The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has announced that it will increase its military capacity in the Middle East. Following the directive of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, additional combat aircraft will be deployed to the region and air defense capabilities will be strengthened. The Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that additional military assets will be deployed in the Middle East while tensions with Iran continue. Parnell revealed that they are taking action in the Middle East to “support stability, prevent aggressive behavior, and safeguard the free flow of trade.” According to Parnell, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed an increase in the US military capacity in the Middle East. Noting that additional combat aircraft will be deployed to the region, Parnell expressed that this will enhance the US air defense capabilities. Parnell conveyed that Secretary Hegseth has stated that they will act if Iran threatens US interests in the region. Trump’s Call for Negotiations with Iran and Threats President Donald Trump announced that he wrote a letter to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 7, calling for both threats and negotiations. Khamenei has stated that the US negotiation request is not to solve problems but to impose its demands and establish dominance, adding that Iran will not accept this. The letter was delivered to Iran via the United Arab Emirates days later, and Iran announced that it had replied to the letter through Oman on March 27. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that they will not engage in direct talks with the US as long as Trump continues with his threats, but they are ready for indirect talks through intermediaries. Araghchi emphasized that contrary to Trump’s request, they will only negotiate on nuclear issues, and the topic of their country’s defense capacity is not up for negotiation. Trump, in a statement to the national media, warned that if an agreement is not reached with Iran, they will bomb Iran “in a way they have never seen before.” Iranian leader Khamenei stated that they do not believe Trump will follow through on his attack threats, but they will respond strongly to any attack.