Hundreds rally outside Iranian UN ambassador’s Fifth Avenue residence calling for regime change
Shouts of “Trump act now!” filled the sunny Saturday afternoon on New York’s Fifth Avenue as hundreds of anti-Iranian regime protesters denounced the theocratic regime in Tehran and called for the U.S. to take action against Iran.
“We want freedom for the Iranian people,” said protester Sarah Shahi.
“We want this theocracy that has been taking people’s rights away to be taken out with whatever means necessary. We need help when so many people have been killed.”
TED CRUZ URGES US TO ARM IRANIAN PROTESTERS AS MILITIAS THREATEN ‘TOTAL WAR’ AGAINST AMERICA
The protesters gathered across the street from the residence of Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations and called for the regime in Tehran to be toppled.
The ornate 19th century limestone townhouse was originally purchased by the Iranian government under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the shah of Iran who ruled from 1941 until 1979. It has been the official home of the country’s U.N. representative ever since. Protests have been rare at the location, but, at some point overnight, someone spray-painted the words “terrorists” and “killers” on the front facade.
TRUMP’S LEADERSHIP CREATES ‘RARE OPPORTUNITY’ FOR CHANGE IN IRAN, FORMER IRANIAN POLITICAL PRISONER SAYS
The building’s location is one of the most exclusive on the Upper East Side, diagonally across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and less than a block away from the former residence of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
One protester’s sign showed a photograph of current Iranian U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani with the words “A terrorist lives here.”
“For the people of the Islamic republic to be residing here is just so unjust,” said Shahi. “But it is the closest thing we have to an embassy” as a protest location.
EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE REVEALS 6-STEP PLAN TO EXERT PRESSURE ON TEHRAN’S REGIME
Since Iran does not have diplomatic relations with the United States, the building is the only Iranian government-owned property in the country.
President Trump has ordered U.S. warships to within striking distance of Iran as he considers potential attacks against the regime’s nuclear program, oil and military targets. The buildup is in response to Iran’s continued support of terrorism and its brutal mass killings of protesters, with estimates saying as many as 30,000 people have been killed for participating in anti-regime street demonstrations.
The protesters in Manhattan are supporters of the late shah’s son, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who has been speaking out for weeks against the regime as its barbaric crackdown continued. Pahlavi has been in exile for 47 years since his father fled and the Iranian revolution ushered in the hardline religious Anti-American regime of the Mullahs.
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The chants from the protesters were no less impassioned than those of their brethren who have flooded the streets of Iranian cities. Signs demanded “End the regime in Iran,” and “Brave Iranians are fighting on the ground. The U.S. and Israel must act against a common enemy now.” Other signs proclaimed, “No to the Islamic Republic regime,” and “Make Iran Great Again.”
The protesters say they are waiting for President Trump to take military action against the regime so that the nation can finally taste freedom.
Witkoff says talks with Russian envoy were ‘productive and constructive’ amid Trump admin’s peace push
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said he had “productive and constructive meetings” with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for [the president’s] critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace,” Witkoff wrote on X.
During a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Witkoff said progress had been made and that there had been “lots of good things happening between the counterparties discussing the land deal.”
“I think the people of Ukraine are now hopeful and expecting that we’re going to deliver a peace deal sometime soon,” Witkoff added.
TRUMP SAYS PUTIN AGREED TO HALT KYIV STRIKES FOR ONE WEEK AMID BRUTAL COLD
The meetings were held Saturday in Florida, according to Witkoff, and included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner; and White House senior advisor Josh Gruenbaum. Witkoff and Kushner have been two of the key players from the Trump administration not only in the Russia-Ukraine deal, but also others, including the Israel-Gaza peace plan.
Witkoff, Kushner and Gruenbaum also met with Putin earlier this month in Moscow shortly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. After the meeting in Moscow, Witkoff, Kushner, Gruenbaum and other U.S. representatives met with negotiators from Ukraine and Russia. The talks were said to be constructive despite obstacles to peace remaining.
“A lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X. “As a result of the meetings held over these days, all sides agreed to report back in their capitals on each aspect of the negotiations and to coordinate further steps with their leaders.”
ZELENSKYY TOUTS ‘CONSTRUCTIVE’ TRILATERAL TALKS BETWEEN THE US, RUSSIA AND UKRAINE IN ABU DHABI
Nearly four years after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, Ukrainians are facing a brutal winter, and Russian strikes on Kyiv’s energy resources have made conditions worse. However, President Donald Trump said Thursday at his Cabinet meeting that Putin had agreed to a temporary pause in targeting Kyiv and other places in the region experiencing the frigid weather.
“And because of the cold, extreme cold — they have the same that we do — I personally asked President Putin not to fire on Kyiv and the cities and towns for a week,” Trump said, adding that Putin had “agreed to do that.” The president classified the weather in the region as being “record-setting cold.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday that Trump had made the request for Putin to stop targeting Kyiv until Feb. 1 “in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations,” The Associated Press reported. The outlet noted it was odd that the Kremlin spokesperson mentioned Feb. 1, as it would mean it was only a two-day pause. Additionally, the AP reported that the cold weather forecast is expected to get worse after Sunday.
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Russia and Ukraine will hold another round of peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi Sunday, according to The Kyiv Independent. However, it is unclear whether the U.S. will participate in the talks.
Trump says Gulf allies kept in dark as US negotiates with Iran: ‘Can’t tell them the plan’
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. will not share military plans with Gulf allies while negotiating with Iran, even as a major American naval presence moves into the region.
