Iran-US Tensions News Updates: Washington to hold critical nuclear talks with Tehran today in Geneva
Kartavya Desk Staff
US-Iran Tensions News Updates: Tensions between Washington and Tehran have reached a critical “crescendo” following President Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address. In a speech that clocked in as the longest in US history, the President confirmed that US policy remains steadfast: “Iran will never be permitted to possess a nuclear weapon”. President Trump specifically touted the impact of “Operation Midnight Hammer”, the June 2025 precision strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, warning that the US is prepared to act again if Tehran continues to rebuild its programme. Meanwhile, Tehran has fired back, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei dismissing the US claims as “big lies” and accusing the administration of using “Nazi-style propaganda” to justify further aggression. ## What’s the current situation? Geneva ultimatum: Indirect nuclear talks are scheduled to resume Wednesday, February 26, in Geneva. Washington is holding a firm “zero enrichment” line, while Tehran seeks a “mutual respect” framework with immediate sanctions relief. Military buildup: The USS Gerald R. Ford has moved into position in the Mediterranean/Middle East theatre, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln. This represents the largest concentration of US naval and air power in the region since 2003. Diplomatic exodus: Multiple nations, including India, have issued urgent travel advisories or evacuation orders for their citizens in Iran as the risk of “kinetic conflict” shifts from theoretical to imminent. Internal turmoil: These international pressures coincide with a significant resurgence of anti-government protests at major Iranian universities, complicating the regime’s internal stability. Our Global Desk is verifying reports of maritime movement in the Strait of Hormuz and monitoring live statements from US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Stay tuned for real-time alerts, satellite imagery analysis, and diplomatic breakthroughs. The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed another tranche of sanctions on people and companies accused of enabling Iran’s ballistic missile program, drone production and illicit oil sales as the US presses Tehran to make a deal ahead of nuclear talks this week. The sanctions against 30 people, companies and ships come as Trump has massed the largest US buildup of warships and aircraft in the region in decades and has threatened to use military action in a bid to get Iran to constrain its nuclear program. AUSTRALIA: The government has told dependents of Australian diplomats in Israel and Lebanon to leave the two countries, citing a deteriorating security situation in the region. It also offered voluntary departures to Australian diplomats' dependents in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar. It continues to advise citizens in Israel and Lebanon to consider leaving while commercial options remain available. SERBIA: Serbia has told its nationals in Iran to leave as soon as possible due to increased tensions and the risk of a deterioration of the security situation. (Foreign Ministry) POLAND: Polish citizens should leave Iran immediately. (Prime Minister Donald Tusk) UNITED STATES: The US is pulling non-essential staff and eligible family members from its embassy in Lebanon amid Iran tensions. SWEDEN: The Foreign Ministry advised its citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and leave the country immediately on January 12, 2026. The foreign minister said in February that people who decided to stay should not expect help from the government to be evacuated. INDIA: The Indian embassy in Iran advised citizens currently in Iran to leave by available means of transport, including commercial flights. CYPRUS: Cyprus advised its citizens to avoid all travel to Iran and leave the country immediately on January 13, 2026. SINGAPORE: Singapore advised citizens to continue to defer all travel to Iran. GERMANY: Germany has urged its citizens to leave Iran, noting commercial flights out are still operating and departure by land is also possible BRAZIL: Brazil recommended last week that its citizens leave Iran, following a similar alert to citizens in Lebanon in January. The government last year recommended that Brazilians not travel to the two countries. (Reuters) Iran pushed back Wednesday against U.S. President Donald Trump's pressure tactics ahead of critical talks in Geneva over Tehran's nuclear program, alternating between calling his remarks “big lies” and saying negotiations may yield an agreement through “honorable diplomacy.”The remarks by two Iranian officials ahead of Thursday's talks come as America has assembled its biggest deployment of aircraft and warships to the Middle East in decades. — AP Saudi Arabia is increasing its oil production and exports as part of a contingency plan in case any U.S. strike on Iran disrupts supplies from the Middle East, two sources familiar with the plan said on Wednesday. The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the plan. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is considering a strike on Iran to pressure its leaders to agree a deal to curb Tehran's nuclear programme. The United States has assembled a large military force in the Middle East in recent weeks. Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul said on Wednesday that Iran must commit in negotiations with the United States to stop support for armed proxy groups Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. Speaking at a press conference with his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prevot, he added Germany has "a special responsibility for the security of the State of Israel." A spokesperson for Germany's foreign office said on Wednesday that Berlin expects Iran to seize the opportunity to engage constructively in Thursday's nuclear talks in Geneva. Saudi Arabia has a plan ready to increase short-term oil output and exports if any U.S. strike on Iran disrupts oil flows from the Middle East, two sources familiar with the plan said. The Saudi government media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a large military build-up in the Middle East and has said he is considering a strike on Iran to pressure its leaders to agree a deal to curb the nuclear programme. — Reuters Iran's negotiating delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, has left Tehran for Geneva to take part in a third round of nuclear negotiations, state media reported on Wednesday. The United States has deployed a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic. U.S. President Donald Trump on February 19 said he was giving Tehran about 10 to 15 days to make a deal. The talks are set to take place on Thursday in Geneva, a senior U.S. official said on Monday, with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner slated to meet with the Iranian delegation for the negotiations. Gold prices spiked on Wednesday, lifted by a softer dollar and heightened safe-haven demand amid uncertainty over U.S. tariffs and growing friction between Washington and Tehran. Spot gold rose 0.5% to $5,175.00 per ounce, as of 1106 GMT. U.S. gold futures for April delivery were up 0.5% at $5,193.90. The U.S. dollar index was down, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for other currency holders. "Spot gold is being supported above the $5,000 level by the softer U.S. dollar, a muddied outlook on U.S. trade policy, and persistent geopolitical tensions," said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Bybit. "As long as these fundamental drivers remain intact, bullion bulls will be eager for a return towards record highs." Amid the looming threat of military conflict between the US and Iran, oil prices slightly spiked. The slight spike is likely due to the chance of the conflict disrupting supply and a big build in US crude inventories. Brent futures surged 6 cents at $70.83 per barrel at 0957 GMT. WTI futures rose 4 cents to $65.67 per barrel. Brent prices reached their highest since July 31 on Friday, while WTI hit its highest since August 4 on Monday. With Reuters inputs As negotiations between Iran and the United States continued, Turkey is evaluating all aspects of potential measures that may be taken in the event of a conflict, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters. NATO member Turkey, which shares a border with Iran to its east, has said it opposes any military intervention on Iran and does not want destabilisation in the region. Ankara has been in contact with both sides to de-escalate tensions and called for a resolution of issues through diplomacy. "Naturally, all aspects of the measures that could be taken in the event of a negative development are being evaluated," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "All scenarios are being considered; and steps that can be taken to ensure the safety of our citizens are being worked on," the person said, but added any steps that would "violate Iran's sovereignty" were "out of the question". With Reuters inputs Japan's government said Wednesday that a Japanese national has been detained in Tehran since January and demanded the Iranian authorities release them swiftly. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki, asked about foreign media reports on the case, confirmed only that the Japanese citizen was taken into custody on Jan 20 but gave no further details, citing privacy issues. — AP As the United States assembles its greatest military firepower in decades in the Middle East, Iranians are warily awaiting the next round of talks with the U.S. in Geneva this week — negotiations that many see as a last chance for their ruling theocracy to strike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Some say the situation feels hopeless. — AP Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, on Wednesday, February 25, said the claims about the country’s nuclear facilities and ballistic missiles were “big lies”. His remarks came after US President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address, described Iran as the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism and vowed he would never allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon. “Professional liars are good at creating the ‘illusion of truth.’ ‘Repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth’, is a law of propaganda coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels. This is now systematically used by the US administration and the war profiteers encircling it, particularly the genocidal Israeli regime, to serve their sinister disinformation & misinformation campaign against the Nation of Iran,” Baqaei said in a post on X. Read full article Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that the claims about the country's nuclear facilities and ballistic missiles are "big lies". His remarks came after Trump described Iran as the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism and vowed he would never allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon. "Whatever they're alleging in regards to Iran's nuclear programme, Iran's ballistic missiles, and the number of casualties during January's unrest, is simply the repetition of 'big lies'," Baqaei said in a post on X. > Professional liars are good at creating the 'illusion of truth.'"Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, is a law of propaganda coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels. This is now systematically used by the U.S. administration and the war profiteers encircling it,…— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) February 25, 2026 Professional liars are good at creating the 'illusion of truth.'"Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, is a law of propaganda coined by Nazi Joseph Goebbels. This is now systematically used by the U.S. administration and the war profiteers encircling it,… Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address, described Iran as the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism and vowed he would never allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump’s remarks came as two US aircraft carriers were dispatched to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran. He said he preferred a diplomatic resolution. “My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy. But one thing is certain, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror to have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let that happen,” he said. Read full story here Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump briefly laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the world's biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon. Even while assembling a massive military force in the Middle East, Trump has done little to explain to the American public why he might be leading the U.S. into its most aggressive action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution. In his speech, Trump pointed to Tehran's support for militant groups, its killing of protesters and the country's missile and nuclear programs as threats to the region and the United States. "The (Iranian) regime and its murderous proxies have spread nothing but terrorism and death and hate," the Republican president said about 90 minutes into his annual address to a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. He accused Iran of restarting its nuclear program, working to build missiles that "soon" would be capable of reaching the United States and of being responsible for roadside bombings that have killed U.S. service members and civilians. Iranian state media have claimed that Tehran is developing a missile capable of reaching North America. Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: In his State of the Union address, Trump cited Qasem Solemani's killing by the United States. “We took out Soleimani… it had a huge impact. Qasem Soleimani was the father of roadside IEDs,” said Trump. Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: Trump said that Iran wants to make a deal to avoid further US strikes, but has not yet committed to never making a nuclear weapon. "My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy - but one thing is certain. I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon," he said. Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump stated that Iran continues to pursue "sinister ambitions". "After Midnight Hammer, they were warned to make no future attempts to rebuild their weapons program—yet they continue, and are at this moment again pursuing their sinister nuclear ambitions," he said. Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address, said that it's a US policy to not allow Iran nuclear weapons. He slammed Tehran stating that it killed 32,000 people during protests and further touted his ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ where the United States targeted Iranian nuclear sites. Iran-US Tensions News LIVE Updates: Oil prices were hovering near seven-month highs on Wednesday as the threat of military conflict between the U.S. and Iran that could disrupt supply continues to worry investors even as talks between the parties are set for Thursday. Brent futures were trading at $71.22 per barrel, up 45 cents, or 0.64%, at 0140 GMT. WTI futures rose 0.64%, or 42 cents, to $66.05. Brent prices reached their highest since July 31 on Friday, while WTI hit its highest since August 4 on Monday, and both contracts have held near there as the U.S. has positioned military forces in the Middle East to compel Iran to negotiate an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile programme. An extended conflict could disrupt supplies from Iran, the third-biggest crude producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and other countries in the key Middle East producing region. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are slated to meet with an Iranian delegation for a third round of talks on Thursday in Geneva. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that a deal with the U.S. was "within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority". Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that a deal with the US was "within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority", days ahead of an expected fresh round of talks between the two sides in Geneva. The talks are set to take place on Thursday in Geneva, a senior US official said on Monday, with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner slated to meet with an Iranian delegation for the negotiations. The two countries resumed negotiations earlier this month as the US builds up its military capability in the Middle East. Iran has threatened to strike US bases in the region if it is attacked. (Reuters) Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X on Tuesday, said that a deal with the United States during their nuclear talks is within reach but it depends on the priority being given to diplomacy. Araghchi wrote, "We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority." > 3/4 We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) February 24, 2026 3/4 We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests. A deal is within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority. Iran foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that talks with the United States will resume in Geneva and Tehran will walk in the room with "a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal." In a post on X, Araghchi wrote, "Pillared on the understandings forged in the previous round, Iran will resume talks with the US in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time." > 1/4 Pillared on the understandings forged in the previous round, Iran will resume talks with the U.S. in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time.— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) February 24, 2026 1/4 Pillared on the understandings forged in the previous round, Iran will resume talks with the U.S. in Geneva with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time. As the United States assembles its greatest military firepower in decades in the Middle East, Iranians are warily awaiting the next round of talks with the US in Geneva this week — negotiations that many see as a last chance for their ruling theocracy to strike a deal with US President Donald Trump. Some say the situation feels hopeless. Battered by decades of sanctions, heightened by Trump's 2018 decision to withdraw from Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers, Iranians also just suffered through the bloodiest crackdown on dissent in the country's modern history as security forces in January killed thousands of people and detained tens of thousands more. (AP) Lebanon's Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji on Tuesday urged the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah not to get involved in any fighting between the United States and Iran, expressing concerns about a new possible conflict with Israel. Rajji told journalists in Geneva that Lebanese officials had been warned that in the event of another Israel-Hezbollah war, Israel would strike harder against civilian infrastructure across Lebanon than in the previous round of fighting.The appeal comes amid growing concerns that the US might carry out new strikes against Iran. (AP) Iran is ready take any necessary steps to reach a deal with the United States, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said on Tuesday, as the two countries head to a new round of talks. The Iranian diplomat said any US strike on Iran is "a real gamble", adding that Tehran is ready to reach a deal with Washington as soon as possible. The American military has begun to move 12 F-22 stealth fighter jets toward the Middle East, after they were stationed at an airbase in the United Kingdom in recent days, The Times of Israel reported, citing open-source flight tracking data and aircraft spotters. The F-22s are seen taking off from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England and linking up with KC-46 refueler planes, as they make their way toward the region. The stealth fighters had arrived at Lakenheath last week and remained there for several days, reportedly due to issues with the refuelers. (The Times of Israel) As concerns continue to mount over the evolving situation in Iran, several Indian students -- particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir -- have expressed their desire to return home but say they are unable to do so due to their upcoming examinations scheduled for March. A large number of these students are enrolled in medical programmes at universities across Iran. According to them, their institutions have not announced any postponement of examinations despite the prevailing uncertainty. This has placed them in a difficult position: either stay back to complete their exams or return to India and risk losing an academic year. The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has taken up the matter with the central government. The association has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention. In its appeal, AIMSA has requested that the Government of India engage with Iranian authorities and universities to explore the possibility of postponing examinations so that students who wish to return home can do so without jeopardising their studies. Bilal Bhat, an Indian student currently studying in Iran, told ANI over Zoom that anxiety levels among students have increased in recent weeks. "We want to come back home. Our families are worried. But our exams are scheduled in March and there is no clarity on postponement. If we miss exams, it will affect our academic year," he said. US President Donald Trump's first option is always diplomacy, but he is willing to use lethal force if necessary, his spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House Tuesday when asked about Iran. A revolutionary court in Tehran has issued a death sentence for an Iranian man accused of "enmity against god", which if confirmed would be the first such sentence linked to mass protests in January, a source close to the man's family said. The source told Reuters Tuesday that Iran's judiciary had not yet announced the sentence against the man, Mohammad Abbasi, and that Iran's Supreme Court was yet to uphold it. Abbasi was accused of killing a security officer, an allegation his family denied, the source said. Rights groups say thousands of people were killed in a crackdown on the protests, the worst domestic unrest in Iran since the era of its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti‑ship cruise missiles, according to six people with knowledge of the negotiations, just as the United States deploys a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic. The deal for the Chinese‑made CM‑302 missiles is near completion, though no delivery date has been agreed, the people said. The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometres and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Their deployment would significantly enhance Iran’s strike capabilities and pose a threat to US naval forces in the region, two weapons experts said. Negotiations with China to buy the missile weapons systems, which began at least two years ago, accelerated sharply after the 12‑day war between Israel and Iran in June, according to the six people with knowledge of the talks, including three officials who were briefed by the Iranian government as well as three security officials. Tehran is close to a deal with China to purchase anti-ship cruise missiles, news agency Reuters reported, just as the United States builds up its naval presence in the Middle East ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic. The CM-302 supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometres and are designed to evade shipborne defences by flying low and fast. Negotiations with China to buy the missile weapons systems began at least two years ago and accelerated sharply after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June. No delivery date has been agreed. Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asked students from the Union Territory studying in Iran to leave that country immediately, as it would be difficult to evacuate them after the airspace closure. In its latest advisory, the Embassy of India asked its citizens to “leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights.” The advisory comes in the wake of Saturday’s protests in Iran following 40-day memorials for people killed in January during anti-government rallies. Abdullah said the students should pack their bags and leave Iran before their parents panic. “I want to tell the students of Jammu and Kashmir to leave immediately. Otherwise, when the airspace is closed tomorrow, their parents may panic. They should leave before it comes to that. Otherwise, there will be no one to evacuate them. When the advisory has been issued, they should pack their bags and return home,” Abdullah said. In 2022, about 2,050 students were enrolled in Iran, mostly for medical studies, at institutions like the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, according to MEA estimates. A sizeable number of students from Jammu and Kashmir reside in Iran, many of whom are pursuing medical education. This is not just owing to its affordability, but also Iran's cultural and historical ties to Kashmir. University students have the right to protest but everyone must “understand the red lines,” the Iranian government’s spokeswoman said Tuesday, in the first official reaction to renewed rallies on campuses since the weekend, the Arab News reported. “Sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or deviate from, even at the height of anger,” Fatemeh MoHajjerani was quoted as saying. She said Iran’s students “have wounds in their hearts and have seen scenes that may upset and anger them; this anger is understandable.” University students in Iran started a new semester Saturday with pro- and anti-government rallies, according to local media, reviving slogans from nationwide demonstrations that peaked in January and led to thousands of deaths. (With inputs from Arab News) An Iranian military helicopter crashed into a fruit and vegetable market in central Iran Tuesday, reportedly killing at least four people. The crash took place in the town of Dorcheh, some 330 kilometres south of Iran's capital, Tehran, in the country's Isfahan province, Iranian state television reported. Isfahan is home to a major Iranian air base, as well as a nuclear site struck by the US during the Iran-Israel war in June. The army helicopter had been on a training flight, state TV said. The pilot and co-pilot died in the crash, it added, showing footage of debris and smoke rising from the market. Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency said two people on the ground at the market died in the crash. (With inputs from AP) US President Donald Trump is weighing possible airstrikes on Iran, with his decision expected to depend heavily on the assessment of two of his closest envoys — Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — about whether Tehran is dragging its feet on a deal to give up its nuclear weapons capability, according to a report by The Guardian.No final call has been made. The administration is awaiting Iran’s latest proposal, expected this week, before what officials describe as a make-or-break round of negotiations set for Thursday in Geneva.Witkoff and Kushner are slated to lead those talks. US President Donald Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with constraints on using military force against Iran, CBS News reported citing multiple sources familiar with the matter who spoke on Monday. Military planners have advised that any strike on Tehran’s assets would likely not deliver a decisive, one-off blow and could instead escalate into a wider, protracted conflict in the Middle East, the report said. The sources claimed that internal discussions have focused on the risks of retaliation and the possibility that limited strikes would fail to significantly degrade Iran’s capabilities, potentially drawing the United States into a broader regional confrontation. Iranian students have held a third consecutive day of protests at universities, including all-women Al Zahra University in Tehran, where they chanted anti-government slogans and burned an Iranian flag. The protests come amid rising tensions between Iran and the US, with Washington building up military forces in the Middle East and negotiating with Tehran. The US has warned of “really bad things” if no deal is reached, while Iran’s foreign ministry has threatened to retaliate “ferociously” against any attack.