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Trump Gives Iran 10‑15 Days, Deploys Two Carriers as Draft Deal Looms

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  • Iran holds more drills and US carrier nears Mideast in latest preparations for possible war
    Iran holds more drills and US carrier nears Mideast in latest preparations for possible war
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  • Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days
    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days
    Image: BBC
    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days (Getty Images) Source Full size
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  • Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Image: Newsweek
    Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla. Source Full size
  • Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
    Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
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  • Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days
    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days
    Image: BBC
    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said a proposal for an agreement with the US will be ready in days (Getty Images) Source Full size
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  • Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Image: Newsweek
    Left: Screengrab of Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in an interview with MSNBC. Right: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla. Source Full size
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  • Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
    Trump warns he's considering limited strikes as Iranian diplomat says proposed deal is imminent
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  • Les avions de combat présents sur la base américaine Muwaffaq Salti (Jordanie), le 20 février 2026.AIRBUS DS 2026
    Les avions de combat présents sur la base américaine Muwaffaq Salti (Jordanie), le 20 février 2026.AIRBUS DS 2026
    Image: Le Monde
    Les avions de combat présents sur la base américaine Muwaffaq Salti (Jordanie), le 20 février 2026.AIRBUS DS 2026 (AIRBUS DS 2026) Source Full size

Trump’s ultimatum and limited‑strike talk dominate U.S. posture. President Donald Trump repeatedly told reporters on Feb 18‑20 that the United States will decide within “10‑15 days, pretty much maximum” whether to launch a limited strike against Iran if Tehran does not present a satisfactory nuclear agreement, warning that “bad things” will follow a missed deadline [11][12][13][16][17][18]. He framed the deadline as a diplomatic lever while simultaneously signaling readiness for kinetic action, a stance echoed across multiple outlets.

Iran promises a draft nuclear accord within days. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Feb 20 that Tehran will deliver a written draft of a nuclear deal to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff within the next two to three days and hopes “real, serious negotiations” can begin within a week [3][5][6][7][9][15][20]. Araghchi stressed Iran is “prepared for war as much as for peace,” underscoring the parallel tracks of negotiation and deterrence.

U.S. builds its largest West‑Asia force since 2003. The Pentagon has moved two carrier strike groups—USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln—into the eastern Mediterranean and Arabian Sea, accompanied by dozens of destroyers, refueling tankers, and over 100 combat aircraft, including F‑35, F‑22, F‑15, and electronic‑warfare E/A‑18 Growlers [2][8][14][15][17][20]. Satellite imagery shows U.S. combat jets at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti base rising from 30 on Feb 18 to 59 by Feb 20, marking an unprecedented air‑and‑naval buildup while ground troops remain limited [2][8].

Regional stakes rise as Iran fortifies sites and threatens U.S. bases. Iran has reinforced several nuclear facilities with concrete and soil piles and conducted joint live‑fire naval drills with Russia near the Strait of Hormuz, signaling both defensive preparation and strategic signaling [8][9][10][15][18][20]. Tehran warned that any U.S. attack on its territory would make all regional U.S. bases “legitimate targets” under Article 51 of the UN Charter, while its missile and drone arsenals remain capable of striking U.S. forces and Israel [1][10][13][19].

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Quinnipac: 7 Out Of 10 Voters Do Not Want The U.S. To Take Military Action Against Iran For Killing Of Protesters, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 70% Say Presidents Should Seek Congressional Approval Before Taking Military Action Against Another Country

Published (30 tables/charts)

  • 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 40% 88% 3% 33% 49% 33% 49%
    Disapprove 54 8 94 59 45 61 44
    DK/NA 6 4 3 8 7 6 7
    Source

  • 1a. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president? COMBINED WITH: (If approve/disapprove q1) Do you strongly or somewhat approve/disapprove?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve strongly 31% 72% 2% 21% 36% 26% 39%
    Approve smwht 9 15 1 11 11 7 10
    Disapprove smwht 4 3 1 8 6 3 5
    Disapprove strongly 48 5 93 50 37 57 39
    DK/NA 8 4 3 10 9 7 7
    Source

  • 2. Do you think things in the United States are generally going in the right direction or the wrong direction?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Right direction 38% 79% 5% 33% 44% 32% 47%
    Wrong direction 56 16 93 60 49 63 43
    DK/NA 6 5 2 7 7 5 10
    Source

