Davos, Switzerland, 23 January 2026 (dpa/MIA) – US President Donald Trump on Thursday said a "massive fleet" was heading towards Iran, after repeatedly threatening Tehran with US intervention amid a violent crackdown on protests there.

"We have a massive fleet heading in that direction," Trump told reporters as he flew back to Washington from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos.

"And maybe we won't have to use it ... we have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case, we have a big flotilla going in that direction, and we'll see what happens."

"We have a big force going toward Iran. I'd rather not see anything happen, but we're watching them very closely," Trump said of Iran.

According to US media reports, Washington is currently strengthening its military presence in the Middle East, including by deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several accompanying ships.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier normally transports several thousand soldiers and dozens of fighter jets and is accompanied by navy destroyers. There has so far been no official confirmation of the deployment from the Pentagon.

Demonstrations began in Tehran in late December as protests by shopkeepers over a sharp fall in the value of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions, before evolving into a nationwide uprising against the Islamic Republic's authoritarian system.

Security forces responded violently, with activists saying more than 4,500 demonstrators were confirmed dead and thousands more cases were still under investigation. Exact figures are not available and such statements are difficult to verify. Iranian authorities on Wednesday put the official death toll at 3,117 people, including security forces.

Photo: EPA