Military tensions have been running high between the United States and the Middle East. National security and military analyst Dr. Rebecca Grant, vice president at the Lexington Institute, shared her insight on Iran’s threat of military action and urged leaders to consider a diplomatic path, echoing the president’s views.
According to CNN, President Donald Trump recently deployed military and naval assets toward Iran, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, one of the largest warships in the world.
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This move acted as a catalyst for rising political tensions between the United States and the Middle East. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded with a threat, claiming it could spark a regional war.
Trump has urged the supreme leader to remain diplomatic and is reportedly in “serious talks” aimed at negotiating a peaceful way forward. Other regional leaders have also stepped in to de-escalate tensions between the two countries. Leaders from Turkey, Egypt and Qatar have intervened to help mediate a peaceful resolution.
Speaking exclusively with Fox News, Dr. Grant shared her thoughts on Iran’s threat of military action. She did not hold back, saying, “Iran is playing games about allowing nuclear inspections.” She warned of the risks of going against Trump’s “armada,” which is reportedly being deployed to the Middle East.
She further said the deployment of troops and military and naval assets was intended to ensure Iran would have “no military options” remaining. The United States has one of the largest armadas in the world, and its military strength would far exceed Iran’s militia forces.
Reporter: “Sir, on Iran, the Supreme Leader said today that a U.S. attack could spark a regional war. Do you have any response to that?”
President Trump: “Why wouldn’t he say that? Of course, he’s gonna say that. But we have the biggest, most powerful ships in the world over… pic.twitter.com/axHzQH5yOE
— Global Peace Advocates (@RealKON_) February 2, 2026
Dr. Grant also said that while Trump is prepared for military action, he is hoping for a peaceful negotiation. She expressed the POTUS’s desire for a truce, saying, “The pressure is on Iran to agree to negotiations.”
Dr. Grant also explained how Trump might respond militarily should negotiations collapse. The analyst outlined how the Trump administration could carry out an attack using precise military tactics. She said there would be a highly targeted approach to the situation, ranging from strikes on ballistic missile sites to the possible targeting of senior leaders.
As Iran’s supreme leader, Sayed Ali Khameini, warns that any attack on Iran would ignite a regional war, Washington’s demands reveal their true nature. These are not diplomatic efforts, but an ultimatum engineered for rejection & ready-made justification for escalation.
Trump is… pic.twitter.com/e5nZN7i2qp
— Hala Jaber (@HalaJaber) February 1, 2026
Finally, Dr. Grant was asked for her opinion on whether Iran would choose military action or diplomacy. Taking into account the events unfolding between the two countries, she shared an unfiltered response.
She pointed to mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, noting that they have each “called Iran” and encouraged negotiations with Trump. However, Dr. Grant said, “It often takes military action where Iran is concerned.”
As tensions continue to rise between the U.S. and Iran, many are hoping for a peaceful resolution. The question remains: Will Iran be cornered into negotiating and choose diplomacy, or will the U.S. be forced to use military options that Iran does not have? That remains to be determined.
