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Iran faces uprising threat, likely to resume nuclear talks with US | Top updates on Tehran tensions
Ahead of the scheduled talks between Iran and the US, a senior UAE official stressed on Tuesday that Iran needs to make a deal with the United States.
Tensions between the United States and Iran might be on the way to de-escalation as both the nations are set to resume negotiations on the nuclear deal later this week on Friday in Turkey, news agency Reuters reported citing officials from both the countries.
This comes amid US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats of warships heading to Iran and asking them to make a deal and Tehran leadership also not backing down from a potential military confrontation which, the Islamic Republic said, would spill into a “regional war”.
These are the key updates on Iran-US tensions-
Reza Pahlavi’s call for worldwide protests: Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi called on Iranians abroad and “freedom-loving people around the world” to “take to the streets and compel the international community to take urgent, practical steps in support of the Iranian people” on February 14, the ‘Global Day of Action’ in solidarity with Iran’s Lion-and-Sun Revolution. He also listed out Munich, Los Angeles, and Toronto as the main gathering points and urged people who can not travel to join protests in their own cities.
Reza Pahlavi’s six demands with protest: He also listed out six demands of the protest: 1. Dismantle the regime’s machinery of repression and protect the people of Iran, 2. cut off the regime’s financial lifelines in full, 3. ensure free internet and communications for the people of Iran, 4. expel the regime’s "diplomats" and prosecute its criminals, 5. immediate release of all political prisoners, 6. prepare to recognize a legitimate transitional government to lead Iran toward democracy.
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UAE official says ‘Iran needs to make a deal with US’: Ahead of the scheduled talks between Iran and the US, a senior United Arab Emirates official stressed on Tuesday that it is important for Iran to make a deal with the United States. "Iran today needs to reach a deal” and “rebuild their relationship with the United States”, said UAE’s presidential adviser Anwar Gargash during the World Governments Summit in Dubai. "I would like to see direct Iranian-American negotiations leading to understandings so that we don't have these issues every other day," he added, as quoted by news agency AFP.
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‘Middle-East doesn’t need another confrontation’: Anwar Gargash also said that the middle-east has already seen enough and does not need another confrontation, as tensions between Iran and the US soar even as de-escalation is in sight. "I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations. I don't think we need another one,” he said.
Fear of angry protests loom over Iran: The leadership of Iran is worried that if one more round of angry protests hit the streets of the Islamic Republic, it would pose a great threat to the current regime, particularly combined with an attack from Iran’s enemies, news agency Reuters reported citing six current and former officials. Four current officials briefed on the discussions told Reuters that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been informed in high-level meetings that public anger over bloody crackdown on recent protests is mounting and that people are ready to face security forces in Tehran. One of the officials said that this is what Tehran’s enemies are seeking — more protests to cripple the country and which would “unfortunately” lead to more violence. "An attack combined with demonstrations by angry people could lead to a collapse (of the ruling system). That is the main concern among the top officials and that is what our enemies want," said one of the unnamed officials. However, it is not yet known how Khamenei responded in the meetings.
(With inputs from Reuters)
