Direct communication between senior U.S. and Iranian officials has broken down as tensions rise over Tehran’s crackdown on protests and fears of U.S. military action.
Contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, citing a senior Iranian official.
The development comes as President Donald Trump warned of possible U.S. military strikes against Iran following reports of protesters being killed during antigovernment demonstrations. The warning follows a brief war in June, when U.S. forces bombed Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day conflict launched by Israel.
Iran has responded by threatening retaliation against U.S. military bases across the region if it is attacked.
Amid the escalating tensions, some personnel have been advised to leave the U.S. military’s Al Udeid airbase in Qatar — Washington’s largest base in the Middle East — by Wednesday evening.
Meanwhile, Iran’s judiciary signalled a tougher response to the protests. Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said trials and punishments must be carried out quickly to maintain deterrence.
“If we want to do something, we have to do it now,” he said in comments broadcast by Iranian state television, warning that delays would weaken the impact of punishment. Activists fear the remarks point to fast-tracked trials and possible executions of detained protesters.
Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh also issued a strong warning, saying Iran had “many surprises” for any attacker. He added that countries assisting strikes against Iran would be considered legitimate targets.
“If these threats turn into action, we will defend the country with full force and until the last drop of blood,” Nasirzadeh said at a security meeting.
The breakdown in diplomacy has raised fears that the standoff between the U.S. and Iran could move closer to direct confrontation.
The British embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, with services now operating remotely, the government announced Wednesday....
The United States has announced an indefinite suspension of immigrant visa processing from 75 countries, expanding President Donald Trump’s crackdow...
Denmark has announced an immediate increase in its military presence in Greenland, citing growing security tensions in the Arctic....
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has been informed the killing of anti-government protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned...
Direct communication between senior U.S. and Iranian officials has broken down as tensions rise over Tehran’s crackdown on protests and fears of U.S...
The British embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, with services now operating remotely, the government announced Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has been informed the killing of anti-government protesters in Iran has stopped and that planned executions would not go ahead, though details remain unclear.
As tensions between Iran and the U.S. persist, authorities in Tehran are facing another problem—this time at home.
Saudi Arabia has informed Iran that it will not allow its territory or airspace to be used for any military action against Tehran, according to two sources close to the kingdom’s government cited by AFP.
The Trump administration will suspend all visa processing for visitors from 75 countries beginning 21 January 2026, according to a State Department memo reported by media.
The U.S. has issued an urgent security notice calling all American citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing escalating protests, growing violence and widespread communication shutdowns across the country.
Apple will use Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) models for its revamped Siri voice assistant later this year, in a multi-year deal that strengthens the tech giants’ partnership and boosts Alphabet’s position in the race against OpenAI.
Israel and Arab States have urged the U.S. to delay any potential military action against Iran, warning that such a move could undermine ongoing protests inside the country, according to NBC News.
Sweden is sending a group of military officers to Greenland at Denmark’s request, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday, as Nordic countries and NATO allies step up coordination around the Arctic territory.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Wednesday that her government will continue releasing prisoners detained under former President Nicolás Maduro, calling it part of a “new political moment” since his ouster by the United States earlier this month.
The U.S. and UK are reducing personnel at Qatar’s Al-Udeid air base as President Donald Trump weighs possible action against Iran over its violent crackdown on protesters.
The United Nations has called on Uganda to lift a nationwide internet blackout ahead of Thursday’s general election, describing the restrictions as “deeply worrying.”
Whole milk is heading back to school cafeterias across the U.S. after President Donald Trump signed a bill overturning Obama-era limits on higher-fat milk options.
NASA is carrying out the first emergency return in International Space Station history after an astronaut aboard Crew-11 suffered a serious medical condition.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment