tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil.

Bessent said Treasury uses tools such as Wednesday’s meeting to bring together financial institutions, regulatory agencies, and law enforcement, to disrupt what it calls Iran’s illicit revenue streams. In an NBC interview over the weekend, Trump also threatened so-called secondary tariffs, which affect buyers of a country’s goods, on both Russia and Iran. He signed an executive order in March authorizing such tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil.

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Trump sends another aircraft carrier to the Middle East

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