The United States is preparing to further strengthen its military presence in the region surrounding Iran. Washington plans to deploy three aircraft carriers and two amphibious groups (landing groups) to West Asia by the end of November.
A US official told the Qatar-based news outlet Al Jazeera that the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has already departed from the US base in San Diego, bound for West Asia.
The official further stated that the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Force left the San Diego base on Monday; this amphibious group comprises more than 2,000 Marines.
The US official indicated that the full deployment of these warships and amphibious groups in the area surrounding Iran would be completed by the end of November.
According to the official, amassing such significant military power in West Asia would provide US leadership with a range of military options to counter Iran.
Alongside increasing its military presence, the United States has also imposed new sanctions on Iran.
An Al Jazeera report states that the US Department of the Treasury has imposed new sanctions on a covert crypto-based banking network linked to Russia—a network allegedly utilized by Iran.
The aim of these new sanctions is to exert further economic pressure on Iran and to shut down the financial channels Tehran has used to evade US sanctions.
