Breaking: Next Round of US-Iran Nuclear Talks Set for Tuesday in Geneva, Led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner

The outcome could prove pivotal in averting escalation following last year's U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities and amid Tehran's internal challenges.

The Trump administration is gearing up for the next phase of high-stakes negotiations with Iran, scheduled for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in Geneva, Switzerland. A U.S. delegation including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner will lead the American side in indirect talks mediated by Omani representatives, according to sources briefed on the matter and reported by Reuters and other outlets.

This follows the first round of renewed discussions held on February 6 in Muscat, Oman, where Witkoff and Kushner met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Those talks were described as a "good beginning" by Iranian officials and "very good" by President Trump, focusing exclusively on Iran's nuclear program amid heightened regional tensions. No major breakthroughs were announced, but both sides agreed to continue consultations after returning to their capitals.

The Geneva session comes as the U.S. maintains significant military pressure in the Middle East, including the deployment of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the region alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln. Trump has repeatedly warned that failure to reach a deal curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions and ballistic missile capabilities could lead to "very traumatic" consequences for Tehran, even floating regime change as potentially the "best thing" for Iran. (Ed note: Has anyone thought about this entire situation? We've two real estate developers dealing with the Iran and US, Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Gaza.)    (Read More)

US military preparing for potentially weeks-long Iran operations

The US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two US officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries. The disclosure by officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the ongoing diplomacy between the United States and Iran.

US and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week in an effort to revive diplomacy over Tehran's nuclear program, after Trump amassed military forces in the region, raising fears of new military action.
US officials said on Friday that the Pentagon was sending an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East, adding thousands more troops, fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers, and other firepower capable of conducting attacks and defending against them.

Trump, speaking to US troops on Friday at a base in North Carolina, said it had "been difficult to make a deal" with Iran. "Sometimes you have to have fear. That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of," Trump said. Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained US military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: "President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran." "He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security," Kelly said. The Pentagon declined to comment. The United States sent two aircraft carriers to the region last year when it carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites. (Read More)

Message to Iran: USS Gerald R. Ford redeployed to Middle East

The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships, currently deployed in the Caribbean, have been ordered to the Middle East and are not expected to return to their home ports until late April or early May, according to US officials quoted by the New York Times on Thursday. The redeployment marks a significant extension of the carrier strike group’s mission, which was originally expected to conclude with an early March return.

Officials informed the Ford’s crew of the decision on Thursday, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The strike group will now join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf, strengthening the US naval presence amid ongoing tensions with Iran. The redeployment comes as part of President Donald Trump’s renewed pressure campaign against Iran’s leadership.

Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met at the White House on Wednesday. During the meeting, Netanyahu attempted to persuade the US President not to reach a partial deal with Iran and to safeguard Israeli interests. On Thursday, Trump called on Iran to make a deal, warning the Islamic Republic “it's going to be very traumatic if they do not. The Gerald R. Ford’s warplanes previously took part in the January 3 operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. US military leaders have not publicly commented on the redeployment. (Source)

US strikes 30 Islamic State targets in Syria as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the forces used precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft.

The United States announced it struck 30 Islamic State targets in Syria on Saturday, including infrastructure and weapons storage targets. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), US forces used precision munitions delivered by fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft.

The strikes are a part of the larger Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched on December 13, 2025, in response to attacks on US forces in Syria's Palmyra, which resulted in the death of two US servicemembers.

"More than 50 ISIS terrorists have been killed or captured and over 100 ISIS infrastructure targets have been struck with hundreds of precision munitions during two months of targeted operations," the CENTCOM statement said. This is a developing story. (Ed note: The Islamic State is ISIS. Did you know that there are at least eight different terrorists groups now operating in Syria, four major, and four minor groups? Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Source)

Board of Peace envoy: Technocrats can’t enter Gaza if ceasefire violations persist

The Board of Peace’s High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that the Palestinian technocratic committee tasked with governing Gaza in place of Hamas cannot enter the Strip if violations of the ceasefire continue. “We need to make sure that what is happening now with the violations of the ceasefire stops,” said Mladenov, without placing blame on either Israel or Hamas. “If you put the committee tomorrow in Gaza and the violations of the ceasefire continue the way they are now. We’re only embarrassing the committee and ultimately making it ineffective.”

Under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a committee of Palestinian technocrats unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, is supposed to oversee the reconstruction of the devastated Strip, with backing from the US-led Board of Peace. Mladenov, a former Bulgarian minister and UN envoy to the Mideast, took on his central role on the Board last month.

