U.S. and Iran: Are They Going to War?

Multiple countries evacuate personnel, aircraft carriers arrive in Israel; the risk of US-Iran war sharply increases

According to reports from Xinhua News Agency's foreign correspondents: On the 27th, the US State Department approved the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and their families from its embassy in Israel. US Ambassador to Israel, Huckabee, stated that if one wishes to leave Israel, it is imperative to "leave today." Countries like Canada have recently advised their citizens to leave Iran immediately. With the arrival of the US Navy's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Ford, in Israel on the 27th, observers believe that the risk of war between the US and Iran has sharply increased.

The US Embassy in Israel announced on its official website on the 27th that the approval for the evacuation of non-emergency personnel from Israel was "due to security risk considerations." The embassy advised relevant personnel to "consider leaving Israel while commercial flights are still available." The announcement stated that in response to security incidents, and without prior notice, the US Embassy may further restrict or prohibit US government employees and their families from traveling to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the West Bank.

Ambassador Huckabee emailed consulate staff, stating that the recommendation for non-emergency personnel to leave could "lead to a significant increase in ticket demand on that day." He advised relevant personnel to leave as soon as possible, emphasizing the need to "quickly leave Israel," and then arrange subsequent travel plans.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Al Arabiya television reported on the 27th, citing security sources, that a large number of American citizens had left Iraq through Baghdad International Airport in the past 24 hours.

This is a cityscape of Tehran, the capital of Iran, taken on February 20. Xinhua News Agency reporter Shadati photographed.

In light of the ongoing tense regional situation, countries like Canada and India have again advised their citizens to evacuate Iran immediately. The Canadian government posted on social media on the 26th: "Due to the ongoing tense regional situation, hostile actions may occur with little to no warning. Please leave Iran immediately if it is safe to do so." The Canadian government had previously issued a travel advisory on February 4, urging its citizens to avoid traveling to Iran and advising Canadians in Iran to leave immediately.

The Indian Embassy in Iran advised Indian citizens currently in Iran on the 23rd to leave as soon as possible by any available means of transportation. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs had issued a travel warning on January 14, advising Indian citizens to avoid traveling to Iran.

The US has recently continued to exert military pressure on Iran, increasing troop deployments in the Middle East. According to reports from the Associated Press, although the US and Iran agreed to continue negotiations next week, the risk of war between the two countries is "approaching" as the US amasses a large number of aircraft and naval vessels in the region.

According to a report from Reuters on the 27th, the USS Ford arrived in Israel on that day. This means that the US military has simultaneously deployed both the USS Ford and the USS Lincoln in the Middle East. Israeli media reported that the USS Ford will dock in the Haifa area in northern Israel.

In response to reports of serious malfunctions in the USS Ford's sanitation system, the US Navy denied the claims. The Navy stated in a release that the relevant systems on the ship "are operating within expected parameters" and have not affected its readiness status or mission capability. "The toilet blockage incident was quickly resolved by trained personnel, and the blockage duration was very short."

Additionally, according to Israeli media reports, six US military refueling aircraft took off from the US mainland on the 26th, heading to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel. As of the 27th, nearly 20 US military refueling aircraft have been deployed in Israel.

The Iranian military stated on the 27th that it would respond to any acts of aggression by the US with "devastating" consequences. The Iranian Mehr News Agency quoted the spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, Shekarchi, as saying that any provocative actions by the US would be met with a "decisive and devastating" counterattack from the Iranian armed forces.

Shekarchi stated that the Iranian armed forces are closely monitoring the movements of US and Israeli forces in the region and are fully prepared. He said that the US military presence in the region is part of "psychological warfare, extortion, and bullying." He emphasized, "We are not warmongers, nor do we fear war; we will firmly defend our country and the interests of the Iranian people," warning that any reckless actions could trigger large-scale conflict in the region and provoke an unprecedented strong response.

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Trump: Unsatisfied with the progress of Iran nuclear talks, has not made a final decision on military action

On the 27th, US President Trump stated that he is "not satisfied" with the current progress of the Iran nuclear talks but has not made a final decision on whether to launch a military strike against Iran.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House, he said that during the negotiations, Iran was unwilling to provide the "things that the US deserves," and he is "very dissatisfied."

Trump stated that the US has not made a final decision on whether to launch a military strike against Iran and will observe "what happens after further negotiations."

Trump also said he does not want to resort to military action, "but sometimes it has to be done." He reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.

The third round of indirect negotiations between the US and Iran took place on the 26th in Geneva, Switzerland. The talks did not reach an agreement, but all parties gave positive evaluations and announced plans to continue technical discussions on March 2 in Vienna, Austria. On the same day, Trump reportedly received a military briefing regarding military options against Iran. (Reporters: Xu Jianmei, Huang Qiang)