US President Donald Trump said it should become clear within about 10 days whether the United States can secure a nuclear agreement with Iran, as American military deployments in the Middle East intensify. Speaking after talks in Geneva between US envoys and Iranian officials, Trump warned that Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons and said unspecified “bad things” would occur if Tehran continued actions he described as destabilizing. Iranian representatives indicated they would respond within roughly two weeks to US demands that enrichment be halted in exchange for sanctions relief.

Military analysts say US forces in the region already possess the capacity to launch a large-scale air campaign if ordered. Matthew Savill of the Royal United Services Institute said existing carrier aircraft alone could conduct more than 100 strike sorties per day, while additional deployments would significantly expand that capability. Regional tensions remain high after last year’s brief war involving Israel, and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has threatened retaliation against US naval forces if conflict escalates.

Satellite tracking and defense monitoring show expanded US air-defense positioning, including systems in Qatar to shield regional bases and allies from potential missile attacks. The United Kingdom has indicated it would not allow certain of its airbases to be used for US bombing missions, though Western governments could still become involved in defensive operations if hostilities begin. Experts say uncertainty remains over the status of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and whether further military pressure would eliminate or merely delay its nuclear capabilities.