WASHINGTON (February 5, 2026) – Tensions between the United States and Iran continued to rise this week, due to a series of military encounters and threats. On Tuesday, a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier. As a result, President Trump repeatedly threatened Iran with military strikes and warned that their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should be very worried.”
Khamenei warned that any U.S. attack would trigger a regional war, and Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran would target all U.S. bases in the region. In the past weeks, the U.S. has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and additional air-defence systems to the region. Despite the escalations, Iran and the United States are expected to resume nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday.
For analysis on these developments, please consider Dr. Sina Azodi, Director of the Middle East Studies (MES) and Assistant Professor of Middle East Politics, at the George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. Azodi is an expert in international relations of the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Policy, U.S.-Iranian Relations, Nuclear non-proliferation, Iran’s nuclear program and Iranian politics. Azodi can discuss the threats of rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
To schedule an interview, please contact Nadia Payne at nadia [dot] payne
gwu [dot] edu (nadia[dot]payne[at]gwu[dot]edu) or GW media at gwmediagwu [dot] edu (gwmedia[at]gwu[dot]edu).
-GW-