The United States is deploying a Patriot missile battery and another warship to the Middle East to counter what it claims are growing threats from Iran. The USS Arlington, an amphibious transport ship, and a Patriot air defense system will be deployed to the U.S. Central Command. "The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region," the Department of Defense said in a statement on Friday announcing the moves. National Security Adviser John Bolton said last Sunday that the U.S. was sending a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the region to send a "clear and unmistakable message" to Tehran. The Pentagon said the latest deployment followed that original request. The decision to surge additional military forces into the Middle East was based in part on intelligence that the Iranian regime has told some of its proxy forces and surrogates that they can now go after American military personnel and assets in the region, three U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence told NBC News. The three officials said that in addition to learning that an Iranian official had discussed attacks on Americans, the U.S. began seeing the movement of Iranian and Iranian-backed forces in various places across the region, prompting the commander of U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie, to request additional forces move to the region. The Pentagon's statement on Friday said the new deployment was "in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and our interests." The strike group deployed earlier in the week consists of the USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier; the USS Leyte Gulf, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser; Carrier Air Wing Seven; and destroyers from Destroyer Squadron Two. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan tweeted Monday calling on the Iranians to "cease all provocation," warning that the United States "will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attack on U.S. forces or our interests." Iran's ambassador to the United Nations denied that Tehran gave the green light to its proxies to attack U.S. forces. In an exclusive interview with NBC News on Thursday, Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi rejected statements from the Trump administration that Tehran posed a heightened danger to U.S. interests and accused U.S. officials of employing "fake intelligence." President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was ready to speak with Iranian leaders and come to an understanding that would allow the country to improve its economic prospects. "What I'd like to see with Iran, I'd like to see them call me," he said. Trump added: "I look forward to the day where we can actually help Iran. We're not looking to hurt Iran." Amid the mounting pressure from Washington, Iran on Wednesday informed ambassadors from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and Russia that it would stop implementing parts of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. In a speech broadcast on national television on the anniversary of America's withdrawal from the deal, President Hassan Rouhani said the country would also resume high level enrichment of uranium if world powers did not keep their promises under the Obama-era agreement. The Trump administration has previously acknowledged that Iran was living up to the agreement, but alleges it also gave the Islamic republic cover to pursue its ballistic weapons program and deepen its regional influence. Washington subsequently restored crippling sanctions on Iran, exacerbating a severe economic crisis.<doc-sep>The Patriot missile system, manufactured by Raytheon , is combat-tested against aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. The system is currently deployed in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The USS Arlington and a Patriot battery will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a U.S. Air Force bomber task force, which were deployed earlier in the week to the region in response to "heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations." WASHINGTON — The Pentagon approved the deployment of a Patriot missile defense battery and a Navy ship to the Middle East amid increasing tensions between the United States and Iran. The additional U.S. forces to the Middle East is the Trump administration's latest effort to pressure Tehran over its support for weapons proliferation and extremist groups in the Middle East. "The Department of Defense continues to closely monitor the activities of the Iranian regime, their military and proxies. Due to operational security, we will not discuss timelines or location of forces. The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region," the Pentagon wrote in a statement Friday announcing the deployment. On Wednesday, Trump ordered new sanctions placed on Iranian metals, Tehran's largest non-petroleum-related sources of export revenue. The U.S. also took aim at Iranian oil by effectively ordering countries worldwide to stop buying Tehran's oil or face sanctions of their own. Additionally, the U.S. designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist group. Iran responded with threats to close the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz, where about a third of the world's oil export vessels pass. The U.S. then announced it was expediting the deployment of a carrier strike group equipped with bomber aircraft to the region. Tehran announced it was relaxing some restrictions on its nuclear program but would not violate a 2015 accord with Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and the United States. Iran had agreed to the 2015 limits on its disputed nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. A year ago Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, calling it a "horrible, one-sided" deal.<doc-sep>
The Pentagon announced plans Friday to send a U.S. ship and a Patriot missile battery to the Middle East in an effort to deter actions from Iran. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan gave the green light to move the USS Arlington and the Patriot battery, according to a statement. The latter is "a long-range, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft," the Pentagon said. US B-52 BOMBERS LAND IN QATAR OVER UNSPECIFIED IRAN THREAT “These assets will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a U.S. Air Force bomber task force in the Middle East region in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S. forces and our interests,” the Pentagon said. The maneuver comes after national security adviser John Bolton on Sunday said the U.S. was sending the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region, which includes the Middle East. IRAN PULLS OUT OF PARTS OF NUCLEAR DEAL, SETS 60-DAY DEADLINE TO RENEGOTIATE TERMS The move was a reaction to several “troubling and escalatory indications and warnings,” Bolton said. The Defense Department is keeping an eye on “the Iranian regime, their military and proxies,” the Pentagon said Friday while noting U.S. military readiness if a situation arises. CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP “The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, but we are postured and ready to defend U.S. forces and interests in the region,” they said in the statement. Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.