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US Inches Toward War With Iran as Trump Says Tehran ‘Can’t Say the Sacred Phrase’

The nation inched closer to war with Iran Tuesday as President Trump signaled Tehran isn’t playing ball with his demands to abandon all nuclear enrichment.

Trump claimed to network news anchors over lunch that Iran “desperately wants a deal” — but “can’t say” it despite the president’s massive naval firepower assembled offshore.

“Iran desperately wants a deal. But Iran just can’t say the sacred phrase ‘we won’t build nuclear weapons,’” Trump said at the traditional pre-State of the Union lunch, Fox News anchor Bret Baier reported.

Trump told media bigwigs, however, that there would be “important negotiations Thursday in Geneva.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, meanwhile, briefed eight senior members of Congress Tuesday afternoon on possible attacks. (Read more from “US Inches Toward War With Iran as Trump Says Tehran ‘Can’t Say the Sacred Phrase’” HERE)

Report: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Warns Trump of Deep and Serious Risks If U.S. Strikes Iran

As President Donald Trump considers whether and how to conduct military strikes against Iran ahead of another round of talks in Geneva, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine has advised the president and senior officials that such action could carry significant risks, including the possibility of a prolonged conflict, according to Axios.

Axios reported that Gen. Caine has advised Trump and top members of his national security team that a military campaign against Iran could carry serious consequences, including the possibility of the United States becoming entangled in a prolonged conflict. The account was based on conversations with five sources who either attended or were briefed on high-level internal meetings.

According to Axios, Caine has not advocated for a strike but would execute any decision the president ultimately makes. One source described him as a “reluctant warrior” in discussions about Iran, contrasting his posture with his support for the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. While Caine was described as fully supportive of the Venezuela operation, two sources told Axios he has been more cautious regarding Iran because he views the stakes as higher and the risks of entanglement and American casualties as greater.

Another source with direct knowledge of Caine’s thinking told Axios that the chairman is not opposed to a military campaign but is “clear-eyed and realistic” about the likelihood of success and what could unfold once a conflict begins. A senior official pushed back on suggestions that Caine had voiced skepticism.

Joint Staff spokesman Joe Holstead told Axios that, in his advisory capacity, the chairman presents “a range of military options” along with “secondary considerations and associated impacts and risks,” and does so confidentially. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly remarked in a written statement that Caine is a “talented and highly-valued” member of Trump’s national security team and that the president hears “a host of opinions” before deciding what he believes best protects U.S. national security. (Read more from “Report: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Warns Trump of Deep and Serious Risks If U.S. Strikes Iran” HERE)

Iran Has Promised Trump Its Oil Riches. It Could Be a Clever Ploy to Avoid War

Iran has put something unprecedented on the negotiating table with the United States as it tries to avoid war and save its nuclear enrichment programme.

The Islamic Republic has offered Donald Trump access to the oil and gas wealth it has guarded from the US since the 1979 revolution.

The question is whether Tehran means it, or whether veteran Iranian diplomats are preparing to execute a sophisticated con game to pacify the US president.

The talks are aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions that have devastated its economy.

Mr Trump has warned Tehran that it has 10 to 15 days to make a “meaningful deal” with Washington, or face American air strikes. (Read more from “Iran Has Promised Trump Its Oil Riches. It Could Be a Clever Ploy to Avoid War” HERE)

Trump ‘Identifies Timeline for Strike on Iran’ as World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier Heads to the Middle East

Donald Trump could make a decision on military strikes in Iran soon, with the US military ready to potentially launch an attack by this weekend.

American military assets have been building up in the Middle East in recent days ahead of a possible strike, CNN reported.

‘He is spending a lot of time thinking about this,’ a source told the network, adding that Trump has found himself arguing both in favor of and against the military action.

Trump has also spent the recent days taking informal polls of his aides and military advisors over what to do, but it remains unclear when the president will make the final call. . .

Earlier Wednesday, it was revealed the president is on the verge of greenlighting a ‘massive, weeks-long’ military campaign against Iran that would be seen as all out war. (Read more from “Trump ‘Identifies Timeline for Strike on Iran’ as World’s Largest Aircraft Carrier Heads to the Middle East” HERE)

Iran, US Agree on ‘Guiding Principles’ of Nuclear Deal, as Vance Says Dismantling Atomic Program Among ‘Red Lines’

American and Iranian negotiators have hashed out “guiding principles” for an agreement during the second round of talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, according to Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“We were able to reach a general agreement on a set of guiding principles, based on which we will proceed from now on and move toward drafting a potential agreement,” Araghchi told state TV earlier from Geneva, where the talks were held.

“This does not mean that we can quickly reach a final agreement, but at least the path has begun.”

A US official agreed that “progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss. The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions.”

Vice President JD Vance told Fox News Tuesday afternoon that “in some ways” the talks went well, “but in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.” (Read more from “Iran, US Agree on ‘Guiding Principles’ of Nuclear Deal, as Vance Says Dismantling Atomic Program Among ‘Red Lines’” HERE)

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Reports: Iran Crackdown Among Deadliest in Modern Times; 36,000+ Dead, Hospital Executions, Stuffed Alive in Body Bags

A two-day crackdown that new reporting says killed as many as 36,500 Iranians — a death toll placing it among the deadliest short-term mass killings documented in modern history — followed an order by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to mercilessly crush nationwide protests “by any means necessary,” including accounts of wounded civilians executed inside hospitals, living victims stuffed in body bags, and a surgeon who described the scenes as a “nightmare” unlike anything he had seen.

A wave of major investigations published Sunday provides the clearest account yet of how the Islamic Republic responded after protests that began on December 28, initially sparked by merchant strikes in Tehran before spreading nationwide amid economic collapse and political repression.

