Given the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P-5+1 group — the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany — the Iranian navy's operation takes place in a politically sensitive context. Decades of animosity between the United States and Iran have created diehard camps in each country that must be managed carefully because they can seriously disrupt any potential agreement. The political rhetoric surrounding the talks can seem polarized at times, with any breakthrough in negotiations matched by stern warnings and guarantees that neither side is giving up too much. For the United States, this rhetoric translates as continued assurances of the effectiveness of current sanctions. In return, Iran constantly reiterates the parts of its nuclear program that it has refused to give up. Both sides also like to remind each other that military options are always on the table.