Mladenov’s comments came as IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir saidon Friday the military would “respond to any violation” and would not give up on the war objectives of demilitarizing the Strip and disarming Hamas. Zamir, who was visiting Gaza, confirmed that the army has such plans ready to go if the government orders it. Israel has carried out daily strikes on what it says are terror operatives in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, the death toll since the October ceasefire stands at nearly 600 and includes scores of women and children. (Ed note: And not only the problem of the committee members, but how would you like to be a construction worker, trying to build, and having Hamas take shots at you all day long?)   (Read More)

Doctors Without Borders suspends activities at Gaza hospital due to presence of gunmen

Organization says incidents, including, suspected weapons transfers, have increased since ceasefire; statement marks 1st time international group confirmed gunmen in Gaza hospitals.

Doctors Without Borders said in a statement on that it has suspended non-critical medical activities at Nasser Hospital in Gaza’s Khan Younis due to the presence of armed men at the medical facility and “a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons.” The aid group said that armed men have additionally been arresting patients. MSF’s statement appeared to mark the first time that an international humanitarian group in Gaza has publicly reported the presence of armed men in a hospital or the possible use of such a facility for moving weapons.

“In recent months, in Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, patients and MSF personnel have seen armed men, some masked, in different areas of the large compound of the hospital. This had not been in areas where MSF has activities, but in other parts of the hospital compound,” Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, said in the statement explaining its decision to halt work at the Nasser Hospital since January 20.

MSF has been a key provider of medical and humanitarian aid in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel triggered a two-year war in the enclave. Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in October, though both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violations. “With an uptick since the ceasefire, MSF teams have reported a pattern of unacceptable acts, including the presence of armed men, intimidation, arbitrary arrests of patients, and a recent situation of suspicion of movement of weapons,” the humanitarian organization said. “These incidents pose serious security threats to our teams and patients.” (Read More)

A SUMMARY OF THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORTS

A MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC: 

The Trustees of the Social Security and Medicare trust funds report on the current and projected financial status of the two programs each year. This document summarizes the findings of the 2025 reports. As in prior years, we found that the Social Security and Medicare programs both continue to face significant financing issues. The non-health-specific intermediate (best estimate) assumptions for these reports were set in December 2024. The Trustees will continue to monitor developments, reevaluate the assumptions, and modify the projections in later reports. Based on our best estimates, this year's reports show that: 

• The Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033, unchanged from last year’s report. At that time, the fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program income will be sufficient to pay 77 percent of total scheduled benefits.

• The Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund is projected to be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits through at least 2099, the last year of this report’s projection period. Last year’s report projected that the DI Trust Fund would be able to pay scheduled benefits through at least 2098, the last year of that report’s projection period.

• If the OASI Trust Fund and the DI Trust Fund projections were combined, the resulting projected fund (designated OASDI) would be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2034, one year earlier than reported last year. At that time, the projected fund’s reserves would become depleted, and continuing total fund income would be sufficient to pay 81 percent of scheduled benefits. (The two funds could not actually be combined unless there were a change in the law, but the combined projection of the two funds is frequently used to indicate the overall status of the Social Security program.) 

• Although the OASI Trust Fund depletion year remains the same, both the OASI and OASDI depletion dates advanced by about 3 calendar quarters, relative to last year’s projection.

• The Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund will be able to pay 100 percent of total scheduled benefits until 2033, three years earlier than reported last year. At that point, that fund’s reserves will become depleted and continuing program income will be sufficient to pay 89 percent of total scheduled benefits.

• The Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund is adequately financed into the indefinite future because, unlike the other trust funds, its main financing sources—enrolled beneficiary premiums and the associated federal contributions from the Treasury—are automatically adjusted each year to cover costs for the upcoming year. Although the financing is assured, the rapidly rising SMI costs have been placing steadily increasing demands on beneficiaries and general taxpayers. (Ed note: I had thought that SSA would begin 'shortpaying' by 2029 and 'bankrupt' by 2031. A very well explained article with lots of charts, and it's very long. I guess we may have 2 more years.) (Read More)

Netanyahu after Trump meeting: US conditions for Iran must include nuclear weapons, MidEast proxies

He said that although he remains skeptical of any deal with Iran, Trump believes that the conditions for Tehran "may lead them to accept terms that would allow for a good deal."

