# Iran
Latest news and articles about Iran
Total: 186 articles found
Iran Masses Around 1,000 Strategic Drones, Raising Regional Stakes
Chinese military media reported that Iran has integrated around 1,000 strategic drones into its combat formations, marking a significant expansion of Tehran's unmanned capabilities. The scale enhances Iran's asymmetric options and complicates regional air-defence planning, raising the risk of escalation and prompting strategic recalibration by nearby states and their partners.
Khamenei Warns U.S. That Any Attack Would Ignite a Wider Regional War
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned that any U.S. attempt to start a war would rapidly spread into a full regional conflict, vowing firm retaliation to any aggression. The statement reinforces Tehran’s deterrent posture, heightens the risk of proxy escalation across the Middle East, and complicates Washington’s military calculus.
Israeli Chief of Staff Holds Intensive Washington Talks with U.S. Military on Possible Strikes Against Iran
Israel’s chief of staff, Zamir, held intensive talks in Washington with U.S. military leaders about the possibility of strikes on Iran and tighter tactical coordination. Israel seeks advance warning from the United States before any potential action, a demand that highlights the risks of escalation and the strategic balancing the U.S. must navigate.
China’s Satellites Put U.S. Moves Under a Microscope as Iran Crisis Deepens
A recent Chinese-language article claims commercial Chinese satellites have captured and publicized U.S. military movements amid a U.S.–Iran standoff, intensifying the information war around the crisis. The piece argues that visible U.S. deployments may be more about signaling than sufficient force for a sustained strike, while Iran deepens ties with Russia to deter action and raise the costs of escalation.
Khamenei Warns Washington: Any U.S. Attack Risks a Full-Blown Regional War
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on February 1, 2026 that any U.S. attempt to provoke war would trigger a region-wide conflict. The comment highlights Tehran’s deterrence posture, the risks of proxy escalation across the Middle East, and the high diplomatic and economic costs of military action against Iran.
Saudi Neutrality Stalls U.S. Strike Plans — China’s 2023 Diplomacy Reaps Immediate Payoff
A phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, backed by a clear Saudi pledge to block use of its territory or airspace for attacks on Iran, has stalled U.S. contingency plans for strikes. China’s mediation that produced the 2023 Beijing Statement provided the communication channels that enabled the de-escalatory move, underscoring Beijing’s rising diplomatic leverage in the Middle East.
US–Iran Standoff Tightens: Naval Build‑Up, Sanctions and a Narrow Window for Diplomacy
A sharp US–Iran confrontation has intensified as Washington increases naval deployments and sanctions while Tehran vows to retaliate and seeks regional diplomatic backing. Negotiations remain possible but are constrained by US preconditions that Iran rejects and by a narrow strategic space where miscalculation could shut the Strait of Hormuz and roil global markets.
Trump Sets an Unspecified Deadline for Talks with Iran, Raising Risks of Brinkmanship
President Trump says he has set a deadline for Iran to reach an agreement but declined to disclose the date, while Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran will only negotiate on equal terms and not under threat. Recent contacts between the two sides reportedly flagged U.S. demands on uranium enrichment and ballistic missiles—conditions Iran has so far rejected—leaving diplomacy precarious and the risk of escalation real.
Iran Signals Willingness to Talk — But Warns of 'Firm, Forceful' Response if Attacked
Iran's foreign minister said Tehran still prefers negotiations but only if threats and pressure are removed, warning that any attack on Iran would be met with a "firm, forceful" response. The comments blend openness to diplomacy with a clear deterrent posture and come amid stalled talks over Iran's nuclear programme and heightened regional tensions.
Iran Asserts Conventional Deterrence as IAEA Board May Refer Nuclear File to UN Security Council
Iran’s nuclear chief said Tehran can defend itself without nuclear weapons and warned the IAEA board may refer its nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council in March. The comments signal a diplomatic standoff in which Western capitals press for accountability while Iran stresses conventional deterrence and limited cooperation with safeguards.
Explosion Heard at Residential Building in Bandar Abbas, Raising Regional Security Concerns
An explosion was reported at a residential building in Bandar Abbas on 31 January 2026, with early Chinese media accounts offering few details and no immediate official confirmation from Iran. Given Bandar Abbas’s strategic location and history of attacks on Iranian infrastructure, the incident is being monitored for its potential to affect regional security and maritime traffic.
On the Brink: US Carrier Group, Strike Assets and Iranian Alerts Raise Risk of Rapid Escalation
U.S. military forces have massed in the Gulf and a carrier strike group has entered the Arabian Sea as Washington signals it may be poised to strike Iran imminently. Tehran has publicly offered talks but has mobilised forces and warned that any attack would prompt regional retaliation, leaving the region dangerously close to rapid escalation.