Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground ballistic missile base on Wednesday (4 February), just over a day before the start of mediated nuclear negotiations with the United States, slated for Friday in Oman.
“Following the [Israel-U.S.] 12-day war [in June 2025], we have shifted our military doctrine from defensive to offensive to carry out blitz and large-scale operations,” said Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Abdolrahim Mousavi.
The base, which is situated at an undisclosed location, was unveiled by the Chief of Staff and the Commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division, Brigadier General Seyed Majid Mousavi.
“We are also ready to fight the enemies … adopting asymmetric warfare and crushing military strategies,” the official Defapress website quoted the Chief of Staff as saying.
Tehran’s ballistic missile capability proved a game-changer in targeting Israel in June and has been one of the points of contention with Washington, which has demanded a reduction in their range.
Amid rising tensions between Tehran and Washington, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that nuclear negotiations with the United States will resume in Muscat on Friday, mediated by the Sultanate of Oman.
In a post on X, Araghchi also thanked Omani authorities for hosting the negotiations between Iran and the U.S., which had been stalled since the 12-day war.
No discussion over missiles
Earlier this week, there were unconfirmed reports that the talks would be held in Türkiye, with the participation of a number of regional states that are U.S. allies in the region. Those allies host U.S. bases, which Iran had threatened to attack in retaliation for a U.S. strike.
On the eve of Araghchi's post, it was also reported in some American media that U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected Iran’s proposal to change the location of the talks to Oman.
Tehran’s demand to change the venue was believed to signal that it would only negotiate over its nuclear programme, not its missile capability.
It was also interpreted as a rejection, by Iran, of the idea of regional countries being present at the talks, as this would mean putting its regional policy on the agenda.
Several Armenian defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday (5 February) as the Baku Military Court began reading out verdicts in crim...
The United States and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue and a strictly bilateral, nuclear-...
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a new underground ballistic missile base on Wednesday (4 February), just over a day before ...
U.S. President Donald Trump held an “excellent” phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, (4 February), to discuss trade, energy,...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of February, covering the latest developments you need to ...
The final barrier preventing an unlimited nuclear arms race between Washington and Moscow hangs by a thread. With an expiration date looming this year and international inspections suspended, the world faces a precarious future regarding the containment of strategic weapons. Should we be worried?
The United States and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue and a strictly bilateral, nuclear-focused format, a move that is fuelling questions about Iran’s negotiating strategy.
U.S. President Donald Trump held an “excellent” phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, (4 February), to discuss trade, energy, Taiwan, Iran, and Russia’s war in Ukraine, ahead of Trump’s planned visit to Beijing in April.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
Rivers and reservoirs across Spain and Portugal were on the verge of overflowing on Wednesday as a new weather front pounded the Iberian peninsula, compounding damage from last week's Storm Kristin.
Morocco has evacuated more than 100,000 people from four provinces after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods across several northern regions, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia on Tuesday (3 February) of exploiting a U.S.-backed energy ceasefire to stockpile weapons and launch large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine ahead of peace talks.
Türkiye’s defence and aerospace exports surged by 44 percent year on year in January 2026, hitting a record monthly high of more than $555 million as overseas demand for Turkish-built military technology continued to grow, the Turkish Defence Industries Secretariat said on Monday (2 February).
The United States and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue and a strictly bilateral, nuclear-focused format, a move that is fuelling questions about Iran’s negotiating strategy.
Several Armenian defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday (5 February) as the Baku Military Court began reading out verdicts in criminal cases under Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code.
Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians including seven children in Gaza on Wednesday (4 February), health officials said, the latest violence to undermine the nearly four-month-old ceasefire.
Another shipment of grain was sent to Armenia via transit through Azerbaijani territory on 4 February. The latest delivery consisted of eight wagons carrying 560 tonnes of grain dispatched from Azerbaijan to Armenia.
Azerbaijan and Armenia used a high-profile international platform in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to underline growing trade ties, expanding cooperation and what both leaders described as an irreversible turn towards peace after decades of conflict.
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