[🇮🇷] Protests in Iran

[Saif]

Iran prepared for 'fair' talks with US but not on defence capabilities, Araqchi says

Iran is prepared for the resumption of talks with the United States, but they should be fair and not include Iran's defence capabilities, Iran's chief diplomat said on Friday, as regional powers work to prevent military conflict between the two foes. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he p

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Iran prepared for 'fair' talks with US but not on defence capabilities, Araqchi says

REUTERS
Published :
Jan 30, 2026 20:02
Updated :
Jan 30, 2026 20:02

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul, Turkey, Jan 30, 2026. Photo : REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya

Iran is prepared for the resumption of talks with the United States, but they should be fair and not include Iran's defence capabilities, Iran's chief diplomat said on Friday, as regional powers work to prevent military conflict between the two foes.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he planned to speak with Iran, even as the US sent another warship to the Middle East and the Pentagon chief said the military would be ready to carry out whatever the president decided.

One of the main demands by the US to resume talks with Iran is curbing its missile programme, a senior Iranian official told Reuters last week. Iran rejects that demand.

"If negotiations are fair and equitable, Iran is ready to participate in such talks," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul.

Araqchi said no talks between Tehran and Washington were currently arranged.

Regional allies, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have been engaging in diplomatic efforts to prevent a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

In response to US threats of military action, Araqchi said Tehran was ready for either negotiations or warfare.

Araqchi, who described his talks with Hakan Fidan as "good and useful", also said Tehran was ready to engage with regional countries to promote stability and peace.​

 

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Trump says 'hopefully' no need for military action against Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped to avoid military action against Iran, which has threatened to strike American bases and aircraft carriers in response to any attack.

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Trump says 'hopefully' no need for military action against Iran

AFP Paris, France
Published: 30 Jan 2026, 11: 42

In the wake of rising tensions with Iran, the United States wants to demonstrate its capabilities in the Middle East. Collage

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped to avoid military action against Iran, which has threatened to strike American bases and aircraft carriers in response to any attack.

Trump said he is speaking with Iran and left open the possibility of avoiding a military operation after earlier warning time was "running out" for Tehran as the United States sends a large naval fleet to the region.

When asked if he would have talks with Iran, Trump told reporters: "I have had and I am planning on it."

"We have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won't have to use it," the US president added, while speaking to media at the premiere of a documentary about his wife Melania.

As Brussels and Washington dialled up their rhetoric and Iran issued stark threats this week, UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for nuclear negotiations to "avoid a crisis that could have devastating consequences in the region".

An Iranian military spokesman warned Tehran's response to any US action would not be limited -- as it was in June last year when American planes and missiles briefly joined Israel's short air war against Iran -- but would be a decisive response "delivered instantly".

Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia told state television US aircraft carriers have "serious vulnerabilities" and that numerous American bases in the Gulf region are "within the range of our medium-range missiles".

"If such a miscalculation is made by the Americans, it will certainly not unfold the way Trump imagines -- carrying out a quick operation and then, two hours later, tweeting that the operation is over," he said.

An official in the Gulf, where states host US military sites, told AFP that fears of a US strike on Iran are "very clear".

"It would bring the region into chaos, it would hurt the economy not just in the region but in the US and cause oil and gas prices to skyrocket," the official added.

'Protests crushed in blood'

Qatar's leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian held a call to discuss "efforts being made to de-escalate tensions and establish stability," the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The European Union, meanwhile, piled on the pressure by designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organisation" over a deadly crackdown on recent mass protests.

"'Terrorist' is indeed how you call a regime that crushes its own people's protests in blood," said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, welcoming the "overdue" decision.

Though largely symbolic, the EU decision has already drawn a warning from Tehran.

Iran's military slammed "the illogical, irresponsible and spite-driven action of the European Union", alleging the bloc was acting out of "obedience" to Tehran's arch-foes the United States and Israel.

Iranian officials have blamed the recent protest wave on the two countries, claiming their agents spurred "riots" and a "terrorist operation" that hijacked peaceful rallies sparked over economic grievances.

Rights groups have said thousands of people were killed during the protests by security forces, including the IRGC -- the ideological arm of Tehran's military.

In Tehran on Thursday, citizens expressed grim resignation.

"I think the war is inevitable and a change must happen. It can be for worse, or better. I am not sure," said a 29-year-old waitress, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

"I am not in favour of war. I just want something to happen that would result in something better."

Another 29-year-old woman, an unemployed resident of an upscale neighbourhood in northern Tehran, told AFP: "I believe that life has highs and lows and we are now at the lowest point."

Trump had threatened military action if protesters were killed in the anti-government demonstrations that erupted in late December and peaked on 8 and 9 January.

But his more recent statements have turned to Iran's nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at making an atomic bomb.

On Wednesday, he said "time is running out" for Tehran to make a deal, warning the US naval strike group that arrived in Middle East waters on Monday was "ready, willing and able" to hit Iran.

Conflicting tolls

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has confirmed 6,479 people were killed in the protests, as internet restrictions imposed on 8 January continue to slow verification.

But rights groups warn the toll is likely far higher, with estimates in the tens of thousands.

Iranian authorities acknowledge that thousands were killed during the protests, giving a toll of more than 3,000 deaths, but say the majority were members of the security forces or bystanders killed by "rioters".

Billboards and banners have gone up in the capital Tehran to bolster the authorities' messages. One massive poster appears to show an American aircraft carrier being destroyed.​

 

[Saif]

Iran ready for 'fair' talks with US but not on defence capabilities

Iran is prepared for the resumption of talks with the United States, but they should be fair and not include Iran's defence capabilities, Iran's chief diplomat said on Friday, as regional powers work to prevent military conflict between the two foes.

en.prothomalo.com

Iran ready for 'fair' talks with US but not on defence capabilities

Iran rejects US demand to curb missile programme. US military deployments expand amid tensions.