  • 3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Marco Rubio is handling his job as Secretary of State?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 42% 83% 7% 37% 52% 33% 50%
    Disapprove 45 8 81 48 37 52 41
    DK/NA 13 10 12 15 11 15 9
    Source

  • 5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way J.D. Vance is handling his job as vice president?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 41% 88% 3% 35% 49% 35% 53%
    Disapprove 49 7 87 54 41 56 40
    DK/NA 9 5 9 12 10 9 7
    Source

  • 6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Stephen Miller is handling his job as White House Deputy Chief of Staff?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 34% 73% 5% 26% 38% 30% 40%
    Disapprove 44 8 77 48 41 46 37
    DK/NA 23 19 18 25 20 24 23
    Source

  • 7. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Susie Wiles is handling her job as White House Chief of Staff?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 35% 70% 8% 29% 41% 31% 41%
    Disapprove 40 8 74 39 34 45 35
    DK/NA 25 22 18 31 26 24 24
    Source

  • 8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is handling his job as Secretary of Health and Human Services?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 39% 80% 4% 34% 46% 33% 48%
    Disapprove 50 12 86 54 43 57 44
    DK/NA 10 7 10 11 10 10 8
    Source

  • 9. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Pete Hegseth is handling his job as Secretary of Defense?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 40% 82% 7% 34% 48% 33% 46%
    Disapprove 49 9 84 54 43 53 41
    DK/NA 11 9 8 12 9 14 13
    Source

  • 10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling - the economy?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 42% 89% 3% 38% 52% 35% 49%
    Disapprove 53 9 95 55 42 61 44
    DK/NA 5 2 2 7 6 4 7
    Source

  • 11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling - foreign policy?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 41% 87% 3% 34% 50% 33% 50%
    Disapprove 56 9 94 62 47 63 46
    DK/NA 3 4 2 3 3 4 4
    Source

  • 12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling - U.S. policy toward Venezuela?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 41% 83% 4% 38% 52% 33% 53%
    Disapprove 52 10 89 57 42 60 44
    DK/NA 6 7 7 5 6 7 3
    Source

  • 13. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Approve 43% 89% 4% 38% 53% 35% 53%
    Disapprove 53 9 95 58 43 62 42
    DK/NA 3 3 2 4 3 4 6
    Source

  • 14. Under Donald Trump, do you think America's leadership in the world has gotten stronger, gotten weaker, or remained about the same?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Stronger 42% 83% 4% 39% 52% 34% 53%
    Weaker 46 8 83 50 36 55 40
    The same 10 8 11 10 11 10 6
    Source

  • 15. Under Donald Trump, do you think America's moral authority in the world has gotten stronger, gotten weaker, or remained about the same?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Stronger 34% 71% 3% 27% 43% 26% 41%
    Weaker 50 11 86 54 40 58 44
    The same 13 16 8 16 13 13 13
    DK/NA 3 3 4 3 4 3 2
    Source

  • 16. How closely have you been following news about U.S. actions in Venezuela; very closely, somewhat closely, or not too closely?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Very closely 49% 56% 40% 51% 53% 45% 58%
    Somewhat closely 38 31 45 36 36 39 33
    Not too closely 13 13 15 13 10 16 9
    Source

  • 17. Do you support or oppose the Trump administration's decision to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and bring them to the United States to face drug trafficking charges?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 47% 85% 11% 45% 58% 38% 55%
    Oppose 45 7 79 47 35 52 39
    DK/NA 8 7 11 7 7 10 6
    Source

  • 18. Do you support or oppose the United States running Venezuela until it is satisfied that the government there will operate the way the U.S. wants it to?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 35% 69% 4% 34% 46% 26% 42%
    Oppose 57 19 88 60 48 64 49
    DK/NA 8 11 7 6 6 10 9
    Source

  • 19. Do you think the Trump administration is providing a clear explanation of the reasons behind the United States' actions against Venezuela, or not?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Yes/Clear 41% 76% 11% 35% 50% 34% 47%
    No 53 17 82 60 45 60 48
    DK/NA 6 7 6 5 5 6 5
    Source

  • 20. Do you support or oppose the U.S. taking over Venezuela's oil sales?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 38% 76% 7% 31% 47% 30% 46%
    Oppose 55 13 90 62 47 62 49
    DK/NA 7 10 4 7 6 7 6
    Source

