Trump warns of ‘unhealthy issues’ if Iran would not make a deal, as second U.S. service nears Mideast : NPR

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Masoud Nazari Mehrabi/AP/Iran's Military DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran held annual navy drills with Russia on Thursday as a second American plane service drew nearer to the Center East, with each america and Iran signaling they're ready for conflict if talks on Tehran's nuclear program fizzle out.

President Donald Trump stated Thursday he believes 10 to fifteen days is "sufficient time" for Iran to achieve a deal. However the talks have been deadlocked for years, and Iran has refused to debate wider U.S. and Israeli calls for that it cut back its missile program and sever ties to armed teams. Oblique talks held in latest weeks made little seen progress, and one or either side could possibly be shopping for time for ultimate conflict preparations.

Iran's theocracy is extra susceptible than ever following 12 days of Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear websites and navy final 12 months, in addition to mass protests in January that have been violently suppressed.

In a letter to the U.N. Safety Council on Thursday, Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the U.N., stated that whereas Iran doesn't search "rigidity or conflict and won't provoke a conflict," any U.S. aggression shall be responded to "decisively and proportionately."

"In such circumstances, all bases, amenities, and property of the hostile power within the area would represent legit targets within the context of Iran's defensive response," Iravani stated.

Earlier this week, Iran performed a drill that concerned live-fire within the Strait of Hormuz, the slim opening of the Persian Gulf by means of which a fifth of the world's traded oil passes.

Tensions are additionally rising inside Iran, as mourners maintain ceremonies honoring slain protesters 40 days after their killing by safety forces. Some gatherings have seen anti-government chants regardless of threats from authorities.

Trump once more threatens Iran The actions of further American warships and airplanes, with the united statesGerald R. Ford plane service close to the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, do not assure a U.S. strike on Iran — however they bolster Trump's means to hold out one ought to he select to take action.

He has thus far held off on putting Iran after setting crimson strains over the killing of peaceable protesters and mass executions, whereas reengaging in nuclear talks that have been disrupted by the conflict in June.

Iran has agreed to attract up a written proposal to handle U.S. issues raised throughout this week's oblique nuclear talks in Geneva, in line with a senior U.S. official who was not approved to remark publicly and spoke on the situation of anonymity.

The official stated prime nationwide safety officers gathered Wednesday to debate Iran, and have been briefed that the "full forces" wanted to hold out potential navy motion are anticipated to be in place by mid-March. The official didn't present a timeline for when Iran is predicted to ship its written response.

"It is confirmed to be, through the years, not straightforward to make a significant take care of Iran, and we've to make a significant deal. In any other case, unhealthy issues occur," Trump stated Thursday.

With the U.S. navy presence within the area mounting, one senior regional authorities official stated he has harassed to Iranian officers in personal conversations that Trump has confirmed that his rhetoric needs to be taken at face worth and that he is severe about his risk to hold out a strike if Iran would not supply enough concessions.

The official, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate delicate diplomatic conversations, stated he has suggested the Iranians to look to how Trump has handled different worldwide points and draw classes on the way it ought to transfer ahead.

The official added that he is made to case to the Trump administration it may draw concessions from Iran within the near-term if it focuses on nuclear points and leaves the push on Tehran to cut back its ballistic missile program and help for proxy group for later.

The official additionally stated that Trump ordering a restricted strike aimed toward pressuring Iran may backfire and result in Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei withdrawing Iran from the talks.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2Fec%2F99eab8a0418eb9b238d3b4e87f21%2Fap26047673728469.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fca%2Fec%2F99eab8a0418eb9b238d3b4e87f21%2Fap26047673728469.jpg" class="img" alt="In this image provided by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on Feb. 16, 2026, shows troops standing at attention during the guard's drill in the Persian Gulf on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026." loading="lazy"/> On this picture supplied by Sepahnews of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on Feb. 16, 2026, reveals troops standing at consideration throughout the guard's drill within the Persian Gulf on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. AP/Sepahnews conceal caption

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AP/Sepahnews Rising worldwide concern Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged his nation's residents to instantly depart Iran as "inside just a few, a dozen, or perhaps a few dozen hours, the opportunity of evacuation shall be out of the query." He didn't elaborate, and the Polish Embassy in Tehran didn't look like drawing down its employees.

The German navy stated that it had moved "a mid-two digit variety of non-mission vital personnel" out of a base in northern Iraq due to the present scenario within the area and in keeping with its companions' actions. It stated that some troops stay to assist preserve the multinational camp working in Irbil, the place they practice Iraqi forces.

"This week, one other 50 U.S. fight plane — F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s — have been ordered to the area, supplementing the a whole lot deployed to bases within the Arab Gulf states," the New York-based Soufan Heart assume tank wrote. "The deployments reinforce Trump's risk — restated on a virtually each day foundation — to proceed with a serious air and missile marketing campaign on the regime if talks fail."

Iran holds drill with Russia Iranian forces and Russian sailors performed the annual drills within the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean aimed toward "upgrading operational coordination in addition to trade of navy experiences," Iran's state-run IRNA information company reported.

Footage launched by Iran confirmed members of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's naval particular forces board a vessel within the train. These forces are believed to have been used up to now to grab vessels in key worldwide waterways.

Iran additionally issued a rocket-fire warning to pilots within the area, suggesting it deliberate to launch anti-ship missiles within the train.

In the meantime, monitoring information confirmed the Ford off the coast of Morocco within the Atlantic Ocean noon Wednesday, that means the service may transit by means of Gibraltar and doubtlessly station within the japanese Mediterranean with its supporting guided-missile destroyers.

It could doubtless take greater than every week for the Ford to be off the coast of Iran.

Netanyahu warns Iran Israel is making its personal preparations for potential Iranian missile strikes in response to any U.S. motion.

"We're ready for any situation," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Thursday, including that if Iran assaults Israel, "they are going to expertise a response they can not even think about."

Netanyahu, who met with Trump final week, has lengthy pushed for harder U.S. motion towards Iran and says any deal mustn't solely finish its nuclear program however curb its missile arsenal and power it to chop ties with militant teams like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Iran has stated the present talks ought to solely concentrate on its nuclear program, and that it hasn't been enriching uranium because the U.S. and Israeli strikes final summer time. Trump stated on the time that the strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear websites, however the precise injury is unknown as Tehran has barred worldwide inspectors.

Iran has all the time insisted its nuclear program is peaceable. The U.S. and others suspect it's aimed toward finally growing weapons. Israel is broadly believed to have nuclear weapons however has neither confirmed nor denied that.