U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday (29 January) he planned to speak with Iran, as the United States dispatched another warship to the Middle East and said the military was ready to act.
Speaking to reporters, Trump did not elaborate on the nature or timing of any dialogue or say who from Washington would lead the negotiations.
"I am planning on it, yeah," Trump said when asked about possible discussions with Tehran.
"We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them."
U.S. officials say Trump is reviewing his options but has not decided whether to strike Iran. U.S.-Iranian tensions have soared in recent weeks after a deadly crackdown on protests across Iran by its clerical authorities.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran continued to kill protesters, but the countrywide demonstrations over economic privations and political repression have since abated.
He has said the United States would act if Tehran resumed its nuclear programme after air strikes in June last year by Israeli and U.S. forces on key nuclear installations.
With a large U.S. military force gathered in the region, Hegseth was asked earlier in the day by Trump at a cabinet meeting to comment on the situation in Iran.
"They should not pursue nuclear capabilities. We will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the War Department," Hegseth said, referring to the Trump administration's unofficial renaming of the Defense Department.
Meanwhile, two days ago, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he had not been in contact with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in recent days or requesting negotiations, state media reported on Wednesday (28 January).
The comment came after President Trump had said on Tuesday another "armada" is floating toward Iran and that he hopes Tehran would make a deal with Washington.
"There was no contact between me and Witkoff in recent days and no request for negotiations was made from us," Araqchi told state media, adding that various intermediaries were "holding consultations" and were in contact with Tehran.
"Our stance is clear, negotiations don't go along with threats and talks can only take place when there are no longer menaces and excessive demands."
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The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
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Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
Uzbekistan is combining renewable energy expansion with sweeping land restoration, installing solar stations in local communities while rehabilitating degraded farmland to spur rural development and climate-smart growth, the government has announced.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a new strategic partnership agreement in Baku on Tuesday, expanding cooperation on defence, energy security, artificial intelligence and economic ties.
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The European Union is preparing a further expansion of its sanctions against Russia, with Central Asia emerging for the first time as a distinct point of focus.
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