US-Iran war next? Tehran's military on ‘high alert’ after Trump moves bombers

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has placed the country's armed forces on ‘high alert’

Published on: Apr 6, 2025, 22:07:31 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has placed the country's armed forces on ‘high alert’, news agency Reuters reported citing an official. This comes a month after President Donald Trump urged Tehran to hold negotiations on its nuclear program, further threatening to bomb Iran if diplomacy fails.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has placed armed forces on alert (AFP)

Trump has already moved an aircraft carrier to the Middle East after amassing several stealth bombers to the nearby Chagos Islands. The USS Carl Vinson was transferred from Asia to the Persian Gulf, directly south of Iran, to join USS Harry S. Truman.

Iran places armed forces on high alert

Amid fears of a full-blown war with the United States, an Iranian official told Reuters that its neighbors that host American bases could be in the ‘firing line’. Tehran has rejected Trump's demand for direct talks, saying it wants to continue indirect negotiations through Oman.

"Indirect talks offer a chance to evaluate Washington's seriousness about a political solution with Iran," the official said. Tehran has already issued notices to Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, and Bahrain, urging them to not help the US in its potential Iran plans.

Such an act ‘will have severe consequences for them’, the official told Reuters. They further added that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had placed Iran's armed forces on high alert.

Trump prefers direct talks

Last month, Donald Trump said he would prefer to hold ‘direct talks’ with Iran and not through a mediator - which is generally Oman.

"I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries," he argued.

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi said ‘direct negotiations would be meaningless with a party that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials’.

"We remain committed to diplomacy and are ready to try the path of indirect negotiations," he added, according to a foreign ministry statement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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