Iran’s armed forces are prepared to “immediately and powerfully” respond to any U.S. attack, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, as American military assets arrived in the Middle East amid renewed tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
“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,” Araghchi wrote on X on Wednesday (28 January).
He added that lessons from the 12-day conflict with Israel and the U.S. in June “have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly and profoundly.”
At the same time, Araghchi reiterated Iran’s commitment to a “mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL – on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation,” emphasising that Tehran has never sought nuclear weapons.
“Such weapons have no place in our security calculations,” he wrote.
The warning followed a series of statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who described a “massive armada” heading toward Iran that is “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
Trump urged Iran to negotiate “a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties,” citing last summer’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and threatening that “the next attack will be far worse.”
The U.S. naval buildup includes the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by three destroyers armed with Tomahawk missiles, adding approximately 5,000 troops to an already robust American presence of more than 30,000 personnel across the Middle East, including at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is the first U.S. carrier to operate in the region since last summer.
Araghchi denied any request for new talks with Washington but confirmed contact with “various intermediaries.” “Negotiations cannot take place under threats, and any talks must be conducted in conditions where threats and excessive demands are set aside,” he said.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told state-aligned Tasnim News Agency on Thursday that Tehran is “ready for sincere and genuine negotiations with America” but warned that while Trump “may be able to start a war,” he cannot foresee how it will end.
The renewed tensions centre on Iran’s nuclear programme, its ballistic missile capabilities, and its support for regional proxy forces – long-standing concerns for the U.S., Israel, and their regional partners.
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Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Afghan and Uzbek business officials have discussed ways to expand trade, ease transit bottlenecks and address customs challenges facing traders, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
Armenia is set to receive a support package worth more than €50 million ($58.2 million) from the European Union (EU) after Russia, its largest trading partner, imposed restrictions on a range of Armenian exports.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
An Iranian drone and missile attack struck Kuwait International Airport early Wednesday, injuring several people, damaging Terminal 1 and forcing flight diversions, Kuwaiti authorities said.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Armenia will hold parliamentary elections on 7 June 2026, a vote that will shape the country’s political direction for the next five years. Understanding how the electoral system converts votes into parliamentary power is key to following the outcome and its wider regional implications.
Disruptions to global energy routes have transformed energy security from an economic concern into a matter of national security, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
Artificial intelligence, digital innovation and youth engagement in environmental governance took centre stage at Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 in Samarkand, as experts and young leaders explored new approaches to climate resilience and sustainability.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Afghan and Uzbek business officials have discussed ways to expand trade, ease transit bottlenecks and address customs challenges facing traders, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).
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