Trump, speaking with Fox News Channel senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, responded to reporting that Gulf allies remain in the dark about potential U.S. intervention plans involving Iran.
It comes as Trump is reportedly weighing his options on a possible military strike on Iran amid widespread protests and violent crackdowns inside the country.
TRUMP’S IRAN BRIEFING MAY BE ‘DECEPTION CAMPAIGN’ TO MASK MOVES ALREADY UNDERWAY, EXPERT SAYS
‘‘Well, we can’t tell them the plan. If I told them the plan, it would be almost as bad as telling you the plan — it could be worse, actually,’’ Trump said. ‘‘But, look, the plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something. Otherwise, we’ll see what happens. … We have a big fleet heading out there, bigger than we had — and still have, actually — in Venezuela.’’
Trump announced earlier this week that a “massive Armada is heading to Iran,” led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
A senior Gulf official told Fox News that Saudi Arabia would not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for an attack. A high-ranking government figure from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) told Fox News the ‘‘U.S. hasn’t shared objectives or plans’’ regarding Iran with Gulf allies despite recent high-level Saudi meetings in Washington aimed at gaining clarity.
Gulf allies have said Iran frequently seeks negotiations, but they remain skeptical that talks will lead to a deal.
“Well, that’s true, but they are negotiating, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said, responding to that assessment.
TRUMP VOWS TO ‘KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF’ IRAN IF NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS REBUILT AGAIN AFTER HIGH-STAKES MEETING
“You know, the last time they negotiated, we had to take out their nuclear, didn’t work, you know. Then we took it out a different way, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump added.
Trump also addressed government funding and the risk of a shutdown, saying Democrats would bear responsibility if talks collapse.
“I think it’s going fine. We had a big GDP. I lost a point and a half because of the last [shutdown],” Trump said. “So, you’ll see what happens. I think the Democrats don’t want it to happen. Makes them look very bad, yeah, but it’s not a good thing for the country. So, hopefully, enough people will use their heads.”
Asked about Democratic demands that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents remove face coverings as part of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding negotiations, Trump declined to engage, pointing to recent comments on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and law enforcement efforts.
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“I don’t want to comment on that yet because it’s not time to,’” Trump said. ‘”But I’ll have a comment. You saw my statement on Kristi yesterday. You know where my attitude is. We’re at a low point in history in crime. Since 1900 — recorded history. … We have the lowest crime, the lowest number of murders, the lowest everything, because we’re taking criminals out of our country. And Tom’s doing great.”
Iran’s president accuses Trump, Netanyahu, Europe of provoking unrest: ‘They brought them into the streets’
Iran’s president accused President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and European leaders Saturday of provoking unrest and trying to “tear this country apart,” a report said.
Masoud Pezeshkian told state television that Trump, Netanyahu and European leaders “rode on our problems, provoked, and were seeking — and still seek — to fragment society,” according to Reuters.
“They brought them into the streets and wanted, as they said, to tear this country apart, to sow conflict and hatred among the people and create division,” Pezeshkian reportedly added about the anti-government protests and deadly crackdown that recently swept through Iran. “Everyone knows that the issue was not just a social protest.”
The White House did not immediately respond Saturday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
SAUDIS WON’T LET THE UNITED STATES USE ITS BASES OR AIRSPACE FOR AN ATTACK ON IRAN, SENIOR GULF OFFICIAL REVEALS
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency recently reported that the violence in Iran has killed at least 6,479 people in recent weeks, with many more feared dead. Its count included at least 6,092 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 118 children and 55 civilians who were not demonstrating. More than 47,200 have been arrested, it added.
As of Jan. 21, Iran’s government put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces and labeling the rest “terrorists.”
Pezeshkian’s comments come after Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal.
SATELLITE IMAGES REVEAL ACTIVITY AT IRAN NUCLEAR SITES BOMBED BY US, ISRAEL
Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested in the Oval Office Friday the timeline had been conveyed privately.
“Only they know for sure,” he said when pressed about whether the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders.
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As Trump weighs his options on a possible military strike on Iran, a senior Gulf official also told Fox News Saudi Arabia will not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for such an attack.
US military warns Iran it will not tolerate any ‘unsafe’ actions ahead of live-fire drills in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military warned Iran it will not tolerate “any unsafe and unprofessional behavior” surrounding U.S. forces in the Middle East as Tehran gears up for live-fire naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz.
The declaration comes as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is set to begin a two-day exercise starting Sunday, according to the U.S. Central Command. President Donald Trump announced this week that a “massive Armada is heading to Iran,” led by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
“U.S. forces acknowledge Iran’s right to operate professionally in international airspace and waters. Any unsafe and unprofessional behavior near U.S. forces, regional partners or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilization,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
“CENTCOM will ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East. We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions, including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, high-speed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces.”
SAUDIS WON’T LET THE UNITED STATES USE ITS BASES OR AIRSPACE FOR AN ATTACK ON IRAN, SENIOR GULF OFFICIAL REVEALS
“The U.S. military has the most highly trained and lethal force in the world and will continue to operate with the highest levels of professionalism and adhere to international norms. Iran’s IRGC must do the same,” it also said.
CENTCOM described the Strait of Hormuz as “an international sea passage and an essential trade corridor that supports regional economic prosperity.”
HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING
“On any given day, roughly 100 of the world’s merchant vessels transit the narrow strait,” it said.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a Cabinet meeting this week that the Department of War will “be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects” following a warning to Iran about its nuclear program.
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Trump said Wednesday that “time is running out” to strike a deal.