Iran says US must ‘prove they want to do a deal’ on nuclear talks in Geneva

Iran claims it is open to compromise with the U.S. on a nuclear deal if the administration is willing to discuss lifting sanctions, a senior Iranian official said Sunday.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, also said in an interview that the ball was “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal,” adding: “If they are sincere, I’m sure we will be on the road to an agreement.”

“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our program if they are ready to talk about sanctions,” Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC.

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Takht-Ravanchi’s comments came as Iran’s top diplomat traveled to Geneva for a second round of indirect talks with the U.S. delegation.

Abbas Araghchi left for the Swiss city following an initial round of negotiations last week with Oman again mediating the next round of talks, according to Iranian state media and The Associated Press.

U.S. officials, however, have emphasized that Iran — not the U.S. — is holding up progress in negotiations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Feb. 14 that President Donald Trump would prefer to reach an agreement but warned it was “very hard to do” one with Iran.

Past diplomatic efforts had collapsed in 2025 after Israel launched what became a 12-day war with Iran and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

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But on Sunday, Takht-Ravanchi pointed to Tehran’s offer to dilute its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity as evidence of its willingness to compromise, the BBC reported.

Asked whether Iran would ship its stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium abroad, as it did under the 2015 deal, Takht-Ravanchi said it was “too early to say what will happen in the course of negotiations.”

One of Iran’s main demands is that talks focus on the nuclear issue. “Our understanding is that they have come to the conclusion that if you want to have a deal you have to focus on the nuclear issue,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

Takht-Ravanchi also said the “issue of zero enrichment is not an issue anymore and as far as Iran is concerned, it is not on the table anymore.”

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Trump has since threatened further military action if a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program cannot be reached.

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The U.S. has also reinforced its military presence in the region amid heightened tensions and after spiraling protests across the country in December left thousands reportedly dead at the hands of the clerical regime.

Zelenskyy ally arrested trying to flee Ukraine as massive corruption probe deepens

Ukraine’s former energy minister was detained Sunday after authorities removed him from a train at the border as he allegedly attempted to flee the country, a source has confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Herman Halushchenko’s arrest, the source said, followed requests from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and marked an uptick in an anti-corruption probe engulfing the political spectrum.

“Halushchenko tried to escape Ukraine,” the source said under the condition of anonymity.

“The border guards had a request from NABU and SAPO about him and also to get information in case he tried to cross the border,” they added.

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“This essentially means that because he tried to cross, the president has lost some control here.”

NABU released a statement on the matter Sunday but did not name Halushchenko, according to the Kyiv Post.  

He had served as the country’s energy minister under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but resigned in November.

“Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives have detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the ‘Midas’ case,” the agency said in a statement, referring to a corruption scandal in the country’s energy sector.

“Initial investigative proceedings are ongoing, carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law and court sanctions. Details to follow,” NABU added.

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Operation Midas centers on allegations of a $100 million embezzlement scheme within Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company.

Investigators say funds meant for critical energy infrastructure, including wartime grid repairs after Russian attacks, were siphoned off through contract kickbacks.

Halushchenko was one of several ministers who resigned in 2025 as NABU uncovered what it described as the massive money-laundering scheme orchestrated by Tymur Mindich, also an ally of Zelenskyy.

The controversy has also affected border operations. Border head Serhiy Deineko was dismissed in January, the Kyiv Independent reported.

On Jan. 4, Valerii Vavryniuk, the agency’s first deputy, was appointed acting head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), according to to Pravda.

“The last border head had also been accused of corruption,” the source said. “There is a new acting head of the border service who is not loyal to Zelenskyy but more so to the institutions.”

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The source also said since Halushchenko was considered an “unofficial but direct subordinate” of Zelenskyy, this latest arrest will prove difficult for Ukraine’s leader.

“Halushchenko had been [an] (unofficial but direct) subordinate to Zelenskyy, so if his corruption is proven then it will be hard to convince people the president knew nothing,” they said.

