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 protestors denounced the theocratic regime in Tehran and called for the U.S. to take action against Iran.
TED CRUZ URGES US TO ARM IRANIAN PROTESTERS AS MILITIAS THREATEN ‘TOTAL WAR’ AGAINST AMERICA
“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.”
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 UN 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 UN 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.
Trump says Gulf allies kept in dark as US negotiates with Iran: ‘Cant’ tell them the plan’
President Donald Trump has said the U.S. could 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 understood to be 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) state told Fox News that 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, while 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.
Satellite images reveal activity at Iran nuclear sites bombed by US, Israel
Fresh satellite images have captured roofs being built over damaged buildings at Iranian nuclear sites that were attacked by the U.S. and Israel last year.
The photos from Planet Labs PBC show new coverings over two structures at the Isfahan and Natanz facilities following the June 2025 strikes.
The roofs are likely part of Iran’s efforts “to assess whether key assets — such as limited stocks of highly enriched uranium — survived the strikes,” Andrea Stricker, who studies Iran for the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told The Associated Press.
“They want to be able to get at any recovered assets they can get to without Israel or the United States seeing what survived,” she added.
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Those coverings block satellites from seeing what’s happening on the ground — right now the only way for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor the sites, as Iran has prevented access.
The Natanz site, which is about 135 miles south of Iran’s capital of Tehran, is a mix of above- and below-ground laboratories that did the majority of Iran’s uranium enrichment.
The facility outside the city of Isfahan was mainly known for producing the uranium gas that is fed into centrifuges to be spun and purified.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS
Last year, Israel targeted the sites first, followed by U.S. strikes using bunker-busting bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The Israel Defense Forces said in June 2025 that a strike on the Isfahan site had “dismantled a facility for producing metallic uranium, infrastructure for reconverting enriched uranium, laboratories, and additional infrastructure.”
The U.S. strikes “significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear program,” the White House’s National Security Strategy published in November said.
Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors to visit the sites since the attacks.
The new satellite images come as President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that a “massive Armada” is heading toward the Middle East, ratcheting up pressure on the Iranian regime to reach a nuclear deal. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday that the U.S. military is “prepared to deliver whatever the president expects” regarding Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian military officials have vowed that any U.S. attack would be met with an immediate and decisive response.
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The Trump administration has also escalated sanctions on Iranian officials in response to the deadly crackdown on anti-regime protesters.
Saudis won’t let the US use its bases or airspace for an attack on Iran, senior Gulf official reveals
As President Donald Trump weighs his options on a possible military strike on Iran, a senior Gulf official told Fox News Saudi Arabia will not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for such an attack.
A high-ranking government figure from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state told Fox News that 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.
“We said this as friends, [we] want to make sure they understand our position and our assessment in general. And we want to understand the U.S. assessment with as much clarity as possible,” the senior official said. “I’d like to get full clarity, and we did not get there.”
Regarding U.S. military movements for a strike on Iran, the official said, “The plan is something other than using Saudi airspace.”
TRUMP SAYS IRAN ALREADY HAS US TERMS AS MILITARY STRIKE CLOCK TICKS
The official said the U.S. is welcome in Saudi Arabia, especially regarding Operation Inherent Resolve, the ongoing U.S.-led campaign against ISIS. Yet, the Saudi position now is “consistent” with what it was during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in April 2024, the official said.
“Saudi Arabia wouldn’t allow airspace to be used to target Israel, Houthis, Iran. The position is the same now. Saudi Arabia wouldn’t allow airspace to be used in a war Saudi Arabia is not a part of,” the official said.
Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal, even as Iranian officials publicly signal interest in talks.
Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested the timeline had been conveyed privately.
“Only they know for sure,” he said when pressed that the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders.
Trump also tied the growing U.S. naval presence in the region explicitly to Iran, saying American warships “have to float someplace” and “might as well float near Iran” as Washington weighs its next steps.
AS IRAN WEAKENS, QUESTIONS GROW OVER MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN’S REGIONAL AMBITIONS
Despite the president’s words that Iran wants to make a deal, the official cautioned that “Iran always wants to make a deal, but the question is what kind of deal? Is it acceptable to the U.S.?
“We don’t see it coming together at this moment,” the official said. “Everybody knows the U.S. is bringing capabilities to the region in general to deal not with whatever the plan is but whatever the ramification of the plan is.”
Regarding the success of future U.S. actions in Iran, the official said, “There is always a problem whether you make a decision or don’t. There’s a balance of … future in the Middle East. We advise the U.S. on a better outcome at the end, using all means, including diplomatic means, and advise Iranians too. … We understand that we’re all in this — the U.S., Iran and others — and we hope for better results.”
The official said that, in the Gulf allies’ assessment, the Trump administration’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear assets heavily degraded their capabilities so that they are “not in the same situation as before.”
TRUMP SAYS IRAN CALLED ‘NUMEROUS’ TIMES TO MAKE DEAL AS CARRIER ENTERS MIDDLE EAST WATERS
That being said, they believe an “off ramp could be reached by Iranians doing the right thing.”
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“We want a prosperous country that supports their people. That’s what we think we should all be doing. Iran has real economic potential, energy. A lot of talent in Iran and especially abroad who live in other countries. … There’s a way to get out of it, and Iran could be a very constructive actor in the region and important actor in the region. I hope that they get there because the Iranian people deserve a lot.”
Though the U.S. has not shared its objectives or plans, the source said, “I hope that outcome is for a more stable Middle East, more prosperous.”
US escalates sanctions on Iranian officials as Trump considers military options
As the threat of a possible U.S. attack against Iran looms, President Donald Trump’s administration has announced additional sanctions targeting Iranian figures.
The Treasury Department announced Friday that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) “took additional action against Iranian officials responsible for the regime’s brutal crackdown on its own people.”
“Among the officials sanctioned today is Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, Iran’s minister of the interior who oversees the murderous Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF), a key entity responsible for the deaths of thousands of peaceful protesters,” the department said.
HEGSETH SAYS DEPARTMENT OF WAR ‘WILL BE PREPARED TO DELIVER’ WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS FOLLOWING IRAN WARNING
“OFAC also designated Babak Morteza Zanjani, a criminal Iranian investor who previously embezzled billions of dollars in Iranian oil revenue that rightfully belonged to the Iranian people and was never fully recovered. Freed from imprisonment in order to launder money for the regime, Zanjani has provided financial backing for major projects that support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regime more broadly.”
The Treasury Department also noted that OFAC designated two digital asset exchanges linked to Zanjani that “have processed large volumes of funds associated with IRGC-linked counterparties.”
The announcement comes as the Trump administration prepares for the possibility of military action against Iran.
RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS’ US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
Trump issued a saber-rattling Truth Social post Wednesday warning that the U.S. will attack if Iran does not negotiate a nuclear deal.
Trump suggested in a Truth Social post Wednesday that the U.S. could use force against Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached soon.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties,” the president warned in a Truth Social post Wednesday.
IRAN RESPONDS TO TRUMP PRESSURE WITH WARNING OF RETALIATION: ‘FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER’
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The commander in chief has in recent days been supplied with an expanded list of possible military actions against Iran to inflict additional damage on the foreign nation’s nuclear and missile sites or weaken the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing U.S. officials.
The military options go further than those the president was previously mulling earlier this month to fulfill his pledge to stop the slaughter of protesters, officials reportedly said.
The current list of options includes the prospect of U.S. forces executing raids inside the nation of Iran, according to the Times, which indicated that the protests have been crushed.
Trump says Iran already has US terms as military strike clock ticks
President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal, even as Iranian officials publicly signal interest in talks.
Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested the timeline already had been conveyed privately.
“Only they know for sure,” he said, confirming when pressed that the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders.
Trump also tied the growing U.S. naval presence in the region explicitly to Iran, saying American warships “have to float someplace” and “might as well float near Iran” as Washington weighs its next steps.
IRAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD COMMANDER SAYS REGIME HAS ‘FINGER ON THE TRIGGER’ AS US WARSHIPS HEAD TO MIDDLE EAST
Meanwhile, Iran is ready to discuss its nuclear program with the U.S. “on an equal footing,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday, as Washington dramatically ramps up military pressure in the Middle East amid growing doubts about Tehran’s willingness to accept verifiable limits on its nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. has long insisted Iran give up its ability to enrich uranium — the material used to build a nuclear weapon — while Iran maintains it has never pursued a bomb and says its nuclear program is intended for energy and civilian purposes.
Araghchi said no meeting was currently scheduled with U.S. officials, but left the door open to talks under specific conditions.
“If the negotiations are fair and on an equal footing, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to participate,” he said, adding that talks could not happen immediately. “Preparations are needed, both in terms of the form and subject of the discussions and the venue.”
U.S. and allied officials, however, remain deeply skeptical.
Iran’s record under the 2015 nuclear deal — agreeing to stringent limits and international inspections only to later exceed enrichment caps and restrict monitoring — has fueled doubts about whether its latest overtures would translate into meaningful action.
That trust deficit was further strained in 2025, when diplomatic efforts unfolded alongside military action.
In June 2025, the U.S. military joined Israel in striking three Iranian nuclear facilities — including the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan sites — in an operation aimed at degrading Tehran’s nuclear capabilities even as indirect talks were underway. Iranian officials later cited the strikes as evidence that Washington was unwilling to negotiate in good faith.
But time may be running out for diplomacy. Trump warned Thursday that Iran must end its nuclear program and halt the killing of protesters or face the possibility of U.S. military action.
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN WITH CRUSHING RESPONSE AS TEHRAN DENIES HALTING PROTEST EXECUTIONS
“We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them,” Trump said.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived in the region at the end of January, is operating with a carrier strike group that includes multiple destroyers and air squadrons flying F-35C Lightning II jets, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, CMV-22B Ospreys and MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters.
