'Sometimes you have to use force,' Trump says, adding that he is 'not very happy' with Iran | LIVE

Three flights between Istanbul and Tehran cancelled, according to airport data

Three flights connecting Istanbul to Tehran were cancelled on Friday, according to Istanbul airport data. These include a Turkish Airlines flight scheduled for 22:15 (19:15 GMT), as well as an ATA Airlines flight and a Qeshm Air flight, according to the data, Reuters reports.

No reason was immediately given for the cancellations, the agency said.

Italy calls on its citizens to leave Iran and advises against travel to Lebanon

The Italian Foreign Ministry on Friday urged its citizens to leave Iran and recommended extreme caution throughout the Middle East, citing persistent and unstable security conditions.

"Italians present [in Iran] for tourism or whose presence is not strictly necessary are invited to leave the country," the ministry said in a statement, adding that travel to Iraq and Lebanon was also strongly discouraged, Reuters reported.

The ministry also advised Italian nationals in Israel to exercise "maximum vigilance" and "remain particularly cautious."

Trump announces new talks with Iran on Friday

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not satisfied with Iran, but that new talks were scheduled for Friday on Tehran's nuclear program.

Speaking to reporters before traveling to Texas, Trump said he wanted to reach an agreement with Iran, while reiterating that Tehran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

Talks on Iran's nuclear program are continuing this week, amid a massive deployment of U.S. forces in the region. Trump said he does not want to use military force in Iran, but that "sometimes you have to use it."

The Omani mediator sent his foreign minister to Washington on Friday to discuss the issue with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, according to a source close to the matter.

Germany issues 'urgent' travel warning for Israel

On Friday, the German Foreign Office issued an "urgent" travel warning to its citizens against traveling to Israel, amid U.S. threats of strikes on Iran that have raised fears of regional conflict.

"It is urgently advised not to travel to Israel or East Jerusalem," according to the updated travel advisory on the ministry's website, AFP reports.

On Friday, the United States recommended that non-essential staff at its embassy in Jerusalem leave Israel.

Trump announces new talks with Iran on Friday

U.S. President Donald Trump said new talks with Iran were scheduled for Friday, Reuters reports.

He made the remarks to reporters before leaving the White House for a trip to Texas.

London relocates some of its diplomatic staff out of Tel Aviv

The British Foreign Office announced on Friday that it had moved some of its diplomatic staff out of Tel Aviv, where its embassy in Israel is located, due to the risk that the situation could "deteriorate rapidly" following threats of U.S. strikes in Iran.

"As a precautionary measure, we have temporarily moved some of our staff and their families from Tel Aviv to another location in Israel. Our embassy continues to operate as normal," the Foreign Office announced on its website. "The situation could deteriorate rapidly and presents significant risks," it said.

The British ministry now advises against "all non-essential travel" to Israel and the Palestinian territories. The ministry continues to advise against "all travel to specific areas."

France advises citizens not to travel to Israel

The French Foreign Ministry has advised French citizens not to travel to Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank due to the security situation linked to Iran, reports Reuters.

The Quai d'Orsay recommends that French citizens already in the area.

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: 'Coming weeks will shape the decades to come in the Middle East'

"The coming weeks will shape the decades to come in the Middle East," former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote on his X account.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed him in November 2024 by due to strategic differences over the war on Gaza.

A former general turned politician, he has long been considered a "hawk" within the government.

He drew the wrath of the ultra-Orthodox parties, key allies of the Prime Minister's coalition, when he ordered the conscription of 10,000 male members of this religious community of military age at the end of 2024.

Rubio will visit Israel on Monday to discuss Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Israel on Monday and Tuesday to discuss Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, according to the U.S. State Department, quoted by Reuters.

Britain said on Friday it had temporarily withdrawn its staff from Iran, citing region security situation

U.S President Donald Trump briefly laid out his case for a possible attack on Iran in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday, underlining that while he preferred a diplomatic solution, he would not allow Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Britain's foreign office said its ability to assist British nationals was now extremely limited, with the embassy operating remotely and no in-person consular support available even in emergencies.

Israeli army 'aware of concerns,' but security guidelines remain unchanged

The Israeli army stated that it is "aware of concerns about a war with Iran," but emphasized that security guidelines remain unchanged until further notice, according to a video by spokesperson Effi Defrin, published on X.

"This week again, we are aware of the prevailing sense of uncertainty and tension in light of regional developments," Defrin said.

The Israeli army is therefore closely monitoring the situation in Iran "and is on alert and ready to protect you," while working with "partners to strengthen defense capabilities," he added.

"I reiterate that there are no changes to the security guidelines," he further stated in his video.

Iran stored highly enriched uranium at underground site: IAEA report

Some of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium, close to the level required for the production of a nuclear weapon, was stored in an underground area of ​​its Isfahan nuclear site, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report sent to member states on Friday and seen by Reuters.

This is the first time the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has specified the location of uranium enriched to 60 percent, a level close to the 90 percent required for military use.

The entrance to the tunnel complex was hit in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in June, but the facility appears largely intact, according to diplomats.

China advises citizens against travel to Iran

China has advised its citizens against traveling to Iran, citing a "sharp increase in external security risks" as the country faces repeated threats of U.S. airstrikes.

"Chinese citizens currently in Iran are advised to strengthen their security precautions and evacuate the country as soon as possible," the Consular Affairs Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing told AFP.

"Given the current security situation in Iran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran remind their citizens to avoid all travel to the country at this time," the statement said.

US ambassador to Israel urges diplomatic staff wishing to leave country to do so 'TODAY'

Faced with the threat of a U.S. strike against Iran and Iranian retaliation, and shortly before an official statement, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem informed its employees that if they wish to leave the country, they must do so immediately, according to an email sent to the U.S. mission by Ambassador Mike Huckabee, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

This decision followed overnight meetings and phone calls, Huckabee told employees in the message, and stemmed from “an excess of caution” as well as discussions with the U.S. State Department, during which officials agreed that the safety of diplomatic personnel was a priority.

Those who wish to leave “should do so TODAY,” Huckabee wrote in the email sent at 10:24 a.m. local time.

The embassy's decision "will likely result in a surge in demand for airline seats today," he added in the message, advising employees to book flights "to any destination."

"The top priority is to leave the country as soon as possible," he added.

Canada urges its citizens to leave Iran while they can

Canadian authorities have urged their citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible, while it is still safe to do so, due to fears of conflict in the Middle East.

“To Canadians in Iran: Due to ongoing tensions, hostilities in the region could resume with little or no warning. Leave Iran now if you can do so safely. Make sure your travel documents are up to date and pack sufficient supplies in case you need to seek shelter there,” the Canadian government stated on its Travel.gc.ca account.

USS Gerald R. Ford off coast of Israel, expected in port in Haifa

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest U.S. aircraft carrier, has arrived off the coast of Israel, where it is expected to dock in the port of Haifa, according to Reuters. The Gerald Ford had departed the previous day from the U.S. naval base in Souda, on the island of Crete.

US Embassy in Jerusalem: Non-essential staff, families authorized to leave Israel

The U.S. State Department has authorized the departure of essential staff from the embassy in Jerusalem, and their families, from Israel, "due to security risks," according to a statement released by the embassy on X.

"The U.S. Embassy may further restrict or prohibit U.S. government employees and their families from traveling to certain areas of Israel, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the West Bank, in response to security incidents," the diplomatic mission added.

It indicated that the affected staff should consider leaving Israel "while commercial flights are available."

This decision comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with the possibility of a U.S. attack against Iran, which could escalate into a regional war. On Monday, the United States also ordered the departure of non-essential staff from its embassy in Beirut.

Iran: UN human rights chief 'extremely alarmed by risk of regional military escalation'

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was "extremely alarmed" by the risk of regional escalation as Iran faces intense military pressure from the United States.

"I am extremely alarmed by the risk of regional military escalation and its consequences for civilians, and I hope that reason will prevail," said Türk in his address to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on the state of human rights around the world.

Iraq: Kata'ib Hezbollah calls for preparations for protracted war between Iran, US

The powerful Iraqi armed group Kata'ib Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has called on its fighters to prepare for a possible protracted war in the event of U.S. strikes against Iran.

"Against the backdrop of U.S. threats and the buildup of military forces indicating a dangerous escalation in the region, it is necessary" for all fighters "to prepare for a war of attrition," Kata'ib Hezbollah said in a statement released late last night.

It threatened the United States with "immense losses" in the event of a regional war. A commander deemed the intervention of Iraqi armed groups alongside Iran "very likely" in the event of a U.S. attack, saying he considered any attack against Iran as a "direct threat" to them.

Sanctioned by Washington, the Iraqi factions supported by Tehran did not intervene in the war launched by Israel in June 2025 against Iran, but should show "less restraint," especially in the event of an offensive aimed at overthrowing the Iranian government, the commander added to AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the subject.

Iran urges US to avoid 'excessive demands' to reach agreement

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged the United States to avoid "excessive demands" the day after nuclear talks in Geneva and ahead of upcoming discussions scheduled for Vienna, AFP reports.

During a call with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, Araghchi "stated that the success [of the diplomatic option] depends on the seriousness and realism of the other side, but also on avoiding any misjudgments and excessive demands," according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Vance says 'no chance' a strike against Iran will trigger protracted war in Middle East

U.S. Vice President JD Vance asserted yesterday that there is "no chance" that a strike against Iran will lead to a protracted war in the region, according to an interview with The Washington Post.

"The idea that we're going to be engaged in a war in the Middle East for years with no end in sight — there's no chance that's going to happen," he said in an interview with the American newspaper.

"I think we all prefer the diplomatic option," the vice president added, while stating that "it really depends on what the Iranians do and say."

Oman's foreign minister expected in Washington after Iran-US talks

Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, is expected in Washington today to meet with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and other senior officials, following talks between Washington and Tehran in Geneva, where the Omani official served as mediator.

According to information from the American news channel MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), these discussions, which had not been made public beforehand, aimed to prevent a war with Iran.

CENTCOM head, the top US military officer in the Middle East, briefs Trump on Iran options: Axios

The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), briefed U.S. President Donald Trump last night on options for military action against Iran, according to a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter contacted by Axios.

This marks the first briefing since the start of the crisis with Iran last December.

Trump has ordered a massive U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and is considering launching a military campaign against Iran.

Behind the scenes, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also attended the briefing, the U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.

Generals Cooper and Caine briefed Trump as the third round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran concluded in Geneva — a meeting seen by many in the Trump administration as a last-ditch effort for diplomacy before Trump decided whether or not to initiate war.

CENTCOM declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to Axios's request for comment.

Good morning. We are now launching our LIVE coverage of the news from the Middle East.

We will primarily be following the tensions between the United States and Iran, specifically the third round of talks scheduled for next week between the U.S. and Iran, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.