By Trendsetter Tribune 
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump issued a final warning to Tehran on Thursday, February 19, 2026, stating that the fate of a new nuclear deal will be decided within the next 10 to 15 days. Speaking at the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace initiative, the President made it clear that while “good talks are being had,” the U.S. is prepared to take a “very different path” if Iran does not abandon its nuclear enrichment program immediately.
The ultimatum comes as the U.S. completes one of its largest military buildups in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War, positioned to launch a sustained aerial campaign if negotiations fail.
The 10-Day Ultimatum
The President’s timeline follows a series of high-stakes indirect talks in Geneva between U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials.
- The Demand: Washington is demanding that Iran entirely give up uranium enrichment, dismantle its long-range ballistic missile program, and halt the crackdown on domestic protesters.
- The “Bad Things” Warning: Trump emphasized that “bad things will happen” if a meaningful deal isn’t reached. Later, aboard Air Force One, he refined the window to “10 to 15 days, pretty much maximum.”
- The Iranian Response: Iran has promised to provide a written proposal within two weeks but maintains that its right to enrichment and its missile program are “red lines.”
Inside the “Armada”: A Massive Military Squeeze
Military analysts describe the current U.S. posture as an “overwhelming strike force” designed to give the President options ranging from surgical strikes to a total dismantling of Iran’s military infrastructure.
| Military Asset | Location / Status | Capability |
| USS Abraham Lincoln | Arabian Sea (near Oman) | Active; F-35 stealth fighters and F/A-18s in range. |
| USS Gerald R. Ford | Crossing Mediterranean | World’s largest carrier; expected off Israel/Lebanon. |
| F-22 & F-15E Squadrons | Jordan & Saudi Arabia | Over 50 advanced jets moved to the region this week. |
| E-3 Sentry AWACS | Prince Sultan Airbase (KSA) | Providing real-time command and control for a large campaign. |
| Destroyers | 13 ships across region | Equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Aegis defense. |
A Return to the “12-Day War” Tactics?
The current buildup echoes the lead-up to the June 2025 “12-Day War,” during which the U.S. and Israel conducted surprise strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. However, experts at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) note that the 2026 deployment is significantly larger, suggesting the administration is prepared for a weeks-long operation rather than a surgical strike.
Regional Tensions at a Boiling Point
- Israeli Readiness: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own warning Thursday: “If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine.”
- Iranian Counter-Threats: Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has threatened to send U.S. warships “to the bottom of the sea,” and Iran has begun naval drills with Russian forces in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Global Concern: Russia and China have called for “unprecedented restraint,” warning that a miscalculation could spark a wider regional conflict that would destabilize global energy markets.