Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: ‘Renewed talks scheduled early March, might lead to interim deal,’ says Iranian official

Iran-US News Today LIVE Updates: Renewed talks ‌were scheduled in ‌early ​March ​and ​could possibly lead ​to an interim ⁠deal, a senior Iranian official Sunday told news agency Reuters, adding “Iran’s right to uranium enrichment within framework of NPT must be recognised.” This comes as the stand-off between the United States and Iran has intensified, with Tehran warning of “strong retaliation” in a letter to the UN chief and US President Donald Trump confirming he is “considering” limited military action. The warning comes as Trump’s 10-day deadline for a new nuclear deal approaches, raising concerns of a wider regional crisis. Trump’s warning and Tehran’s counterproposal: Asked whether he would authorise action during negotiations, Trump said: “I guess I can say I am considering that,” adding that Iran “better negotiate a fair deal”. Washington is insisting on “zero enrichment” of uranium. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is drafting a counterproposal based on “mutual respect”, expected within 48 to 72 hours. It remains unclear whether Iran will accept limits on domestic enrichment. Strait of Hormuz and military build-up: Tensions are also rising around the Strait of Hormuz after recent live-fire drills. Iran has warned that any attack would make US assets in the region “legitimate targets”. Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford is moving to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, creating a dual-carrier presence described as a major mobilisation. Israel is also reported to be stepping up joint planning with Washington. ## What’s the current situation? Trump’s strike warning: Asked if he would authorise kinetic action during negotiations, Trump told reporters, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” He added that Tehran “better negotiate a fair deal.” Tehran’s counter-offer: Iran is reportedly preparing a text based on “mutual respect”, though it remains unclear if it will address the US “red line” regarding domestic uranium enrichment. Israel on high alert: The Israeli government, believing talks have reached an impasse, has accelerated joint military preparations with the US for an operation that could begin “very soon”. Strait of Hormuz tensions: Following a brief shutdown for IRGC live-fire drills, the waterway remains a flashpoint. Iran has warned that any attack would make all US regional assets “legitimate targets”. Massive buildup: The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently transiting the Mediterranean to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, completing a dual-carrier presence that analysts call the most significant mobilisation in decades. Our Global Desk is monitoring official statements from the White House, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, and maritime security agencies in the Persian Gulf. Stay tuned for real-time updates as this story develops. The negotiators of the United States are ready to hold another ⁠round ​of talks with ​Iran in Geneva on ​Friday ⁠if they ‌receive a detailed Iranian proposal for ⁠a ⁠nuclear deal ⁠in the ‌next 48 ​hours, ‌Axios reported ‌on ​Sunday, ​citing ​a senior US official. US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has said, "They've (Iran) been enriching well ⁠beyond the number ‌that you need for civil nuclear. It's up to 60% (fissile purity)." Witkoff added, "They're probably a week away from having industrial, industrial-grade ‌bomb-making material, and that's really dangerous." US President Donald Trump has been curious as to why Iran has not yet "capitulated" and agreed to halt its nuclear programme as Washington builds up pressure and military capability in the region, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said. In an interview to Fox News on Saturday, Witkoff said, "I don't want to use the word 'frustrated,' because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he's curious as to why they haven't... I don't want to use the word 'capitulated,' but why they haven't capitulated." Iran and the United States have differing views over sanctions relief in talks to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday, adding that new talks were planned in early March as fears of a military confrontation grow. Iran and the US renewed negotiations earlier this ⁠month ​to tackle their decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme as the US builds up its military capability in the Middle East, fuelling fears of a wider war. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by US forces. "The last round of talks showed ​that ​US ideas regarding the scope and mechanism of sanctions relief ⁠differ from Iran's demands. Both sides need to reach a logical timetable for lifting sanctions," the official said. If US Iran talks fail and President Donald Trump decides to order strikes, the consequences could spread across the region. In an analysis, the BBC says that while the likely targets of any US strike are known, “the outcome is not”. The US could carry out targeted air and naval strikes on bases linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, missile sites and parts of its nuclear programme. In this scenario, the Iranian leadership weakens and eventually falls, leading to a move towards democracy. However, past Western interventions in Iraq and Libya removed rulers but were followed by years of instability. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says Tehran will not bow to US pressure over nuclear talks. Pezeshkian made the remarks on Saturday. “We will not bow down in the face of any of these difficulties,” Pezeshkian said at a ceremony to honour members of the Iranian Paralympics team. “World powers are lining up with cowardice to force us to bow our heads. Just as you did not bow down in the face of difficulties, we will not bow down in the face of these problems,” he said. With inputs from Al Jazeera US companies can always participate as contractors in Iran's oil and gas fields, a senior Iranian ⁠official ⁠told Reuters on ⁠Sunday, adding that the two nations have differing views over ⁠the ​scope and mechanism to ​lift ​sanctions on Tehran ⁠in exchange for curbs ‌on its nuclear programme. A senior Iranian official Sunday told news agency Reuters that there will be indirect Iran-US talks in early march, adding that a "possibilty of reaching an interim deal exists." A senior Iranian official told news agency Reuters that Iran's right to uranium enrichment within framework of NPT must be recognised. The official also said that Iran will not handover control of its oil and mineral resources to US. Axios reported that any Iranian proposal must be “very detailed” and show that the nuclear programme will be “benign”. “We will see what he gives us in writing. Based on that, we will see how serious they are. The ball is in their court,” a US official told the publication. Araghchi also said that Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, is involved in the discussions and has suggested technical steps to ensure Iran’s nuclear programme cannot be diverted for non-peaceful use. Such steps could include the return of UN inspectors and measures concerning Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to the Axios report. US envoys told Iran during recent talks in Geneva that Washington’s position remains “zero enrichment” on Iranian soil. However, a senior US official said that if Iran proposes “small, token enrichment” and provides detailed proof that it poses no threat, the US would study it. Araghchi said in an interview that the US had not asked Iran to accept “zero enrichment” during the Geneva talks. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever,” he said. He added that Iran would take “confidence-building measures” in return for sanctions relief. One senior Trump adviser told Axios that the president has not yet taken a decision. “The president hasn’t decided to strike yet. I know that because we haven’t struck. He might never do it. He might wake up tomorrow and say, ‘That’s it,’” the adviser said. The adviser added that the Pentagon had prepared options “for every scenario”. “They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs,” the adviser said, referring to Khamenei and his son, who is seen as a possible successor. “What the president chooses no one knows. I don’t think he knows.” A second source told Axios that a plan to kill Khamenei and his son had been discussed with Trump several weeks ago. Another senior adviser said, “Trump is keeping his options open. He could decide on an attack at any moment.” Quoting a senior US official, Axios said the bar for any Iranian proposal is “very high” and must convince sceptics in Washington and the region that Tehran has given up any path to a nuclear weapon. “President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack they should give us an offer we can’t refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games there won’t be a lot of patience,” the official told Axios. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said an Iranian proposal would be finalised within the next two or three days. However, US and Israeli officials told Axios that Trump could decide on a strike as early as this weekend. US President Donald Trump is considering to allow Iran limited or “token” uranium enrichment if it leaves “no possible path” to a nuclear bomb, according to a report by Axios. At the same time, Axios reported that Trump has been presented with military options, including a scenario that would involve directly targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba. In a Saturday‑night statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it “identifies and declares” the naval and air forces of all European Union member states as terrorist organizations, invoking Article 7 of the 2019 Reciprocal Action Law after the EU on 19 February 2026 labeled the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) a terrorist entity, a move Tehran called “illegal and unjustifiable” and contrary to the UN Charter and international law. The United States is moving closer to a potential military confrontation with Iran, even as diplomatic efforts over Tehran’s nuclear programme falter. According to The New York Times and news agency Reuters, President Donald Trump is weighing options ranging from limited strikes to broader action, amid a sweeping US military deployment in the Middle East. Read the full story here. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Friday did not deny that London had rejected a US request to use Royal Air Force bases in potential operations related to Iran when asked directly by ITV, while emphasizing a preference for negotiations. “The UK and the US have a long, deep security partnership. We work immensely closely on the issue of Iran,” Cooper said. “That is why we’re supporting the US talks taking place with Iran, because, frankly, the Iranian regime has continued to pose a security threat, has continued to pursue nuclear weapons.” “That is why we have supported sanctions and also efforts to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the regime. That’s what we believe is the right thing to do,” she added. > 'There are reports the UK has told the US they cannot use RAF bases for strikes on Iran. Is that true?'The Foreign Secretary tells ITV News that she wants the US to negotiate with Iran, amidst reports the US are preparing to strike the country pic.twitter.com/oXDUYr3xVH— ITVPolitics (@ITVNewsPolitics) February 20, 2026 'There are reports the UK has told the US they cannot use RAF bases for strikes on Iran. Is that true?'The Foreign Secretary tells ITV News that she wants the US to negotiate with Iran, amidst reports the US are preparing to strike the country pic.twitter.com/oXDUYr3xVH Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard urged Swedish citizens in Iran to leave the country, citing a “highly uncertain” situation in Iran and the region and referring to an “urgent appeal” to leave. “The situation in Iran and in the region is highly uncertain. I therefore wish to emphasize the importance of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs' advisory against all travel to Iran, and the urgent appeal to Swedish citizens who are in the country to leave,” Stenergard posted on X. “It is still possible to leave Iran via air travel and border crossings. Swedes should leave Iran now while the opportunity exists and not wait. A significant personal responsibility rests with those individuals who choose to remain in Iran. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will not be able to assist with evacuation from Iran,” she added. > Utvecklingen i Iran och i regionen är mycket osäker. Jag vill därför understryka vikten av UD:s avrådan från alla resor till Iran, och den skarpa uppmaningen till svenska medborgare som befinner sig i landet att lämna. Det är fortfarande möjligt att lämna Iran via flyg och…— Maria M Stenergard (@MariaStenergard) February 20, 2026 Utvecklingen i Iran och i regionen är mycket osäker. Jag vill därför understryka vikten av UD:s avrådan från alla resor till Iran, och den skarpa uppmaningen till svenska medborgare som befinner sig i landet att lämna. Det är fortfarande möjligt att lämna Iran via flyg och… The United States pledged to keep imposing visa restrictions on individuals involved in violently repressing and censoring Iranians, Assistant Secretary posted on X. ​“The United States will continue to pursue visa restrictions for individuals who violently repress and censor Iranians seeking to exercise their freedom of expression,” Mora Namdar said. > The United States will continue to pursue visa restrictions for individuals who violently repress and censor Iranians seeking to exercise their freedom of expression. https://t.co/QfOhPzeDZn— Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) February 20, 2026 The United States will continue to pursue visa restrictions for individuals who violently repress and censor Iranians seeking to exercise their freedom of expression. https://t.co/QfOhPzeDZn The administration is reviewing a proposal that would let Iran keep a symbolic, low‑level enrichment program essentially a “token” amount provided it can’t be weaponized, while simultaneously holding open military options that include targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his son, and senior clerics . A senior official says any deal must be “very detailed” and prove the program stays peaceful, even as Trump warns of possible limited strikes if negotiations fail. > ☢️ NEW: As the Trump administration mulls Iran options, it is prepared to consider a proposal that allows Iran "token" nuclear enrichment if it leaves no possible path to a bomb.Another scenario “takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs.” https://t.co/ZW2CH6pzyS— Axios (@axios) February 21, 2026 ☢️ NEW: As the Trump administration mulls Iran options, it is prepared to consider a proposal that allows Iran "token" nuclear enrichment if it leaves no possible path to a bomb.Another scenario “takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs.” https://t.co/ZW2CH6pzyS