Trump reinforced his message Wednesday on Truth Social, writing: “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.”
Tensions broke out once again at the start of January amid mass anti-government protests in Iran and a brutal crackdown resulting in thousands of deaths.
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Trump envoy Steve Witkoff has called for an end to Iran’s nuclear program, the transfer of enriched uranium out of the country, limits on its missile program and an end to financial support for proxy groups such as Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas.
Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons — an assertion U.S. and Israeli officials continue to dispute, arguing Tehran’s enrichment advances and reduced cooperation with international inspectors have brought it closer than ever to a potential nuclear breakout.
Hegseth says Department of War ‘will be prepared to deliver’ whatever Trump wants following Iran warning
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said his department will “be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects” following a warning to Iran about its nuclear program.
Hegseth made the remark Thursday during a Cabinet meeting, one day after President Donald Trump told Iran that “time is running out” to strike a deal.
“They should not pursue nuclear capabilities. So we will be prepared to deliver whatever this president expects of the War Department, just like we did this month,” Hegseth said before describing the Jan. 3 U.S. military operation that captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
“No other military in the world could have executed the most sophisticated, powerful raid, not just in American history, I would say, in world history. What those men did going downtown, another country, the most secure place in the most secure base in the middle of the night without anybody knowing until those simultaneous bombs dropped three minutes before the helicopters dropped. No other country could coordinate that,” Hegseth continued. “No other president would have been willing to empower those warriors that way to be that effective.”
IRAN RESPONDS TO TRUMP PRESSURE WITH WARNING OF RETALIATION: ‘FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER’
“And that sends a message to every capital around the world that when President Trump speaks, he means business. And we are reestablishing deterrence at the War Department,” Hegseth also said.
The secretary of War also told the Cabinet that Trump has had to “rebuild the perception of America” during his second term.
“And at the Department of War, that meant reestablishing deterrence. What happened in Afghanistan. What happened in Ukraine, a war that never would have occurred. What happened on Oct. 7 in Israel — never would have happened under President Trump. So as a result, we’re having to rebuild how our enemies perceive us,” he said. “And when President Trump said, ‘We’re not getting a nuclear Iran, you won’t have a nuclear bomb,’ he meant it. And we sent those B-2s halfway around the world, and they never noticed.”
RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS’ US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS
“When you said, Mr. President, we’re securing the border, the military was proud to do their part alongside Homeland Security to do that. Same thing with Iran right now, ensuring that they have all the options to make a deal,” Hegseth added.
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump said, “A massive Armada is heading to Iran.”
“It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully, Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” the president warned.
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“As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
Trump admin labels Israel ‘model US ally’ ahead of major military aid talks
Last week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth released the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), a Pentagon blueprint that elevates Israel as a “model ally” and translates President Donald Trump’s national security doctrine into concrete military policy.
“Israel has long demonstrated that it is both willing and able to defend itself with critical but limited support from the United States. Israel is a model ally, and we have an opportunity now to further empower it to defend itself and promote our shared interests, building on President Trump’s historic efforts to secure peace in the Middle East,” the NDS states.
The document is now influencing parallel debates over the future of U.S. security assistance to Israel and whether the next Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) should continue delivering traditional U.S. military aid to Israel amid dissenting voices that portray the alliance as a burden rather than a strategic asset.
DIRECT AID TO ISRAEL SHOULD BE PHASED OUT TO ‘REDUCE US LEVERAGE,’ INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE GROUPS ARGUE
According to the strategy, Israel proved its ability and willingness to defend itself following the Oct. 7 attacks, demonstrating that it is not a passive partner but an operational force that supports U.S. interests in the region. The strategy emphasizes empowering capable allies rather than constraining them, building on President Trump’s earlier push for regional integration through the Abraham Accords.
Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said the strategy reflects a broader American shift toward partnerships that strengthen both U.S. security and domestic industry.
“U.S. defense assistance to Israel in the MOU is spent in dollars here in America to support our industry,” Ruhe told Fox News Digital. “And like in the national security strategy, it then enables Israel to go and do more to protect U.S. interests.”
He said a future agreement would likely extend beyond funding alone. “A new MOU would also likely be broader and include things that are more 50-50 partnership, like joint research and development, co-production, intelligence sharing and things like that to reflect the changing partnership going forward,” Ruhe said.
The strategy also highlights the importance of revitalizing the American defense industrial base, noting that allies purchasing U.S. systems help strengthen domestic production while enabling partners to shoulder greater responsibility for regional security.
Avner Golov, vice president of the Israeli think tank Mind Israel, said the document makes clear that Israel is viewed not merely as a recipient of aid: “Israel is in the fight. We are protecting ourselves by ourselves. We just need the tools to do that. And by doing so, we enhance not only America’s standing in the Middle East, but also worldwide and contribute to the American economy.”
That framing comes as Israel and the United States prepare for negotiations over the next 10-year MOU, which governs U.S. military assistance to Israel. The current agreement, signed in 2016, provides $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing, along with $500 million a year for missile defense cooperation.
The debate follows tensions during the Biden administration, when the White House paused the delivery of certain U.S. weapons to Israel in May 2024, including a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs. At the time, Netanyahu warned that Israel “will stand alone” if Washington halted weapons deliveries, reflecting concern that limits or delays in U.S. military support could undermine Israel’s readiness and deterrence.
Experts have noted that U.S. leaders have not always approved every Israeli weapons request and that roughly 70% of Israel’s military imports come from the United States, underscoring the strategic calculus behind Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent push for greater independent production.
Golov criticized that approach, arguing it risks prioritizing optics over readiness. “I believe that is a short-term vision,” Golov said. “In the long term, Israel must first be prepared for the next round of escalation. If we are not ready, we will face another war. If we are prepared, perhaps we can deter it.”
PENTAGON WARNS FUTURE WARS MAY HIT US SOIL AS ‘DIRECT MILITARY THREATS’ GROW
“Israel must remain the strongest army in the region, and that is also a fundamental American interest,” Golov said.
Ruhe said the debate reflects lessons learned from nearly two years of war. “You’ve got this sort of topsy-turvy world now where the Israelis are saying we don’t want to take any more U.S. money, and the Americans are saying, no, you’re going to take our money,” he said.
According to Ruhe, the conflict exposed vulnerabilities created by heavy dependence on U.S. supply chains and political delays.
“The war of the last two years showed that Israel can’t afford to be as dependent on the U.S. or continue to maintain the same defense partnership that it has because that creates a dependence,” he said. “Israel becomes vulnerable to U.S. shortages in weapons output or politically motivated embargoes and holdups that can impact Israel’s readiness.”
At the same time, Ruhe noted that Israel remains reliant on the United States for major platforms.
“Even Israel will say we’re utterly dependent on the U.S. for those big-ticket platforms,” he said, pointing to aircraft such as the F-15 and F-35 that Israel has already committed to purchasing.
For that reason, Ruhe argued that maintaining stable funding under the next MOU may be the most practical path forward.
“It’s actually much easier for Congress just to go ahead and approve that money,” he said, explaining that predictable funding reduces annual political battles on Capitol Hill.
TRUMP REWRITES NATIONAL SECURITY PLAYBOOK AS MASS MIGRATION OVERTAKES TERRORISM AS TOP US THREAT
Golov said Israel’s long-term objective should not be reducing ties with Washington, but deepening them. “I don’t want to reduce dependency,” he said. “I want to increase contribution to America.”
He described the emerging vision as a fundamental shift in how the alliance is structured. “We are moving from a 20th-century aid model to a 21st-century strategic merger,” Golov said. “Israel is the only partner that delivers a 400% return on investment without asking for a single American soldier.”
Golov said the proposed framework is built around three pillars: an industrial defense ecosystem, a joint technology ecosystem and a regional ecosystem connecting Israeli innovation, Gulf infrastructure and American power.
He emphasized that maintaining U.S. security assistance during the transition period is critical.
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“We need a final ten-year ‘bridge’ with the current security aid MOU,” Golov said. “A sudden cut would be a dangerous signal of American retreat to our enemies and may hinder IDF preparedness.”
“I don’t know who the next president of the United States will be,” he added. “This is where our enemies can read it in a very dangerous way.”
Rubio revokes Iranian officials’ US travel privileges over deadly protest crackdown killing thousands
Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently revoked Iranian senior officials and their family members’ privilege to travel to the U.S., citing ongoing oppression by the regime.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime is accused of killing more than 6,200 protesters since Dec. 28, with nearly 17,100 additional arrests as internet communications remain halted, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
“As the people of Iran continue to fight for their basic rights, [Rubio] took action this week to revoke the privilege of Iranian senior officials and their family members to be in the United States,” the State Department wrote in an X post.
“Those who profit from the Iranian regime’s brutal oppression are not welcome to benefit from our immigration system.”
IRAN’S TOP PROSECUTOR CRITICIZES TRUMP’S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT 800-PLUS EXECUTIONS WERE HALTED: ‘COMPLETELY FALSE’
In addition to the potential civil rights violations in Iran, tensions have flared between Khamenei and President Donald Trump as the U.S. attempts to strike a nuclear deal.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday the nation’s military is “prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea.”
Araghchi claimed Iran has “always welcomed” a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable nuclear deal that would ensure Iran’s rights to peaceful nuclear technology and guarantee no nuclear weapons.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘FINAL’ 25% TARIFF ON COUNTRIES DOING BUSINESS WITH IRAN REGIME
Trump fired back on Truth Social, warning a “massive” armada was heading to Iran “with speed and violence, if necessary.”
“Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” Trump wrote in a post. “As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again.”
The president said Thursday night it would be “great” if the U.S. did not have to use the military fleet.
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The State Department on Wednesday also demanded Tehran overturn the death penalty for 19-year-old Saleh Mohammadi, a decorated Iranian wrestler who was arrested while peacefully protesting against the regime earlier this month.
EU to list Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as terrorists; Germany warns of rapid action
The European Union (EU) moved Thursday to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization, and Germany pledged to make the decision legally binding as soon as possible.
The move also came alongside a new round of EU sanctions targeting Iranian officials and entities amid the violent crackdown on protests and mass killings that have swept across the country since Dec. 28.
Tehran’s military support for Russia was also included in the measures.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the designation and the sanctions package Thursday.
ARMED MILITIAS FIRE HEAVY MACHINE GUNS THROUGH TEHRAN STREETS IN DEADLY NIGHT ATTACKS
“I welcome the political agreement on new sanctions against the murderous Iranian regime,” von der Leyen wrote in a post on X. “And on the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization. This was long overdue.
“‘Terrorist’ is indeed how you call a regime that crushes its own people’s protests in blood. Europe stands with the people of Iran in their brave fight for freedom.”
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the EU would move quickly to implement the designation, calling it a strong political signal that reflected the scale of repression inside Iran.
“The next step will be the rapid implementation towards a legally binding listing,” Wadephul warned, adding that the EU stood “side by side with the Iranian people” against repression.
Wadephul accused the IRGC and its auxiliary forces of meeting protesters with extreme violence, carrying out executions and having a destabilizing role across the Middle East.
As of Thursday, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 6,373 confirmed fatalities, with an additional 17,091 deaths under review.
IRANIAN REGIME ELITES ALLEGEDLY MOVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT OF COUNTRY AMID SANCTIONS
The organization also cited continued communication restrictions, limited internet restoration and ongoing economic and social fallout, saying arrests and security pressure had entered what it described as a “post-crackdown phase.”
According to Reuters, EU foreign ministers also approved new human rights sanctions targeting Iranian “individuals and entities” linked to the suppression of protests.
Those sanctioned include Iran’s interior minister, senior IRGC commanders, police chiefs, judges from revolutionary courts and cyber officials involved in censorship and surveillance.
Some will also be sanctioned for “providing support” to Russia, Reuters noted.
LINDSEY GRAHAM CALLS FOR US TO USE ‘ANY MEANS NECESSARY’ TO STOP THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE KILLING OF IRANIANS
The U.S. designated the IRGC a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019. Canada followed in June 2024. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have also designated the IRGC a terrorist group.
Advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) welcomed the EU’s move and urged swift implementation, calling on the U.K. to follow suit.
“UANI applauds the EU for announcing its intention to designate the IRGC, the Islamic Republic’s ideological army, as the terrorists that they are,” the group said in a statement.
“We now urge the United Kingdom to proscribe the IRGC, following the lead of the EU, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The IRGC must be denied the ability to operate with impunity abroad.”
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Reacting to the news, Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, criticized the EU’s designation.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is one of the strongest and most effective anti-terrorism forces in the world; only those who stand on the side of the terrorists themselves could deny the IRGC’s record in the fight against ISIS terrorism,” he said in a post on X.
State Department demands Iran halt execution of 19-year-old wrestling star
Iran is seeking to execute a decorated Iranian wrestler for merely peacefully protesting against the regime in early January, prompting the U.S. State Department on Wednesday to demand that Tehran overturn the death penalty for 19-year-old Saleh Mohammadi.
Wrestling is a national pastime in Iran and a sport liked by President Donald Trump, who sought to save the life of champion Iranian Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari in 2020. The clerical regime in Iran executed Afkari for his 2018 role in a demonstration against the economic and political corruption of the theocratic state.
According to the official X account for the State Department in Farsi, a post on Wednesday read: “The United States is deeply concerned by reports that 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution. The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future. We call on the Iranian regime to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi and all those sentenced to death for exercising their fundamental rights. #SalehMohammadi #StopExecutionsInIran #HumanRights #IranProtest.”
The Iranian American, Sardar Pashaei, who won a Greco-Roman wrestling world championship title for Iran and coached the country’s elite Greco-Roman team, told Fox News Digital, “In less than 10 days, the Iranian regime shot dead more than 30 athletes across the country. The youngest was just 15 years old. The victims included youth athletes, national champions, coaches and international referees. Every one of them was killed by gunfire.”
IRAN ACCUSED OF SEX ASSAULTS ON TEENAGE PRISONERS, WHILE FAMILIES CHARGED TO RECOVER REMAINS OF LOVED ONES
He added that his organization, Hiwa, “has documented only confirmed cases. Many more athletes remain missing, imprisoned, or at risk of torture and execution, while families across Iran continue searching for loved ones with no answers or justice.” He praised the State Department’s actions in publicly calling for Saleh Mohammadi’s release.
