President Donald Trump on Wednesday said a "big beautiful armada" was heading toward Iran and warned of an attack more harsh than US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites if Tehran did not negotiate a deal on its nuclear program.
Iran’s UN mission said on Wednesday it was ready for dialogue with the US but would defend itself if pushed, responding to President Donald Trump’s warning of a US naval armada heading toward Iran.
Egypt’s foreign minister on Wednesday held separate phone calls with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urging de-escalation and diplomacy.
Iran’s rial fell to a new record low on Wednesday as the US dollar rose above 1.55 million rials on the unofficial market.
Documents reviewed by Iran International’s Editorial Board put the Jan. 8-9 crackdown death toll at more than 36,500, putting it among the deadliest attacks on protestors ever.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said there must be no impunity for those responsible for the crackdown in Iran and voiced support for new sanctions targeting those chiefly responsible.
"This repression has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries and the arbitrary arrest of tens of thousands of people," Barrot said.
"It is essential to fight impunity for the perpetrators of this bloody repression," he added.
“A regime that can only hold onto power through sheer violence and terror against its own population: its days are numbered,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“It could be a matter of weeks but this regime has no legitimacy to govern the country,” Merz added.
There are no serious negotiations underway between the United States and Iran, Axios reported on Wednesday citing unnamed US officials.
Countries including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have been communicating with both sides and passing messages between Washington and Tehran, according to the report.
Egypt said on Wednesday it is seeking the release of four of its citizens detained by Iran after Tehran seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf last month on charges of carrying smuggled fuel.
Four Egyptian crew members are currently on board the vessel Reem alKhaleej at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Iran said last month it had seized a foreign oil tanker near the Iranian island of Qeshm carrying four million litres of smuggled fuel. It did not name the vessel or disclose its nationality, but said 16 foreign crew members had been detained on criminal charges.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday that Tehran was ready for dialogue based on mutual respect but would defend itself if pushed, responding to a social media post by US President Donald Trump about a US naval armada heading toward Iran.
“In the last time the US blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives,” the mission said in a post on X.
“Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests,” it said. “But if pushed, it will defend itself and respond like never before.”
The comments came after Trump wrote on Truth Social that a “massive armada” led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was heading toward Iran and warned of a far worse attack if Tehran did not agree to a deal on nuclear weapons.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister said negotiations with the United States are not Tehran’s priority at present, while confirming that messages are being exchanged between the two sides.
Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran’s priority is “200 percent readiness to defend” the country and warned that any limited US attack would be met with “an appropriate response.”
He said no talks are currently underway, adding that even if Tehran and Washington were to sit at the negotiating table, Iran would not reduce its readiness for a possible war.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed efforts to ease regional tensions in a phone call on Wednesday, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source told Reuters, as Ankara reiterated its opposition to any military action against its neighbor Iran.
US President Donald Trump said a “massive armada” of American naval forces was heading toward Iran, warning that a future attack would be “far worse” than past strikes if Tehran does not agree to a deal.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial on Wednesday, saying the fleet, led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, was “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”
He added that the force was larger than one previously sent to Venezuela and said he hoped Iran would “quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties.”
Trump referenced the June military action “Operation Midnight Hammer,” saying it had inflicted “major destruction of Iran” and warning that “the next attack will be far worse” if Tehran did not reach an agreement.
Iran’s internet shutdown has cut online business sales by as much as 80%, the head of the union of virtual businesses said on Wednesday, warning of serious damage to the digital economy.
“Many online businesses have seen their sales fall by up to 80%,” Reza Olfatnasab said.
About one million people earn a living directly through sales on social media platforms and are now in limbo, he said.
“If this situation continues, it can really push the digital economy toward destruction,” Olfatnasab added.
Dutch airline KLM said on Wednesday it canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice, backtracking on plans to resume services due to security concerns.
“Based on the current security situation and operational feasibility, it has been decided at this stage not to resume flights to Tel Aviv,” KLM said in a statement.
The airline had suspended flights last weekend amid fears of renewed conflict involving Iran and had planned a limited restart on Wednesday.
“KLM’s highest priority is the safety of passengers and crews,” it said, adding it would resume flights once it was “safe and responsible” to do so.
KLM said it has restarted flights to other regional destinations, including Riyadh and Dammam, and is studying a possible return to Dubai later this week.