The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has entered the Mediterranean Sea, according to maritime tracking data. The carrier is transiting the Strait of Gibraltar as the United States increases its military presence in the region amid ongoing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.
President Donald Trump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East last week, where it will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships already stationed there. This deployment comes as the Trump administration seeks to pressure Iran during nuclear talks.
Iran Proposes Nuclear Deal Terms
Tehran has indicated It’s prepared to present the United States with a proposal for a nuclear agreement in the coming days. “My next step is to present a draft of a possible agreement to my counterparts in the United States,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview with MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe.’ “I believe it will be ready in the next two or three days, and after final approval from my superiors, it will be delivered to Steve Witkoff.”
Starlink Terminals Witness Black Market Price Surge
The largest U.S. Troop deployment to the Middle East since the Iraq War is driving up the price of Elon Musk’s Starlink terminals on the black market in Iran, where citizens fear a potential conflict could trigger another nationwide internet shutdown.
The cost of the smuggled kits, which are banned by the regime for providing uncensored web access, has reached as high as $4,000, according to vendors and human rights organizations working with Iran. Before the Israel-Iran conflict in June of last year, the same units were sold for between $700 and $1,000.
Despite the risk of lengthy prison sentences for using or distributing Starlink in Iran, the satellite internet connection remains one of the few ways to communicate with the outside world when authorities cut off internet access, as occurred in January during widespread protests against the regime. The increased demand for Starlink highlights concerns about potential disruptions to information flow in the region.
