CloseDonald Trump has warned that “big ships” are heading to Iran but said talks on a potential nuclear deal with Tehran are ongoing.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the US president said “we will see how it works out” when asked if Washington would take military action.
His comments came after it was announced that envoy Steve Witkoff would meet with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday for talks on a new nuclear deal, according to a report.
Sources told Axios that the pair would meet in Istanbul to discuss the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme, following repeated threats by Washington of military intervention.
It would represent the first meeting with US and Iranian officials since Tehran’s 12-day war with Israel and the US last June, which saw Washington bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Tensions are running high amid a military buildup by the US Navy near Iran following a violent crackdown against anti-government demonstrations last month. Last month, Trump threatened to launch strikes against the regime over the killing of protesters but later appeared to back down.
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Soltani was most recently being held at the notorious Ghezel Hesar prisonBryony Gooch3 February 2026 02:00
Iran, US to hold nuclear talks on Friday as Trump warns Tehran
Iran and the United States will resume nuclear talks on Friday in Turkey, Iranian and U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, and U.S. President Donald Trump warned that with big U.S. warships heading to Iran, bad things would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will meet in Istanbul in an effort to revive diplomacy over a long-running dispute about Iran's nuclear programme and dispel fears of a new regional war, while a regional diplomat said representatives from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt would also participate.
Bryony Gooch3 February 2026 01:00
The Independent View: Donald Trump must proceed with caution on Iran
Editorial: A misstep by America in the Middle East could be catastrophic, so it needs to seek a resolution through negotiation:
Trump must proceed with caution on Iran
Editorial: A misstep by America in the Middle East could be catastrophic, so it needs to seek a resolution through negotiationJames Reynolds3 February 2026 00:00
Recap: Britain unveils new sanctions against regime
Britain on Monday imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Iranian officials and a state security body, targeting those it says enabled violent crackdowns on recent peaceful protests.
The foreign office announced sanctions on ten individuals and one organisation, the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FARAJA), for “their role in recent brutality against protestors”.
The measures impose an asset freeze, a director disqualification sanction, and a travel ban on those designated.
“The Iranian people have shown extreme courage in the face of brutality and repression over recent weeks simply for exercising their right to peaceful protest," foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 23:00
Recap: US and Iran to resume nuclear talks on Friday
Iran and the United States will resume nuclear talks on Friday in Turkey, Iranian and U.S. officials said on Monday.
A regional diplomat said representatives from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt would participate.
U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will meet in Istanbul in an effort to revive diplomacy over a long-running dispute about Iran's nuclear programme and dispel fears of a new regional war.
Turkey and other regional allies have sought de-escalation.
"Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt, as well as some other countries, will attend the Istanbul meeting. There will be bilateral, trilateral and other meetings," the diplomat told Reuters.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 22:00
Trump says 'we will have good news soon' on ending war
Donald Trump has said his administration might have some “good news” soon on its push to end the war in Ukraine.
US officials have been engaged in trilateral talks with Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi – the first such negotiations since the war began in February 2022.
"I think we're doing very well with Ukraine and Russia. For the first time, I'm saying that. I think we're going to, maybe, have some good news," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Daniel Keane2 February 2026 22:00
What is the US demanding from nuclear talks?
Iranian sources told Reuters that Trump had demanded three conditions for resumption of talks:
– Zero enrichment of uranium in Iran;
– Limits on Tehran's ballistic missile programme;
– Ending its support for regional proxies.
Iran has long rejected all three demands as unacceptable infringements of its sovereignty, but two Iranian officials told the agency its clerical rulers saw the ballistic missile programme, rather than uranium enrichment, as the bigger obstacle.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 21:00
How far along are Iran's repairs at key nuclear sites?
In June last year the United States struck Iranian nuclear targets, joining in at the close of a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign. Since then, Tehran has said its uranium enrichment work has stopped.
Recent satellite imagery of two of the targeted sites, Isfahan and Natanz, appears to show some repair work since December, with new roofing over two previously destroyed buildings. No other rebuilding was visible, according to the imagery provided by Planet Labs and reviewed by Reuters.
Washington-based think tank ISIS said satellite images from late January showed construction work on tunnel entrances at Isfahan that could "indicate a preparation for additional military strikes" as was seen ahead of last year's U.S. strikes.
It could also signal the movement of assets from other facilities, it added.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump in December that Iran was reconstituting its sites. An initial assessment by US intelligence found the US strikes may have only set Iran’s work back by a few months.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 20:00
Why is the US threatening Iran over its nuclear policy?
After five rounds of talks that have stalled since May 2023, several hard-to-bridge issues remained between Tehran and Washington.
These include Iran's insistence on maintaining uranium enrichment on its soil and refusal to ship abroad its entire existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, has called on Iran repeatedly to say what happened to the highly enriched uranium stock since the June attacks.
Western countries fear Iran's uranium enrichment could yield material for a warhead. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for electricity generation and other civilian uses.
The Iranian sources said Tehran could ship its highly enriched uranium abroad and pause enrichment in a deal that should also include the lifting of economic sanctions.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 19:00
Iran 'fears US strike could break the regime', despite public sabre-rattling
Iran’s leadership is increasingly worried a US strike could break its grip on power by driving an already enraged public back onto the streets, following a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests, according to six current and former officials.
In high-level meetings, officials told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that public anger over last month's crackdown has reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent, four current officials briefed on the discussions told Reuters.
Khamenei was allegedly told that many Iranians were prepared to confront security forces again and that external pressure such as a limited US strike could embolden them irreparably damage the regime.
"An attack combined with demonstrations by angry people could lead to a collapse. That is the main concern among the top officials and that is what our enemies want," said an official.
James Reynolds2 February 2026 18:42NewerOlder