US vessel in Mideast waters

Dubai: A second US aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear programme, satellite photos analysed on Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.

The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as suspected US airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels overnight into Tuesday.

American officials repeatedly have linked the US’ month-long campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations. Questions remain over where the weekend talks will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman.