Iran-US tensions highlights: Trump says ‘hopefully’ won't need military action in Iran
Iran-US tensions highlights: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he wanted to avoid using military force against Iran. This comes after he said on Wednesday that "time is running out" for Tehran to make a deal, warning a US naval strike group was "ready, willing and able" to hit Iran.
Iran-US tensions highlights: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he wanted to avoid using military force against Iran. This comes after Trump said on Wednesday that "time is running out" for Tehran to make a deal, warning a US naval strike group was "ready, willing and able" to hit Iran. ...Read More
Iran's foreign minister Syed Abbas Araghchi said earlier that the country had learnt “valuable lessons” from the 12-day war last year. “Our brave Armed Forces are prepared—with their fingers on the trigger—to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,” he said.
The Iranian foreign minister also asserted the country's openness to a “fair and equitable nuclear deal”, if it is done on an “equal footing” and “ensure Iran's rights to peaceful nuclear technology.” Araghchi also rejected Iran having acquired any nuclear weapons.
This comes even as Trump is reportedly weighing options against Iran, including targeted strikes on security forces and leaders, to inspire protestors, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources.
Two US sources familiar with the matter said the US President wants to create “conditions for regime change” to inspire protestors.
EU designates IRGC a ‘terrorist organisation’, adopts mor sanctions against Iran
The European Union has officially designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “terrorist organisation”.
Along with this, the regional body is working to push more sanctions against Tehran. If approved, these sanctions could put fresh pressure on Tehran as its economy already struggles under the weight of multiple international sanctions from countries including the U.S. and Britain.
Furthermore, the new move against the IRGC, would result in any assets it has in Europe, be seized by the EU.
The Iranian military has slammed the EU for its decision and said that calling the IRGC a “terror group” is "irresponsible, illogical and spite-driven".
Iran open to talks with US on one condition
Iranian parliament's speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, told CNN that Iran was ready to negotiate with the US if the talks are "genuine", warning that Tehran would hit back if it came under attack.
He asserted that Tehran would retaliate to any military action and said, "Maybe Mr Trump can start a war, but he doesn't have control over how it ends."
US carrier group ‘ready’ to fulfill mission if needed: Trump
US President Trump has warned Iran to make a deal with US or face military strikes worse than last time. In a post on Truth Social, the US President said the fleet of US ships in the region, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, was “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties,” Trump said. "Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” the US President added.
Replying to the warning, Iran said it is ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests, but “if pushed, it will defend itself and respond like never before.”
What is the situation in Iran? Key points
• At least 6,221 people have been killed – including 5,856 protesters, 100 minors, 214 members of the security forces and 49 bystanders – amid a crackdown on the nationwide protests in Iran which began last month, US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said.
• The rights group further said at least 42,324 people had been arrested in Iran, adding that it was still investigating another 17,091 possible fatalities, AFP reported.
• HRANA has warned that security forces are searching hospitals to identify wounded protestors. However, Monitor Netblocks Wednesday said internet connectivity had been restored to around 95 percent, almost three weeks after a communications blackout in the country.
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- Jan 30, 2026 08:10 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: This blog is now closed
Iran-US tensions LIVE: This blog is now closed and won't be updated. Follow this blog for regular updates.
- Jan 30, 2026 07:59 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Key points until now
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Here's what has happened recently:
- US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped to avoid military action against Iran, which has threatened to strike American bases and aircraft carriers in response to any attack.
- UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for nuclear negotiations to "avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences in the region".
- An Iranian military spokesman warned Tehran's response to any US action would not be limited -- as it was in June last year when American planes and missiles briefly joined Israel's short air war against Iran -- but would be a decisive response "delivered instantly".
- The European Union, meanwhile, piled on the pressure by designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation" over a deadly crackdown on recent mass protests.
- Jan 30, 2026 07:56 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Pentagon preparing for possible action in Iran?
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Trump asked Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth during a cabinet meeting to comment on the situation in Iran, as a large US military presence built up in the region.
"They should not pursue nuclear capabilities. We will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the War Department," Hegseth was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
- Jan 30, 2026 07:28 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran threatens to hit US bases
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran threatened on Thursday to instantly strike US bases and aircraft carriers in response to any attack, after US President Donald Trump warned time was running out for Tehran and the EU blacklisted its Revolutionary Guards as a terror group.
An Iranian military spokesman warned Tehran's response to any US action would not be limited, as it was in June last year when American planes and missiles briefly joined Israel's short air war against Iran, but would be a decisive response “delivered instantly”, news agency AFP reported.
- Jan 30, 2026 06:59 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Trump says 'hopefully' won't need Iran military action
Iran-US tensions LIVE: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he wanted to avoid using military force against Iran. He said he plans to hold more discussions with Tehran on a possible nuclear agreement.
"I built (up) the military in my first term, and now we have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won't have to use it," Trump told reporters at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania.
- Jan 30, 2026 05:15 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: What does the US want?
Iran-US tensions LIVE: US pressure on Iran has, over the past two decades, focused on Iran's nuclear programme. This is clear with US President Donald Trump's remarks on negotiations on a nuclear deal, which would limit Iran's nuclear capabilities.
However, Tehran has insisted that it has never acquired nuclear weapons, saying that it has a civilian program for its energy needs, according to Al Jazeera.
- Jan 30, 2026 04:16 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran parliament speaker says IRGC ‘“one of the strongest’ forces combatting ‘counterterrorism’
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the European Union's designation of the country's Revolutionary Guard Corps was unfounded, adding that it was “one of the strongest and most effective counterterrorism forces in the world”, Al Jazeera reported.
Qalibaf highlighted IRGC's history of combat with ISIL (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, saying it could not be denied "except by those who have sided with the terrorists themselves.”
- Jan 30, 2026 03:51 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Senior Iran officials, their families ‘not welcome’ in America, says US State Department
Iran-US tensions LIVE: The US Department of State has said that senior officials from Iran and their families are no longer welcome in America.
“As the people of Iran continue to fight for their basic rights, @SecRubio took action this week to revoke the privilege of Iranian senior officials and their family members to be in the United States,” the State Department said in a post on X.
“Those who profit from the Iranian regime's brutal oppression are not welcome to benefit from our immigration system,” it said.
- Jan 30, 2026 03:22 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Azerbaijan will not allow attacks on Iran from its territory, says foreign minister
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Azerbaijan's minister of foreign affairs Jeyhun Bayramov reiterated his country's position in a call with Iranian counterpart Syed Abbas Araghchi.
The minister said Azerbaijan would not allow any attacks from its territory on Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
- Jan 30, 2026 02:50 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU concern on human rights in Iran ‘blatant lie’, says Iran's foreign ministry
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran's foreign ministry on Thursday alleged that the European Union's concern on human rights in Iran is a “blatant lie and hypocrisy.”
The foreign ministry further condemned the EU's designation of its Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “terrorist organisation” as “illegal and unjustified”, according to Reuters.
- Jan 30, 2026 01:16 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: US defense secretary says ‘prepared to deliver’ whatever Trump expects
Iran-US tensions LIVE: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said the American military was ready to carry out whatever President Donald Trump decides on Iran.
“They should not pursue nuclear capabilities. We will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the War Department,” Hegseth said, according to Reuters. US officials say that Trump is reviewing options, but has not decided on whether to strike Iran, Reuters reported.
- Jan 30, 2026 01:04 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: ‘Decisive response will be delivered instantly’ in case of attack, says Iran army spokesperson
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian army spokesman brigadier general Mohammad Akraminia told state television that Iran will deliver an immediate response in case of an attack by the United States.
“A decisive response will be delivered instantly,” AFP cited Akraminia as saying. The army spokesperson further said that US carriers have "serious vulnerabilities", while adding that several American air bases were “within the range of our medium-range missiles.”
“If such a miscalculation is made by the Americans, it will certainly not unfold the way (US President Donald) Trump imagines -- carrying out a quick operation and then, two hours later, tweeting that the operation is over,” Akraminia said.
- Jan 30, 2026 12:16 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran must be ‘prepared for state of war’, says Vice President
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran must be ready and “prepared for state of war”, the country's first vice president said on Thursday, AFP news agency reported.
This comes after the United States moved an aircraft carrier to the region, while also not ruling out military action against Tehran over its protest crackdown.
“Today we must be prepared for a state of war. Our strategy is that we will never start a war, but if it is imposed, we will defend ourselves,” AFP cited First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref as saying, according to IRNA news agency. Aref further said Iran would be open to dialogue but added “this time we want guarantees.”
- Jan 29, 2026 11:41 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Dialogue important to avoid a crisis with ‘devastating consequences’, says UN chief
Iran-US tensions LIVE: UN chief Antonio Guterres Thursday called for dialogue between Iran and United States, saying diplomacy was needed to avoid “devastating consequences.”
“We believe that it's important that there is a dialogue allowing for an agreement in relation, namely, to the nuclear question and that we can avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences in the region,” AFP cited Guterres as saying.
- Jan 29, 2026 11:08 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian VP says Tehran needs to be ready for war
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran must be ready for war, its first vice president said on Thursday, after the US moved an aircraft carrier to the region and did not rule out military action against Tehran over its deadly protest crackdown.
"Today we must be prepared for a state of war. Our strategy is that we will never start a war, but if it is imposed, we will defend ourselves," First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.
He added that Iran was "ready" for negotiations with the United States but said "this time we want guarantees", without giving further details.
- Jan 29, 2026 10:38 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Turkey ready to take up role of mediator
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Turkey will offer to mediate between Washington and Tehran when Iran's foreign minister visits Friday, officials said, as per an AFP report.
This comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Turkish counterpart after US President Donald Trump threatened a military strike on Iran over its deadly protest crackdown this month and the lack of a nuclear agreement.
A US naval strike group is in the Middle East and Trump has warned it was "ready, willing and able" to hit Iran "if necessary".
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will tell Araghchi that his country "is ready to contribute to resolving the current tensions through dialogue", a Turkish diplomatic source told news agency AFP.
- Jan 29, 2026 10:19 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian military slams EU for IRGC decision
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran's military on Thursday blasted a European Union move to designate the country's Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation, saying the decision was "irresponsible and spite-driven".
"The illogical, irresponsible and spite-driven action of the European Union has undoubtedly been taken in unquestioning obedience to the hegemonic and anti-human policies of the United States and the Zionist (Israeli) regime," a statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces carried by the official IRNA news agency said.
- Jan 29, 2026 09:20 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: IRGC to carry out fire exercises in Strait of Hormuz
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces will carry out live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on February 1 and February 2, Press TV reported on Thursday.
The strait is the world's most vital oil export route, which connects the biggest Gulf oil producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
- Jan 29, 2026 09:12 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Pakistan dials Iran as US attack threat looms
Iran-US tensions LIVE: In wake of the tensions between Iran and the United States, Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with his Iranian counterpart - Masoud Pezeshkian.
“We exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and agreed that sustained dialogue and diplomatic engagement are vital for peace, security, and development in our region,” Shairf wrote on X.
“We also reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening Pakistan–Iran fraternal ties through regular high-level engagement and institutional cooperation,” he added further.
- Jan 29, 2026 08:45 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU designates Iran Guards as 'terrorist organisation': Kallas
Iran-US tensions LIVE: European Union foreign ministers on Thursday agreed to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard a "terrorist organisation", after a deadly crackdown on mass protests, the bloc's top diplomat said. "Repression cannot go unanswered," foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X. "Any regime that kills thousands of its own people is working toward its own demise."
- Jan 29, 2026 08:25 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran vows 'crushing response', EU targets Revolutionary Guards
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran has vowed a "crushing response" to any attack after US President Donald Trump warned time was running out for a nuclear deal, and as the European Union looked to declare the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organisation. Foes Washington and Tehran have exchanged sharp warnings since a protest wave in Iran led Trump to threaten military action over a violent crackdown, while the Islamic republic blamed the United States for fuelling what it deemed "riots".
- Jan 29, 2026 08:20 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Oil prices jumps as Trump warns of action in Iran
Iran-US tensions LIVE: As Trump continues to threaten Iran of a possible military attack, oil prices have once again soared.
As per an AFP report, oil prices have now jumped by 5% after Trump's latest threat. - Jan 29, 2026 08:00 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russia says ‘space for negotiation’ between Iran, US is there
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russia on Thursday said there still is scope for negotiations between the US and Iran, but warned that any military action against Tehran will lead to destabilised security systems in that region.
“We continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and renounce any use of force in resolving the issue,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said commenting on US President Donald Trump’s warning to Tehran.
- Jan 29, 2026 07:09 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Germany calls on EU to list IRGC as terror group
Iran-US tensions LIVE: German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany strongly supports listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under EU terrorism sanctions and expressed confidence the bloc would reach a decision on Thursday.
“The federal government has strongly advocated for the Revolutionary Guard Corps to be listed,” Wadephul told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “I am very confident that we will reach a joint conclusion on this matter today.”
- Jan 29, 2026 06:52 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU sanctions 15 officials and 6 organizations in Iran over brutal crackdown on protesters
Iran-US tensions LIVE: The European Union has announced sanctions on 15 Iranian officials, including top commanders and officials of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, over Tehran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests.
The sanctions announced Thursday also included measures against six Iranian organizations.
The decision by the 27-nation bloc marks the latest Western response over the violence, which activists say has killed over 6,300 people. It also comes as a U.S. aircraft carrier group is in the Mideast after President Donald Trump threatened military force against Iran.
Iran had no immediate comment on the decision, but it has been criticizing Europe in recent days as it considered the move. The EU's measures follow other sanctions against Iran by multiple countries.
(via Associated Press)
- Jan 29, 2026 06:00 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran vows ‘crushing response’ to US attack
Iran-US tensions LIVE: With a US military attack likely on Iran, Tehran has warned of a ‘crushing response’.
Iran's warning comes after US President Donald Trump warned time was running out for a nuclear deal, and as the European Union looks to declare the IRGC a terrorist organisation.
After adding 1,000 drones to the military, Iran's army commander Amir Hatami, as per Tasnim news agency, vowed a crushing response.
"In accordance with the threats we are facing, maintaining and enhancing strategic advantages for rapid combat and a crushing response to any invasion... is always on the army's agenda," Hatami was quoted as saying.
- Jan 29, 2026 05:41 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: What happens if the IRGC is listed as a terror group?
Iran-US tensions LIVE: As the EU appears to move fresh sanctions against Iran, the IRGC is expected to be hit the hardest.
If the sanctions are approved, could put fresh pressure on Tehran as its economy already struggles under the weight of multiple international sanctions from countries including the U.S. and Britain.
Furthermore, the new move would see the IRGC listed as a terror group. The Guard holds vast business interest across Iran, and sanctions could see any of its assets in Europe seized.
- Jan 29, 2026 05:07 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russia closely monitoring situation with Iran and US
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Moscow is closely watching the situation in Iran. As per a Reuters report, Putin told UAE president that Russia is keep any eye on the tensions and would like to discuss the same with the UAE.
- Jan 29, 2026 05:07 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russia closely monitoring situation with Iran and US
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said that Moscow is closely watching the situation in Iran. As per a Reuters report, Putin told UAE president that Russia is keep any eye on the tensions and would like to discuss the same with the UAE.
- Jan 29, 2026 04:57 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Tehran receives fresh batch of drones, says report
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran’s army has received a batch of 1,000 drones, reported local Tasnim news agency on Thursday.
Tasnim added that the drones were delivered to multiple branches of the armed forces.
“In accordance with the threats ahead, the army maintains and enhances its strategic advantages for rapid combat and imposing a crushing response against any aggressor,” the army’s Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami was quoted as saying by the local news agency.
- Jan 29, 2026 04:47 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Finland backs listing of IRGC as a ‘terror group’
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Shortly after the EU foreign ministers stated they will adopt new sanctions against Iran, many EU leaders are also expected to list the Iran' Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.
One of the countries, Finland, said it supports adding Iran’s IRGC to the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations.
“Iran’s authorities are responsible for killing thousands of their own citizens and brutally repressing society,” Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen wrote in a post on X.
“They do not deserve sympathy, but must be held accountable for their actions.”
- Jan 29, 2026 04:45 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Kremlin says room for negotiation on Iran 'not exhausted'
Iran-US tensions LIVE: The Kremlin said on Thursday there was still room for negotiations in the standoff between Iran and the United States.
The statement, from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov comes after US President Donald Trump threatened new military strikes on Iran.
"It is clear that the potential for negotiations is not exhausted," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, as per an AFP report.
- Jan 29, 2026 04:15 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian foreign minister to visit Turkey amid tensions with US
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Turkiye on Friday for an official visit, according to the ministry’s spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
The news comes after an unnamed Turkish diplomatic source told the AFP news agency that Turkiye is planning to offer to mediate between Washington and Tehran during Araghchi’s visit.
- Jan 29, 2026 04:06 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU adopts fresh sanctions against Iran amid protest crackdown
Iran-US tensions LIVE: The European Union is all set to adopt fresh sanctions against Iran. As per a report by Reuters, EU ministers have adopted new sanctions on Iran which will target individuals and entities in response the violent crackdown on protestors in the past month.
- Jan 29, 2026 03:01 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU mulls sanctions, naming IRGC as ‘terror group’
Iran-US tensions LIVE: The European Union is set to adopt sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protests that has seen thousands of civilians killed.
EU foreign affairs ministers meeting in Brussels on Thursday is set to vote on the measures, which will include listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, according to Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s top diplomat.
“The death toll in the protest that was in Iran and the means that were taken by the regime are really, really severe,” Kallas said ahead of the meeting. “So that’s why we are also sending a clear message that if you are suppressing people it has a price and you will also be sanctioned for this.”
- Jan 29, 2026 02:52 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Turkey likely to offer help resolving conflict, says report
Turkey will reportedly offer help to resolve tensions between Iran and the US when Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi visits on Friday.
"Turkey is ready to contribute to resolving the current tensions through dialogue," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was to tell his counterpart Abbas Araghchi when the pair meet on Friday, a foreign ministry source said, AFP reported.
- Jan 29, 2026 02:50 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Turkey plans to 'reinforce border security' if US attacks Tehran
Turkey is planning to reinforce border security plans if the United States attacks neighbouring Iran, a senior official told AFP on Thursday.
"If the United States attacks Iran and the regime falls, Turkey is planning additional measures to reinforce border security," said the official.
- Jan 29, 2026 02:46 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Washington urges Tehran to halt execution of teen wrestler
The US said that it was deeply concerned by the reports that a 19-year-old Iranian wrestler, Saleh Mohammadi, faces execution, urging Tehran to halt the sentence.
Mohammadi was arrested by security forces from the city of Qom on January 15.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports about Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old wrestling champion, who is facing imminent execution,” read a post on the US State Department’s Persian-language X account.
It called on Tehran to stop Mohammadi's execution and that of others sentenced to death for seeking what it called their basic rights. It said that Iranian authorities were "killing the youth and destroying Iran's future".
- Jan 29, 2026 02:29 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Lufthansa extends night flight cancellations to February 3
Lufthansa and its associated carriers said they will extend the cancellations of night flights to and from Tel Aviv through February 3 due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The Lufthansa Group has been operating all its Tel Aviv services as daytime flights since January 15.
- Jan 29, 2026 02:15 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Tehran has right to close Strait of Hormuz, says report
A hardline Iranian newspaper, Kayhan, supervised by a representative of Iran's Supreme Leader, said that Tehran has the right to close the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that such a move would be legal under international law.
“Closing the Strait of Hormuz is our legitimate right,” Kayhan wrote. “This action is both legal and revolutionary.”
- Jan 29, 2026 02:00 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian parliamentary speaker says open to talks with US if 'genuine'
Iranian parliament's speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, told CNN that Iran was ready to negotiate with the US if the talks are "genuine", warning that Tehran would hit back if it came under attack.
"We are ready for talks, but I do not think this is the kind of talk the president of the United States is after; he just wants to impose his will," he said.
Ghalibaf further warned that Iran would retaliate to any military action and said, "Maybe Mr Trump can start a war, but he doesn't have control over how it ends."
- Jan 29, 2026 01:13 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: What to know about Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps
Iran's Revolutionary Guard was born from the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution as a force to protect its Shiite cleric-led government and was later included in its constitution.
The Guard operated parallel to Iran's armed forces, gaining prominence and power during a long and destructive war with Iraq in the 1980s.
Though it faced the possibility of disbandment after the war, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei granted it powers to expand into private enterprise, allowing it to thrive.
- Jan 29, 2026 12:43 pm IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: EU likely to put Iran Guards on 'terrorist list', says foreign policy chief
European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told journalists on Thursday that EU foreign ministers are expected to agree to put Iran's Revolutionary Guards on the "terrorist list" after a deadly crackdown on mass protests.
"If you act as a terrorist, you should also be treated as terrorists," the top diplomat said.
- Jan 29, 2026 11:42 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: American Senator says Trump will deliver on his word to Iranian people
US Senator Lindsey Graham said that President Donald Trump would deliver on his promise to support Iranian people.
"When Donald Trump promises you something, he will deliver. To the Iranian people, President Trump has your back," Graham told Fox News.
He added, "I hope he can find a deal to end the bloodshed in Iran, but Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism."
- Jan 29, 2026 11:18 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Khamenei's office asks Iranians not to panic amid fears of US strike
Amid growing fears of a possible US strike, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday reportedly released an eight-minute video titled "God is Enough", compiling speeches from the past decades, where the leader is urging people not to be afraid and says there is "no need to panic".
- Jan 29, 2026 10:54 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Authorities aimed to kill maximum people in crackdown, claims eyewitness
A young Tehran professional reportedly told The Free Press that he joined the anti-Khamenei protests after witnessing widespread anger over economic collapse and repression.
He said that security forces fired live rounds directly at the crowds, including women and children, with a clear intent of "maximum killing" as retribution.
- Jan 29, 2026 10:36 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: Iranian Revolutionary Guards monitoring US military movements
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the force is monitoring US military movements in region and has plans for all possible situations.
“We have plans of action for all enemy scenarios,” IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Naeini said.
“We have experience in defeating the enemy in modern wars, on a large scale, and in the most dangerous and complex arenas,” he added.
- Jan 29, 2026 10:19 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: US attack on Iran will set entire Middle East on fire, warns Iraqi militia leader
Akram al-Kaabi, leader of Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN), warned, "Any US and Israeli military aggression against Iran would mean that the entire West Asia region will be set ablaze beneath your boots and bases."
"If war begins, its end will not come from within; rather, it will be passed down and expand from generation to generation until it reaches your cities and homes, and no one will escape it alive," the leader was quoted as saying by Iran International.
- Jan 29, 2026 09:49 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: How Khamenei's son built a global property empire
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second-eldest son of Iran’s Supreme Leader, has built a powerful global property empire.
The 56-year-old cleric, touted as a potential successor to his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, oversees a sprawling investment empire, according to people familiar with the matter and the assessment of a leading Western intelligence agency. The people said that while the younger Khamenei refrains from putting assets in his own name, he has been directly involved in the deals, some of which stretch back at least as far as 2011, Bloomberg reported.
- Jan 29, 2026 09:28 am IST
Iran-US tensions LIVE: What Khamenei adviser said about any US military action against Tehran
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Wednesday that any military action from the US will see Tehran targeting the United States, Israel, and those who support it.
His remarks came after US President Donald Trump urged Iran to make a weapon on nuclear weapons, and warned that otherwise the next attack from America would be 'far worse'.