FORMER IRANIAN PRISONERS REVEAL TORTURE HORRORS AS REGIME KILLS PROTESTERS ON SIGHT DURING CRACKDOWN
Pashaei continued, “A regime that jails, tortures and murders its own athletes has no place in the international sporting community. Sport must never be used to whitewash blood. Hiwa is preparing an official letter demanding that the International Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling suspend and ban Iran from all international competitions.”
Security forces for the Islamic Republic seized Olympic wrestler Alireza Nejati, who has won medals in world championships, after he posted a social media message to his more than 78,000 Instagram followers. The regime imprisoned Nejati and reportedly tortured him.
“I wish everyone a beautiful weekend full of success and good vibes,” the 27-year-old Greco-Roman wrestling champion wrote on Jan. 7. He concluded his message with, “This is the end.”
Fox News Digital sent email press queries and conducted telephone calls to the UWW.
An IOC spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, “Sadly, today’s world is divided and full of conflicts and tragedies. The IOC cares deeply about the situation of athletes all around the globe and is concerned every time it learns of individual cases of mistreatment. At this moment in time, we are particularly concerned about the situation of Iranian athletes impacted by the events unfolding in their country – as we are with all athletes who face conflict and tragedies elsewhere in the world. Unfortunately, these situations are more regularly brought to our attention due to the increasingly divided world in which we live.”
The spokesperson continued, “The IOC is a sports organization whose remit and success is based on bringing the world together in peaceful competition. We have to be realistic about the IOC’s ability to directly influence global and national affairs. At the same time, we will continue to work with our Olympic stakeholders to help where we can, often through quiet sport diplomacy. The IOC remains in touch with the Olympic community from Iran.”
IRAN TO EXECUTE 2ND WRESTLER, SPARKING OUTRAGE FROM US STATE DEPARTMENT
Foreign Desk editor-in-chief, Lisa Daftari, who is a leading expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital, “Saleh Mohammadi is a 19‑year‑old athlete whose only ‘crime’ was to stand with his people, yet he now faces an imminent death sentence designed to make an example out of him and terrify an entire nation. His imminent execution would not be justice, it would be a warning shot at every young Iranian who dares dream of freedom — and the world’s response will show protesters whether they are truly alone or not.”
She added, “By threatening to kill its youth — its athletes, artists, musicians and brightest minds — the regime is making clear that it does not see the Iranian people as its future, but as a threat to be silenced.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for a comment.
Iran to hold live-fire drills in Strait of Hormuz with US armada in Middle East
Iran will conduct live-fire military drills next week in the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump announced a U.S. armada was on its way to the region amid escalating tensions with Tehran.
The exercises will be carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ naval forces, Iranian state media reported Thursday.
The announcement came one day after Trump said a large naval force, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, was heading toward Iran.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, the president warned Tehran to quickly return to negotiations over its nuclear program, saying the fleet was prepared to act with “speed and violence” if necessary.
US OPENS NEW AIR DEFENSE OPERATIONS CELL AT QATAR BASE THAT IRAN TARGETED IN RETALIATORY ATTACK
“Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran,” he wrote. “The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again.”
The U.S. struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in June using B-2 bombers and Tomahawk missiles.
The bombers flew for 37 hours non-stop from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to drop 12 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Fordow and two on Natanz.
TOP IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TO ‘CUT OFF’ TRUMP’S HAND OVER POTENTIAL MILITARY STRIKES
More than two dozen cruise missiles were also launched at Isfahan from a U.S. submarine.
Trump is weighing military action against Tehran, as U.S. assets move into the region amid international scrutiny over a crackdown by the Islamic regime that has killed thousands of anti-government protesters.
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Iran warned last week that it would respond “with everything we have” to any new U.S. military attack, accusing Washington and its allies of exploiting recent unrest to push the region toward a wider war.
“As Iranians grieve their loved ones and rebuild what has been destroyed, another threat looms: the final failure of diplomacy. Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack,” Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said,.
Iran responds to Trump pressure with warning of retaliation: ‘Fingers on the trigger’
As President Donald Trump pressures Iran to strike a nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister warned that the nation’s military is ready to retaliate against any possible “aggression.”
“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea. The valuable lessons learned from the 12-Day War have enabled us to respond even more strongly, rapidly, and profoundly,” Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned in a Wednesday post on X.
He claimed that Iran is open to a deal and has never attempted to obtain nuclear weapons.
TRUMP PRESSURES IRAN TO ‘COME TO THE TABLE’ AS ‘MASSIVE’ US ARMADA DRAWS NEAR
“At the same time, Iran has always welcomed a mutually beneficial, fair and equitable NUCLEAR DEAL — on equal footing, and free from coercion, threats, and intimidation — which ensures Iran’s rights to PEACEFUL nuclear technology, and guarantees NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Such weapons have no place in our security calculations, and we have NEVER sought to acquire them,” Araghchi alleged.
