You're reading an excerpt from Al-Monitor Washington, where we break down the latest in US-Middle East diplomacy. To read the full newsletter, sign up here.

WASHINGTON — Iran is unwilling to yield to American ultimatums on its nuclear and missile programs, a senior Iranian official said, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated threats of military action if a deal isn’t reached. 

“We do not want to enter into any kind of negotiation that is doomed to failure and can then be used as another pretext for another war,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 

Tensions rose this week with the arrival of a US aircraft carrier, escorting warships and other military assets in the Middle East, all of which are meant to bolster the president’s options should he authorize strikes against Iran in retaliation for its violent crackdown on protesters. Trump ratcheted up the pressure on Wednesday, warning Iran on social media that if it did not negotiate with the United States, the consequence would be an attack “far worse” than the US bombing of its nuclear facilities last summer.