“With the corruption probes, Zelenskyy loses control and this infuriates him,” the source added.

The developments come as Zelenskyy continues to navigate Ukraine’s war with Russia.

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The source described high emotion inside the Ukraine parliament with Zelenskyy’s “stress rising” in the wake of Herman Halushchenko’s arrest.

“Recently Zelenskyy became angry over initiatives in parliament that were not pushed through, and he shouted and threatened parliamentarians,” the source said.

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“This week he appeared quite emotionally uncontrollable and almost aggressive behind the camera, so some parliamentarians have seen his stress rise many times recently – and more than pre-war levels,” they said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Zelenskyy’s office for comment.

Iranian American comedian Max Amini sheds light on ‘unimaginable’ oppression in Iran ahead of historic show

As Max Amini prepares to become the first Iranian American comedian to headline Madison Square Garden on Sunday, he spoke with Fox News Digital about what he described as the “unimaginable” oppression facing the Iranian people under the Islamic Republic’s regime.

Born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1981 to a Persian family, Amini has always felt a deep connection to the country his parents grew up in and to the culture in which he was raised.

“I was born into this family who… promoted the Iranian culture in a very positive way to us,” he told Fox News Digital. “So I learned all the best things about my culture. And I was very lucky to be raised in America — in an environment that was very patriotic.”

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Iran’s citizens have taken to the streets in mass protests against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s regime in recent weeks, with reports claiming thousands of people have been killed as the regime cracks down on the protests. The protests come as the nation faces unrest over economic grievances and political repression.

As arguably the most popular Iranian American comedian in the world, Amini has taken it upon himself to advocate against the horrors facing the people of Iran, and to “promote the idea [of] how important it is to respect human rights.”

“Freedom is something that today we understand is the most important thing for any human. If you can imagine how hard it is to be in any country as someone who lives in this beautiful country, can you imagine that they strip away all your rights?” he questioned.

“You’re afraid of what you’re saying. You can’t do simple things in life – singing, dancing. You know, basic, basic things that we take for granted. Women cannot sing or dance in public. They cannot go out with their significant other freely and people cannot exercise their beliefs, certain religions,” Amini continued. “It’s very unimaginable for people who live in a free country, like the U.S. or European countries, that have so much respect for human rights.”

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The comedian argued that there’s nothing “Islamic” or anything resembling a “Republic” in Iran under the Islamic Republic’s leadership, and that “Iranian people are very different” from the government that rules over them.

“They’re a terrorist group, they’re a mafia, and they’re absolutely brutal. They’re killing their own people,” he said of the Iranian government.

Amini described the Iranian people as vibrant and modern, despite how they are sometimes portrayed by the media.

“They’re fun, they’re hip, they’re fashion forward. When you understand just their taste of music and the way they enjoy their gatherings and how they live, you’ll be surprised [by] what the media shows and what the reality is,” he told Fox News Digital. “So I hope everybody gets a chance to see that soon.”

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Amini described the solution to the situation unfolding in Iran as a “rescue mission,” and said, “We need to go in that country and rescue the kidnapped people by a terrorist regime.”

“The number [of protesters killed] is massive and for a human to be living in a country where if they go out, they’re guaranteed to be murdered, foreign countries should take this seriously,” he contended. 

“Historically, when a country is held in this situation, they are held hostage. There is a regime that is absolutely brutal and they are killing their own people. The intervention is a must. And the rescue mission is the most beautiful act a country can do for these people,” Amini continued. “They’re screaming. They’re screaming out for help.”

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Although those living outside Iran may feel that what’s happening hundreds or thousands of miles away has no impact on their lives, Amini argued that history suggests otherwise.

“We think the other side of the world is not going to affect us, but now if you look at the history of just the last 20–30 years, as Americans, we’ve been so affected by some of the most corrupt things [that are] happening on the other side of the world,” he maintained. “I hope soon we reach much better connections with humanity.”