Reuters Istanbul
Published: 31 Jan 2026, 11: 08

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul, Turkey, 30 January 2026. Reuters

Iran is prepared for the resumption of talks with the United States, but they should be fair and not include Iran's defence capabilities, Iran's chief diplomat said on Friday, as regional powers work to prevent military conflict between the two foes.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he planned to speak with Iran, even as the US sent another warship to the Middle East and the Pentagon chief said the military would be ready to carry out whatever the president decided.

US-Iranian tensions have soared in recent weeks after a on protests across Iran by its clerical authorities.

One of the main US demands as a condition for resuming talks with Iran is curbing its missile programme, a senior Iranian official told Reuters last week. Iran rejects that demand.


Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul after talks with his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran was ready to participate in "fair and equitable" negotiations, but added there were currently no meetings with US officials arranged.

"Iran has no problem with negotiations, but negotiations cannot take place under the shadow of threats. They must certainly set aside their threats and change their approach toward a fair and equitable negotiation, as Mr Trump himself said in his post," he said.


Tehran Says it is Ready for talks or War

"I should also state unequivocally that Iran's defensive and missile capabilities — and Iran's missiles — will never be the subject of any negotiations," he added.

"We will preserve and expand our defensive capabilities to whatever extent is necessary to defend the country," Araqchi said.

Regional allies, including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have been engaging in diplomatic efforts to prevent a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

In response to US threats of military action, Araqchi said Tehran was ready for either negotiations or warfare, and also ready to engage with regional countries to promote stability and peace.

Araqchi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said they had been speaking to each other almost every day to discuss the tensions.


Turkey Ready to be ‘Facilitator’

US officials say Trump his options but has not decided whether to strike Iran.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran continued to kill protesters in its crackdown on the countrywide demonstrations over economic privations and political repression, but the protests have since abated.

Israel's Ynet news website said on Friday that a US Navy destroyer had docked at the Israeli port of Eilat.

NATO member Turkey shares a border with Iran and opposes any foreign intervention there. It has called for US-Iran dialogue to avoid further destabilisation and has been in touch with both sides to seek a solution.

Earlier on Friday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian in a call that Ankara was ready to play a "facilitator" role between the sides.

Speaking alongside Araqchi, Fidan said he had long discussions on the issue with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday and would keep lines open with Washington to avoid conflict and the isolation of Iran.

Fidan said US-Iran nuclear negotiations must restart and would pave the way to lifting sanctions on Iran. "We call the parties to the negotiating table" to address the issues "one by one," he said.​

 

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Iran army chief warns US, Israel against attack

Iranian army chief Amir Hatami on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country’s forces were on high alert following Washington’s heavy military deployments in the Gulf.

www.newagebd.net

Iran army chief warns US, Israel against attack
Agence France-Presse . Paris, France 01 February, 2026, 01:11

Iranian army chief Amir Hatami on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country’s forces were on high alert following Washington’s heavy military deployments in the Gulf.

He also insisted the Islamic republic’s nuclear expertise could not be eliminated, after Trump said he expected Tehran to seek a deal to avoid US strikes.


‘If the enemy makes a mistake, without a doubt it will endanger its own security, the security of the region, and the security of the Zionist regime,’ Hatami said, according to the official IRNA news agency.

He noted that Iran’s armed forces were ‘at full defensive and military readiness’.

Washington sent a naval strike group to the Middle East led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, with Trump threatening to intervene militarily after a deadly crackdown by Iranian authorities on two weeks of anti-government protests.

The deployment has raised fears of a possible direct confrontation with Iran, which has warned it would respond with missile strikes on US bases, ships and allies—notably Israel—in the event of an attack.

On Friday, Trump said he predicted that Iran would seek to negotiate a deal over its nuclear and missile programmes rather than face American military action.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had said earlier that Tehran was ready for nuclear talks, but its missiles and defence ‘will never be negotiated’.

The US carried out strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites in June when it briefly joined Israel’s 12-day war against its regional foe.

Israeli attacks also hit military sites across the country and killed senior officers and top nuclear scientists.

But Hatami on Saturday insisted that Iran’s nuclear technology ‘cannot be eliminated, even if scientists and sons of this nation are martyred’.

On Friday, US Central Command said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would conduct ‘a two-day live-fire naval exercise’ in the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit hub for global energy supplies.

In a statement, CENTCOM warned the IRGC against ‘any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near US forces’.

The United States designated the IRGC a terrorist organisation in 2019, a move the European Union followed on Thursday.

The EU decision drew angry reactions from Tehran, which vowed to reciprocate.

Nationwide protests against the rising cost of living erupted in Iran on December 28, before turning into a broader anti-government movement that peaked on January 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities have said the protests began peacefully before turning into ‘riots’ involving killings and vandalism, blaming the United States and Israel for fomenting the unrest in a ‘terrorist operation’.

The official death toll from the authorities stands at 3,117.

However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has confirmed 6,563 deaths, including 6,170 protesters and 124 children.

The protests have since subsided.

On Saturday, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian urged his government to heed public grievances after the demonstrations.

‘We must work with the people and for the people and serve the people as much as possible,’ Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state TV.

‘If we act justly, the people will see it and will accept it, and under such conditions, no power can cripple a government, a society, or a nation that acts justly, fairly, and on the basis of rights.’

On Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei visited the shrine of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, in southern Tehran.

In a video carried by his official website, Khamenei offered prayers at the shrine on the occasion of 10-day celebrations marking the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.​