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.
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Iran’s atomic energy chief says Tehran could dilute uranium enriched to 60 per cent if all international sanctions are lifted, stressing that technical nuclear issues are being discussed alongside political matters in ongoing negotiations.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has welcomed a fresh round of nuclear talks with the United States, insisting Tehran will protect its right to enrichment under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iranian activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 years, a group supporting her said on Sunday (8 February).
Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, a date brought forward as indirect U.S.-Iran nuclear talks in Oman restart and Tehran presses its enrichment rights while ruling out missile negotiations.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The death toll from the collapse of two residential buildings in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has risen to 15, state media said on Monday, as rescue teams wrapped up search operations and officials warned that more people could still be missing.
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The European Union has proposed extending its sanctions against Russia to include ports in Georgia and Indonesia that handle Russian oil, the first time the bloc would target ports in third countries, a proposal document showed on Monday.
China will offer firm support for "patriotic pro-reunification forces" in Taiwan and strike hard against "separatists", the top Chinese official in charge of policy towards the democratically-governed island said on Tuesday (10 February).
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.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 10th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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