US talking to Iran as Trump weighs strikes
Donald Trump said the US was talking to Iran and suggested the two countries were trying to negotiate a deal.
Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, President Trump said the US could not share its military plans with Gulf allies due to security reasons.
Trump said: ‘‘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.
‘‘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.’’
(AP)
Harriette Boucher1 February 2026 00:02
Girl, 4, dies in Iran explosion a day before Strait of Hormuz naval drill
An explosion ripped through an apartment building in Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, claiming the life of a four-year-old girl.
Local media footage reportedly showed a member of the security forces being carried out by rescuers in the aftermath of the blast.
The incident occurred just a day before Iran’s planned naval drill in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes.
Harriette Boucher31 January 2026 23:01
Watch: Hegseth warns Iran against developing nuclear weapons, saying US military ‘prepared to deliver’Hegseth warns Iran against developing nuclear weapons, saying US military ‘prepared to deliver’
Harriette Boucher31 January 2026 22:01
What is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard? The force labelled a ‘terrorist group’ by the EU
Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has become a formidable entity within the nation’s theocracy.
The force oversees the country’s ballistic missile arsenal and has been linked to attacks overseas.
This week, the European Union moved to declare the Guard a terrorist organisation. The designation comes in response to its role in the brutal crackdown on nationwide protests across Iran earlier this month.
Here’s what to know about the Guard:
James Reynolds31 January 2026 21:00
Recap: Israel denies involvement in two blasts across Iran
A gas leak caused an explosion at a building in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported, citing the local fire department chief.
At least one person was killed and 14 injured in the explosion in the blast. It came as four people were killed in a gas explosion at a residential building in Ahvaz, in the west of the country, according to the state-run Tehran Times.
It was unclear what had caused the blast. Two Israeli sources promptly told Reuters that Israel was not involved, amid heightened tensions between Iran, the US and Israel.
Damage after an explosion in a building in Bandar Abbas, a port in southern Iran (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)
James Reynolds31 January 2026 20:00
Analysis: Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back
Trump may be very proud of his ‘armada’ off the coast of Iran but the US president could look good, back a winner, and support his allies by leaving Tehran alone and helping Ukraine win instead, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley:
Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back
Trump may be very proud of his ‘armada’ off the coast of Iran but the US president could look good, back a winner, and support his allies by leaving Tehran alone and helping Ukraine win instead, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley
James Reynolds31 January 2026 19:00
Iranian official says work on framework for negotiations with US is underway
A top Iranian security official has said that work on a framework for negotiations with the United States was progressing.
In a post on social media on Saturday, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said: “Contrary to the atmosphere being created by artificial media warfare, the formation of a structure for #negotiations is underway.”
It follows comments from Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, who said the country was ready for “fair and equitable” talks.
“Iran has no problem with negotiations, but negotiations cannot take place under the shadow of threats,” he said.
Harriette Boucher31 January 2026 18:25
Recap: US warns Iran as Tehran announces naval exercise in Strait of Hormuz
The US warned Iran that it “will not tolerate unsafe” actions in the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran announced a two-day live-fire naval exercise there.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) urged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to conduct its naval exercise “in a manner that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk to freedom of navigation for international maritime traffic”.
“Any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near US forces, regional partners or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilisation,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
“We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions, including overflight of US military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of US military assets when intentions are unclear, high-speed boat approaches on a collision course with US military vessels, or weapons trained at US forces,” it said.
James Reynolds31 January 2026 18:00
The potential outcomes if Trump strikes Iran
Donald Trump has renewed his threat of military action against Iran, urging the Islamic Republic to make a ‘deal’ or face the consequences with a “massive armada” already en route to the region.
Here are the potential outcomes if Trump does strike Iran:
James Reynolds31 January 2026 17:00
Omid Djalili: Iranians will fight to the very end against this regimeOmid Djalili: Iranians will fight to the very end against this regime
James Reynolds31 January 2026 16:00