ARABIAN SEA: An F-35C Lightning II, attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, prepares to launch from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The US has substantially increased its military presence in the region, dispatching two aircraft carriers, jets and weaponry to back its warnings to Tehran.—AFP • Trump asking why Tehran has not ‘capitulated’ in the face of military build-up, US envoy Witkoff says • Iranian commander claims ‘enemy’ movements being monitored round the clock • Talks expected on Thursday if nuclear proposal furnished ‘in next 48 hours’ • Washington ‘offered’ opportunities for investment in Iran’s oil industry DUBAI: The United States has evacuated hundreds of troops from key bases in Qatar and Bahrain in what is described as a precautionary move as tensions with Iran continue to escalate, according to a report by The New York Times . The withdrawal, which involved personnel stationed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and facilities linked to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, comes amid growing concern in Washington over the possibility of military confrontation with Tehran and the risk of Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the region. Al Udeid, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, hosts around 10,000 troops and plays a central role in American air operations in the region. Officials said the redeployment was intended to reduce exposure of forces in the event of a sudden escalation. The move has been widely interpreted as part of a contingency planning rather than a signal of imminent conflict. US forces remain deployed across a network of bases in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE. Meanwhile, US negotiators are ready to hold another round of talks with Iran on Friday in Geneva if they receive a detailed Iranian proposal for a nuclear deal in the next 48 hours, Axios reported on Sunday, citing a senior US official. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday officials of Iran and US are expected to attend Oman-mediated talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, noting that there is still “a good chance” of diplomatic solution to Tehran’s nuclear ambition. Later, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in a post on X confirmed “US-Iran negotiations are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalising the deal.” Trump asks why Iran has not capitulated US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not “capitulated” in the face of Washington’s military build-up aimed at pressuring them into a nuclear deal. In a Fox News interview, Witkoff said the president was “curious” about Iran’s position after he had warned them of severe consequences in the event they failed to strike a deal. “I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated’, because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t… I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated’, but why they haven’t capitulated,” he said. “Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’? And yet it’s sort of hard to get them to that place.” Witkoff’s comments come after Araghchi said a draft proposal for an agreement with Washington would be ready in a matter of days. Trump said on Thursday that Iran had at most 15 days to make a deal on concerns starting with its nuclear programme. Iran monitoring ‘enemy’ movements An Iranian commander said on Sunday that his country’s forces are monitoring “enemy” movements around the clock amid rising tensions with the United States, according to an Anadolu report. “All enemy movements are continuously monitored,” Ground Forces Commander Ali Jahanshahi said during a visit to a military unit in the city of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province near the Iraqi border. “Thanks to their advanced capabilities, our soldiers will not allow any hostile action against this land,” he added in his comments cited by local media. Iran and the US have differing views over sanctions relief in talks to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, a senior Iranian official said on Sunday. “The last round of talks showed that US ideas regarding the scope and mechanism of sanctions relief differ from Iran’s demands,” the official said. “Within the economic package under negotiation, the US has also been offered opportunities for serious investment and tangible economic interests in Iran’s oil industry,” the official said. However, he said Tehran will not hand over control of its oil and mineral resources. Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2026