  • 21. Do you think the U.S. actions in Venezuela will improve the lives of everyday Venezuelans, or don't you think so?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Yes/Improve 45% 86% 7% 40% 55% 36% 55%
    No 44 7 81 46 33 54 39
    DK/NA 11 6 13 14 11 10 6
    Source

  • 22. Would you support or oppose the United States sending ground troops into Venezuela in order to control the country?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 21% 47% 3% 16% 27% 17% 22%
    Oppose 73 45 92 80 67 77 71
    DK/NA 6 7 5 4 7 6 7
    Source

  • 23. Would you support or oppose the United States taking military action to attack suspected illegal drug facilities in Mexico, if this meant acting without the permission of the Mexican government?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 37% 74% 11% 30% 48% 29% 38%
    Oppose 57 20 85 66 47 65 54
    DK/NA 5 5 4 5 5 5 8
    Source

  • 24. Would you support or oppose the United States taking military action to attack suspected illegal drug facilities in Colombia, if this meant acting without the permission of the Colombian government?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 36% 72% 8% 31% 48% 27% 39%
    Oppose 55 17 87 62 46 63 52
    DK/NA 9 11 5 7 7 10 9
    Source

  • 25. Would you support or oppose the United States trying to buy Greenland?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 37% 67% 9% 36% 50% 26% 40%
    Oppose 55 22 85 58 42 66 51
    DK/NA 8 12 5 6 8 8 9
    Source

  • 26. Would you support or oppose the United States trying to take Greenland by military force?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Support 9% 23% 1% 3% 11% 7% 11%
    Oppose 86 68 95 94 84 87 83
    DK/NA 6 9 4 3 5 7 6
    Source

  • 27. If protesters in Iran are killed while demonstrating against the Iranian government, do you think the United States should take military action against Iran, or should the U.S. not get involved?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Should 18% 35% 7% 11% 23% 14% 20%
    Should not 70 53 79 80 66 73 70
    DK/NA 12 12 14 9 11 13 10
    Source

  • 28. In general, if a president decides to take military action against another country, do you think they should first receive approval from Congress, or not?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Yes/Should 70% 35% 95% 78% 63% 75% 66%
    No 24 54 2 18 28 22 30
    DK/NA 6 10 3 4 9 3 4
    Source

  • 29. In general, do you think the United States should: work with other nations to solve problems or work alone to solve problems?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Work with others 88% 81% 96% 89% 82% 92% 90%
    Work alone 7 13 3 6 12 3 4
    DK/NA 5 6 2 5 6 4 6
    Source

  • 30. Do you think it's in the national interest of the United States to expand its power in the western hemisphere, or not?

    Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Mltry Hshld
    Yes/Natl interest 38% 67% 14% 34% 53% 25% 43%
    No 52 24 76 58 38 64 48
    DK/NA 10 9 11 8 9 11 9
    Source

Timeline

Dec 27‑28 2025 – Iran’s president declares a full‑scale war with the United States, Europe and Israel, comparing the conflict to the 1980‑89 Iran‑Iraq war and saying Tehran’s military is now stronger than during the brief 2025 Israel‑Iran clash; the statement follows the June 2025 twelve‑day air campaign in which the U.S. dropped more than 125 aircraft and used the GBU‑57 bunker‑busting bomb, and Iran’s retaliatory missile strike on Qatar’s Al‑Udeid air base [24], [25].

Dec 30 2025 – Iran’s president pledges a harsh response to any U.S. aggression, while President Trump warns that a renewed Iranian nuclear program will trigger “very big, very powerful ships” and a possible strike, recalling the June 2025 air war that killed nearly 1,100 Iranians and prompted an Iranian missile barrage that killed 28 Israelis [23].

Jan 13 2026 – Trump tells reporters that Iran wants to negotiate, noting at least 646 protest deaths; Oman’s foreign minister visits Tehran as a mediator, and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi claims the situation is “under total control” and blames Israel and the U.S. for the unrest [22].

Jan 23 2026 – Trump announces on Air Force One that a massive U.S. armada is heading toward Iran, saying “maybe we won’t have to use it,” as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and other warships move into the region; death‑toll figures from the crackdown vary, with activists citing over 4,500 deaths versus the Iranian government’s 3,117 [21].

