Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Iran: What to Know

Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high, as President Donald Trump continues to seek new security concessions from Tehran.

Trump is primarily working to limit Iran’s nuclear activities, but demands for other concessions may prove to be a hurdle to a deal to de-escalate the regional standoff.

While negotiations continue, Trump has been amassing U.S. military forces near Iran and threatening military action if Tehran doesn’t make sufficient concessions.

Amid the rising pressure, Iranian officials have threatened to respond to any new U.S. attacks by targeting U.S. military bases throughout the region.

Here’s what we know about ongoing negotiations and the potential for armed conflict between the United States and Iran.

Multiple factors are fueling the current tensions with Iran. Among the persistent long-term concerns is Iran’s nuclear program.
In 2015, the United States joined a multinational agreement for Iran to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from international economic sanctions.

Trump withdrew the United States from this agreement in 2018 during his first term, citing concerns that it wouldn’t sufficiently restrain Iran’s nuclear development, its ballistic missile program, and its support for designated terrorist groups throughout the Middle East. Trump then ordered a resumption of U.S. sanctions on Iran, and pressed for negotiations on a stricter deal.

After returning to the White House as president in 2025, Trump resumed his push for Tehran to accept a more expansive Middle East security framework. Those talks stalled in June last year, as Israel launched surprise strikes on Iran.

Israeli forces extensively targeted Iranian military leadership, as well as nuclear infrastructure and nuclear scientists. Then, on June 22, Trump ordered U.S. forces to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Following the June strikes, the Trump administration declared Iran’s nuclear program had been significantly degraded and shifted its focus to other global flashpoints.
Iran regained Trump’s attention last month after economic-driven protests within the country devolved into deadly confrontations with Iranian security forces.

In a Jan. 13 post on Truth Social, Trump called on Iranian’s to keep protesting, adding “help is on its way.”

Trump has since threatened new U.S. military action against Iran and directed additional U.S. forces to the region.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is currently operating in the Arabian Sea, and Trump has indicated he’s readying a second Middle East carrier group deployment.
At a White House press conference on Feb. 12, Trump said he intends to let negotiations play out for about another month.