In a Wednesday Truth Social post, Trump warned Iran that “time is running out” as U.S. warships move to the Middle East.
GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN; US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: ‘HEIGHTENED RISK’
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully, Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!” the president warned.
“As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded in a post on X.
TRUMP THREATENS TO END IRAQ SUPPORT OVER AL-MALIKI COMEBACK BID TIED TO IRAN INFLUENCE
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“Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests — BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN asserted in the post.
Federal judge gives man 15 years for Iran-backed assassination plot on US soil
A federal judge sentenced a would-be assassin to the maximum 15 years in prison for plotting to kill an Iranian American journalist in New York on behalf of Iran’s government.
U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman said the defendant, Carlisle Rivera, caused “great harm” to American journalist and human rights activist Masih Alinejad and her husband, calling the messages Rivera exchanged while planning the 2024 Brooklyn attack “chilling.”
Alinejad told the court the repeated assassination attempts against her were not just personal threats, but attacks on Americans and U.S. sovereignty.
“I’m just a woman,” she said. “My weapon is my voice. My weapon is my social media.”
IRAN WILL RETALIATE ‘WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE’ IF US ATTACKS, SENIOR DIPLOMAT WARNS
She urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence to deter future plots “targeting U.S. citizens on U.S. soil.”
Before sentencing, Rivera, 51, apologized, telling the judge, “I’m deeply sorry for my actions.”
In a brief courtroom moment, Rivera’s fiancée approached Alinejad during a recess, sobbing and apologizing. Alinejad later said she told the woman she was fighting not only for herself, but “for all Americans.”
SECRET SERVICE AWARE AFTER IRANIAN STATE TV AIRS TRUMP THREAT FEATURING PHOTO OF BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Outside the Manhattan courthouse, Alinejad warned that the violence used to silence dissidents in Iran must not be allowed to spread to the United States. Holding a tablet showing images of Iranians killed during protests, she said Americans should not ignore the regime’s reach.
She also called on President Donald Trump to take stronger action against Iran’s leadership, comparing the regime to Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. military operation earlier this year and brought to New York on drug trafficking charges.
“Removing terrorists is not tragedy. It’s a sign of justice,” Alinejad said, adding she does not support bombing Iran but wants its leaders removed.
She noted that U.S. authorities have said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard was behind multiple plots to kill her, as well as a separate plot targeting Trump. Tehran has denied the allegations.
Alinejad fled Iran in 2009 after the country’s disputed presidential election and became a U.S. citizen in 2019. She rose to prominence through campaigns encouraging Iranian women to defy the regime’s mandatory headscarf law and has since become a global advocate for women’s rights.
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Last year, two men were convicted and sentenced to 25 years for plotting to kidnap and kill her in 2022. Prosecutors said Iran placed a $500,000 bounty on her head.
Trump threatens to end Iraq support over al-Maliki comeback bid tied to Iran influence
President Donald Trump appealed to Iraqis on Tuesday to not reinstate the controversial former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to a new term because of his alleged corruption and severe mismanagement of the country’s economy and security situation.
Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: “I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!”
A parliamentary session was slated for Tuesday to elect a president, who would then appoint the prime minister. The meeting was canceled because of a lack of a quorum.
IRAQI STATE BANK ACCUSED OF PROCESSING PAYMENTS FOR HOUTHI TERRORISTS WHO DISRUPT RED SEA COMMERCE
Al-Maliki fired back at Trump on Wednesday, stating, “We reject the blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty.”
The Trump administration vehemently opposes al-Maliki attempts to secure a third term because of his close ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran — a state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the U.S. State Department.
Al-Maliki’s previous premiership (2006 to 2014) was plagued by sectarian violence, including his reported failure to form an inclusive government that did not discriminate against Iraqi Kurds and Sunni Muslims in favor of Shiite Muslims.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told caretaker Prime Minister al-Sudani on Sunday that the U.S. was concerned about a pro-Iran government seizing control of the Iraqi state.
“The Secretary emphasized that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq,” said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
MYSTERY SURROUNDS VISIT TO DC OF IRAN-BACKED IRAQI JUDGE WHO ISSUED WARRANT FOR TRUMP’S ARREST
Al-Maliki ended his second term in 2014 after the Obama administration’s growing frustration with his security blind spots that saw the rise of the Islamic State in the same year across a large swathe of Iraqi and Syrian territory.
Al-Sudani secured the most seats in November’s parliamentary elections but withdrew his candidacy this month. The 75-year-old al-Maliki, from the Shiite Islamist Dawa Party, tossed his hat in the political ring and won the support of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shia parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.
Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy prime minister of Iraq, told Fox News Digital that “Iran has exercised tremendous influence over Iraq. Ayatollah Khamenei personally ‘blessed’ Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination. Even if Maliki is ultimately dropped, Iran will simply nominate another candidate who is secretly acceptable to Washington. That individual may even be given leeway to say the right things publicly in order to appease the U.S., while remaining fully aligned with Tehran behind the scenes.”