Among the most chilling new revelations, The Media Line reports that Iranian security forces shoved wounded protesters — still alive — into body bags, transported them to forensic facilities, and executed those who showed signs of life.

The outlet cited testimony from the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, which documented the case of a young protester who survived by pretending to be dead inside a body bag, hearing gunshots as security forces executed wounded civilians who moved or moaned. The survivor remained motionless for three days, escaping only after families stormed the facility in search of loved ones.

A forensic medicine specialist in Tehran told the outlet that wounded protesters were piled atop one another in hospital corridors, transferred alive to morgues, and placed in body bags, describing brutality by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps so severe that many healthcare workers suffered psychological shock. Medical staff reported seeing bodies with oxygen tubes, ECG leads, and catheters still attached — evidence, they said, that patients were removed mid-treatment and left to die or executed. (Read more from “Reports: Iran Crackdown Among Deadliest in Modern Times; 36,000+ Dead, Hospital Executions, Stuffed Alive in Body Bags” HERE)

Iran Accused of Killing 16,500 in Sweeping ‘Genocide’ Crackdown, Report Says

Iranian protesters are facing their deadliest days yet as security forces unleash mass killings and executions in a sweeping crackdown some have labeled “genocide,” new reports say.

According to The Sunday Times, a report compiled by doctors entrenched in the region and reviewed by the outlet, estimates that security forces have killed at least 16,500 protesters and injured more than 330,000 others.

The report also described the violence as an “utter slaughter,” warning that the true toll may be even higher due to restricted access to hospitals and the near-total shutdown of communications.

Most of the victims, the report says, are believed to be under the age of 30, underscoring the heavy toll on Iran’s younger generation as the regime intensifies its efforts to crush dissent.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged Sunday that “several thousands” have been killed since protests erupted Dec. 28. (Read more from “Iran Accused of Killing 16,500 in Sweeping ‘Genocide’ Crackdown, Report Says” HERE)

Trump and Netanyahu Discussed Iran in Second Phone Call

President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone Thursday evening to discuss the situation in Iran, according to two sources with knowledge of the call.

Why it matters: It’s their second call in two days as Trump reviews his options for a possible military strike or diplomatic negotiations with an Iranian regime rocked by widespread protest and upheaval.

The White House and the prime minister’s office declined to comment.

Driving the news: During their first call on Wednesday, Netanyahu asked Trump to hold off on military action against Iran to give Israel more time to prepare for potential Iranian retaliation.

It was one of the reasons Trump decided to delay orders for the U.S. military to move forward with a strike against Iran. (Read more from “Trump and Netanyahu Discussed Iran in Second Phone Call” HERE)

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Iran Issues Direct Assassination Threat Against President Trump

Iran broadcast a chilling threat against President Donald Trump on Wednesday, airing an image of the U.S. leader from the 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt with a stark warning: “This time it will not miss the target.”

The message appeared on Iranian state-run television and was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), marking what observers say is Tehran’s most explicit threat yet against the American president.

The image reportedly showed Trump bloodied from the 2024 campaign rally shooting in which he was struck in the ear by gunman Thomas Crooks. The photo was displayed during a pro-government rally in Iran, events that continue to be broadcast despite nationwide communications blackouts imposed amid ongoing anti-regime protests.

The threat comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran reach new highs. Trump has repeatedly condemned Iran’s violent crackdown on demonstrators and warned that the United States could take military action if the regime continues targeting protesters.

This is not the first time Iran has issued threats against Trump. In 2022, Iranian media released a video depicting a mock assassination attempt on Trump at his Mar-a-Lago golf course. That video resurfaced in 2024 after the arrest of Ryan Routh, who was apprehended while allegedly attempting to attack Trump at the same location.

U.S. authorities have also warned of real-world Iranian plots targeting the former and current president. The Justice Department revealed in 2024 that it had disrupted an alleged assassination plan directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Court documents stated that Iranian operative Farhad Shakeri had been tasked with organizing an effort to kill Trump.

The latest threat was broadcast as pro-regime rallies took place across Iran, with participants seen holding anti-American signs and chanting “Death to America!” in support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian officials have encouraged such demonstrations in an effort to counter widespread public anger over the country’s economic crisis.

Since late December, Iran has been rocked by massive protests sparked by inflation, unemployment, and government corruption. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, more than 2,500 people have been killed in the regime’s crackdown, with thousands more arrested.

The unrest has sharply increased friction between Iran and the United States. Trump has openly supported the protesters and warned that military action remains an option if Tehran continues to brutalize its citizens.

Report: U.S. Military Intervention in Iran Could Begin Within 24 Hours — Bases Pull Personnel, Shift Posture Across Region

President Donald Trump is weighing imminent military action against Iran that could come “in the next 24 hours,” according to a Reuters report citing European officials, as the Pentagon begins pulling personnel from key U.S. bases across the Middle East and Tehran warns it would retaliate if Washington strikes.

The Reuters report, published Wednesday, said two European officials assessed U.S. military intervention now appeared likely, with one saying it could come within the next 24 hours, while an Israeli official similarly said it appeared Trump had made a decision to intervene — though the scope and timing remained unclear.

The determination came as the United States began withdrawing some personnel from bases in the region, a move the report said was widely viewed as preparation for possible strikes.

A U.S. official said the drawdown involved a precautionary removal of personnel from key bases given heightened regional tensions following warnings from a senior Iranian official that Iran would strike American bases in neighboring countries if the U.S. targets Iran.

That senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had warned regional states — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey — that U.S. bases on their territory would be attacked if Washington launches strikes, while urging those countries to pressure Washington to stand down.

(Read more from “Report: U.S. Military Intervention in Iran Could Begin Within 24 Hours — Bases Pull Personnel, Shift Posture Across Region” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr