US CENTCOM refutes Iranian claims, stating the USS Abraham Lincoln continues flight operations against military targets in Iran. Tehran has warned the US carrier is being monitored and will be targeted if it approaches Iranian territory.
US CENTCOM Refutes Iranian Claims Amid Naval Standoff
In a post on X, US CENTCOM said, "USS Abraham Lincoln continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters." USS Abraham Lincoln continues flight operations against military targets in Iran while sailing in regional waters.
pic.twitter.com/GsLQKNaTbN — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 26, 2026
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the United States Navy.
Iran Issues Stern Warnings, Dismisses US Influence
Earlier on Wednesday, the Iranian Navy issued another direct warning to the United States, stating that its aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, is being closely monitored and faces potential strikes if it approaches Iranian territory.
According to a report by the state broadcaster Press TV, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani warned that the USS Abraham Lincoln is under constant surveillance and will be targeted by the Army Navy if it enters the range of Iran's missile systems.
The naval threat follows a broader dismissal of American influence by senior military officials in Tehran, who have characterised Washington's recent diplomatic overtures as a facade. Press TV reported that Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated that the "strategic power" previously flaunted by the US has now "turned into a strategic defeat."
These remarks come in the wake of a significant de-escalation by US President Donald Trump, who recently stepped back from a 48-hour ultimatum to launch strikes against Iranian power plants. This shift occurred after the Islamic Republic issued a stern warning that any such aggression would result in the reciprocal targeting of every energy and power installation across the region.
Diplomatic Front: Iran Rejects Negotiations
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi said the country will continue to follow the policy of "resistance" in response to "unprovoked American-Israeli aggression", ruling out negotiations or a ceasefire without reliable guarantees, according to Iranian State Media Press TV.
Speaking in a televised interview on Wednesday, Araghchi said, "At present, our policy is to continue resistance, and no negotiations have taken place."
"There are no negotiations underway," he reiterated as quoted by Press TV elsewhere in his remarks, while also questioning the reliability of external assurances. The foreign minister said that although regional diplomatic contacts have taken place, Tehran's stance has remained "principled and firm".
Trump's Perspective: 'They want to make a deal'
Meanwhile, Trump, while delivering remarks at the NRCC Annual Fundraising Dinner, said that there has never been a head of a country who wanted that job less than being the head of Iran. "We settled 8 wars. We are winning another one. Nobody has seen anything like what we are doing in the Middle East with Iran. They are negotiating, by the way. They want to make a deal so badly, but they are afraid to say it because they figure they will be killed by their own people. They are also afraid they will be killed by us. There has never been a head of a country who wanted that job less than being the head of Iran." (ANI)
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