Jan 26 2026 – Iran unveils a giant anti‑U.S. mural in Tehran’s Enghelab Square depicting a damaged carrier and the slogan “If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind”; Trump claims the U.S. has halted an 800‑person execution plan and that any strike would make June’s attacks look like “peanuts,” while the USS Abraham Lincoln and a U.S. F‑15E squadron head toward the Middle East [20].

Jan 30 2026 – Trump publicly weighs a major limited strike on Iran, saying the next attack would be “far worse” than the June 2025 strike and that he is “considering” limited action while negotiations continue; the U.S. surges forces, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, THAAD and Patriot batteries to Qatar, an E‑11A communications jet, and dozens of F‑35, F‑15E and Growler aircraft, marking the largest Middle‑East buildup since the 2003 Iraq invasion [17], [18]; the administration cites Operation Midnight Hammer (July 2025) as a precedent for deadline‑driven strikes [1].

Feb 2 2026 – Iran’s president orders the start of nuclear talks with the United States, while Trump says a deal could prevent military action; the U.S. threatens a strike and moves an aircraft‑carrier group toward West Asia, heightening pressure after the deadly protest crackdown [15].

Feb 4 2026 – In an NBC interview, Trump warns Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the U.S. knows of Iran’s plans to open a new nuclear site and will retaliate “very hard”; Iran confirms a nuclear‑talks session in Muscat for Feb 6, and the White House notes a substantial air‑and‑naval strike force poised near Iran after an Iranian drone approaches a U.S. carrier [30].

Feb 6 2026 – U.S. and Iranian negotiators meet in Muscat, with special envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi present; Washington pushes to add Iran’s missile program and regional activities to the agenda, while Tehran insists talks stay nuclear‑only; the meeting occurs less than a month after a protest crackdown that may have killed over 30,000 people, and the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group sails to pressure Tehran [29].

Feb 7 2026 – Indirect talks take place in Muscat with U.S. Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper attending; Trump calls the talks “very good” and warns of “steep consequences” if a nuclear deal fails, promising further discussions early the next week [12].

Feb 17 2026 – Iran briefly closes part of the Strait of Hormuz for live‑fire drills, firing missiles into the water and disrupting a route that carries ~20 % of global oil; Geneva negotiations produce a “guiding principles” framework, and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group departs the Caribbean for the mid‑Atlantic, delaying its arrival to the Persian Gulf [11].

Feb 18 2026 – Geneva talks yield a tentative “principle agreement” on Iran’s nuclear program, with both sides agreeing to exchange detailed proposals within two weeks; Iran again shuts a section of the Strait of Hormuz for IRGC drills, while Vice President J.D. Vance says Trump has set non‑negotiable “red lines” that Tehran has not yet met [10].

Feb 19 2026 – Trump tells the world it will know in “probably, 10 days” whether the U.S. reaches a deal or launches military action; the U.S. deploys the USS Gerald R. Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups to the Mediterranean and Gulf of Oman, creating a 12‑warship presence; Iran and Russia conduct joint naval drills simulating a hijacked‑ship rescue and briefly close the Strait of Hormuz; Supreme Leader Khamenei posts a Quranic verse urging resistance; U.S. officials plan a War Powers Act vote, though passage looks unlikely [3], [4], [5], [8], [9].

Feb 20 2026 – Trump gives Tehran a 10‑15‑day deadline to submit a draft nuclear agreement, warning that “bad things will happen” if missed, while saying he still prefers diplomacy; Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi promises a draft within two‑to‑three days and disputes the U.S. demand for zero enrichment; the U.S. moves the world’s largest carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, into the region and positions “hundreds of jets and warships” for a possible limited strike; Democrats file a War Powers resolution demanding congressional approval before any attack [1], [2], [6], [7], [27].

Feb 21 2026 – Geneva negotiators announce a “principle agreement” on Iran’s nuclear program; the U.S. shifts to an unprecedented air‑and‑naval buildup, stationing 30 combat jets at Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti base on Feb 18 and increasing to 59 by Feb 20, while keeping ground troops limited; Gulf allies express reservations but host the growing U.S. fleet; analysts note Hezbollah may intervene if it perceives a U.S./Israeli attempt to topple Tehran, outlining four possible response scenarios [28], [26]; the United States announces a conditions‑based pull‑out of its remaining Syrian bases over the next two months [27].

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