Jan. 23 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said that he is sending an “armada” to Iran in response to its regime’s killing of more than 5,000 protesters.
Trump made statements about his military response while returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, overnight on Thursday. He said “a lot of ships” are moving toward Iran “just in case.”
“I’d rather not see anything happen but we’re watching them very closely,” Trump said. “We have an armada heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it.”
Among the fleet heading to the Middle East is the USS Abraham Lincoln and guided missile destroyers. Britain is prepared to send jets to Qatar.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Thursday that Iran has executed 5,002 people amid ongoing protests against the regime. Dozens of those executed were children.
Iran’s Interior Ministry disputes the death toll, saying 3,117 people have been killed, though it has previously said most deaths were at the hands of “terrorists.”
Iran has been under a near-total internet blackout since earlier this month.
Trump has warned of a U.S. response if the killings of protesters continue, saying two weeks ago that “help is on its way.” On Thursday, he claimed that he stopped 837 executions. Tehran said this is “completely false.”
The president believes there may still be negotiations between the United States and Iran.
“Iran does want to talk and we’ll talk,” Trump said Thursday.
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