Qanbar, who worked as a civil engineer in Iraq, added, “As for the Iraqi elections, the process itself has been systematically engineered to ensure that Iran’s proxies win without meaningful resistance. These elections are not contests between Iranian-backed factions and genuine alternatives; rather, they are mechanisms to divide votes among groups already approved by Iran. Any real dissent has been banned, imprisoned, or eliminated.”
He noted that “I have often used the analogy that Iraqi elections resemble a soccer match with only one goal, no goalkeeper and only one team allowed on the field,” and warned, “the United States fails to see these structural manipulations.”
An Iraqi Kurdish official also echoed the view that Iran has gained greater control of Iraqi power politics. The official told Fox News Digital that, “Under Sudani’s government, Iran’s proxies have doubled on the state payroll and receive over $3 billion a year. He established the Muhandes company — the PMF’s investment wing, securing public contracts and buying weapons.”
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is an umbrella organization of Shiite militias loyal to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The PMF wields enormous power in Iraq.
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The Iraqi Kurdish official said, “Economically, Iran’s oil blending in Basra has been formalized with official state support. Financially, Iraq’s state and private banks have funneled billions in U.S. dollar bills into Iran under Sudani, bringing Tehran critical relief against U.S. sanctions.”
The official added, “Iran, of course, has always been ahead of the curve in Iraq. When the pro-Western candidate Ayad Allawi beat Maliki in the 2010 elections, it was the Americans who handed Maliki a second term — an odd moment of alignment with Iran against their own preferred outcome.” He said he hopes the U.S. won’t make the same mistake again.
Gulf shipping operations grind to halt near Iran; US quietly prepares for possible strike: ‘Heightened risk’
Shipping in the Persian Gulf dipped sharply Wednesday as tensions with Iran intensified amid signs the U.S. was positioning military forces for a potential strike, according to maritime intelligence assessments.
The U.S. Navy’s USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Monday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Digital, as President Donald Trump continued to keep military options on the table.
“At this stage, it remains ambiguous, and probably intentionally ambiguous, what the objectives and desired outcomes are of any U.S. military action,” Ambrey Intelligence’s Robert Peters told Fox News Digital.
“This means that there are a wider range of possibilities and retaliatory scenarios under consideration.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘FINAL’ 25% TARIFF ON COUNTRIES DOING BUSINESS WITH IRAN REGIME
“That said, there are five U.S.-flagged merchant vessels, tankers and cargo ships in the Gulf today — two transited the Strait of Hormuz earlier without any apparent issues — but those already in the Gulf and destined for the U.S. are at heightened risk,” he added.
Trump, who earlier this week indicated “numerous” calls were received from Iran, also posted about the situation on Truth Social Wednesday morning.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela,” he wrote.
IRAN POSES A FAR MORE DANGEROUS MILITARY TEST FOR THE US THAN VENEZUELA, EXPERTS WARN
“Like with Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!”
The post came as the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported the death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has surpassed 6,200 since the outset Dec. 28.
The organization said nearly 17,100 more were under investigation with “a continuation of both scattered and mass arrests” as internet restrictions continue.
TRUMP THREATENS IRAN WITH CRUSHING RESPONSE AS TEHRAN DENIES HALTING PROTEST EXECUTIONS
Peters meanwhile, claimed that “shipping companies have been advised to reduce aggregate risk when operating in the Arabian/Persian Gulf.
“This means limiting the number of ships that could be exposed to retaliatory action, and sometimes ships will await further instructions closer to their next port in the Gulf,” he said. “At this point, it is more appropriate to wait further away in case of an escalation.”
Ali Shamkhani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Wednesday that any military action by the U.S. from any origin and at any level “will be regarded as the start of a war, and the response will be immediate, all-out, and unprecedented, targeting the heart of Tel Aviv and all those who support the aggressor,” according to Iran International.
IRAN STRIKES COULD SIGNAL LIMITS OF BEIJING, MOSCOW’S POWER AS US FLEXES STRENGTH
“Our brave Armed Forces are prepared — with their fingers on the trigger — to immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression against our beloved land, air, and sea,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.
With tensions rising in the region, Peters described how shipowners may be approached by cargo charterers to load cargo in the Gulf.
“Then they will make the decision to avoid the Gulf for the time being until the tensions reduce,” Peters added. “Interestingly, last year the Iranians did not take retaliatory action in the maritime sphere. Israeli shipping was already avoiding the Gulf, and the U.S. military action was highly targeted at the nuclear capabilities.”
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But Peters warned that the situation “may see something similar again. If there is a much broader, regime-destabilizing operation, the effects could be considerable for wider shipping.
“During periods like this, we tend to see greater risk aversion and inquiries from those asked to pick up cargo for U.S. charterers and destined for the U.S.,” he added.