US negotiations with Iran must include not only the matter of nuclear weapons but also ballistic missiles and the country’s Middle Eastern proxies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Thursday, ahead of take-off from the United States after his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

I have just completed a brief but important visit to Washington, during which I spoke with our great friend, President Trump,” he said. “We share a close, genuine, and open relationship.” The meeting, the seventh between the two since Trump returned to office last year, lasted three hours, two more than the scheduled time. It was more muted than on past visits, with Netanyahu using the White House’s back entrance, which was closed to the press.

The prime minister said that he affirmed to Trump that the negotiations must include “elements that are important to us, to the State of Israel, and, in my view, to the international community as a whole: not only the issue of nuclear weapons but also ballistic missiles and Iranian proxies in the region.” (Read More)

Israel looks to wean itself off US aid, but breaking free could cost both sides

Israel’s battle against Hamas in Gaza over the past two years was waged with extensive military support from the country’s closest ally, the United States. Since the Hamas-led invasion and massacre that sparked the war, Washington has supplied Israel with an estimated $16-22 billion in military assistance. That wartime support supplemented the $3.8 billion the US sends Israel in defense aid annually, together reinforcing the strength of the military alliance.

But while largely appreciated in Jerusalem, the heavy reliance on foreign assistance has also raised concerns in Israel about the downsides of the aid, including the level of control it gives the US over Israel’s military spending and priorities. With the agreement underpinning the annual aid disbursement set to expire in the coming years, the White House occupied by a president who has sought to reduce handouts to foreign allies, and restrictions on arms sales during the war with Hamas a fresh and painful memory, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that Jerusalem will phase out its dependence on US military assistance.

The shift could help recalibrate the US-Israel relationship and address those downsides, but analysts warn it could also carry deep knock-on effects domestically and on the international stage, depleting Israeli coffers and boosting hostile elements. Phasing out aid would represent “a much deeper decline of US influence in the Middle East,” warned former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, adding that it risks weakening US-Israel military ties and calling for careful consideration of a potentially destabilizing move.

While the move carries considerable risk, Israel has survived without US aid before. It fought in 1967 without US weapons, and has found ways to cope with restrictions even since aid was ramped up. After the US restricted the use of American cluster bombs during the 2006 Lebanon War, Israel developed its own improved version For Jerusalem, the challenge of weaning off Washington’s assistance will be to preserve cooperation while reducing unwanted control. (Ed note: But wasn't Someone who said that "Jerusalem was the apple of His eye" left out of this converstion?)   (Read More)

Iran’s FM berates Israeli daily over report of secret mass executions

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday derided a report by the Israel Hayom newspaper that the Islamic Republic had secretly executed thousands of people who participated in protests after telling Washington it would not do so. “Whenever Miriam Adelson’s mouthpiece pushes a dramatic claim about Iran, it’s worth asking who it serves,” Araghchi posted on X, referring to the Israeli-American philanthropist who owns the free daily. “Even the US president has acknowledged where her primary loyalties lie.”

He went on: “In its latest piece, Adelson’s outlet declared — just an hour before [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s White House visit — that Iran had ‘deceived’ Trump. “The facts: No executions have taken place, no court process has been concluded, and more than 2,000 prisoners have been pardoned. Before buying the narrative being peddled, consider who benefits from it — and who may actually be doing the deceiving.” According to the Israel Hayom report, information has reached several intelligence agencies — including Israel’s Mossad and British and German services — indicating that the Islamic Republic has executed thousands of protesters, despite having told the US it wouldn’t do so.

Regime forces have shot or strangled the protesters in custody, the intelligence reportedly indicates, and have told the protesters’ families that they were killed amid the unrest, despite evidence they were arrested alive. The report, published Wednesday in English and Hebrew, cited two unnamed diplomats. It came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump on, among other things, a potential strike on Iran, and it was published shortly before the meeting began. (Read More)

Saudi Royals Predict Trump Will Conduct "Limited Strikes" on Iran

A source within the Saudi royal family reveals to N12 that Riyadh expects President Trump to bypass Prime Minister Netanyahu’s influence and order "limited" military strikes on Iran. The Saudi source suggests that while Netanyahu is pushing for a more radical, decisive strike, Trump is likely to act independently. "We have a feeling that Trump will do what he thinks and that Netanyahu will not influence him this time," the source told Sapir Lipkin.

Negotiations in Oman and Qatar, though blessed by Riyadh, are reportedly failing to move the needle. The source predicts that after approximately two more weeks of dead-end diplomacy, the U.S. will pivot to mil itary action. According to the source, Iran has no intention of abandoning its nuclear or missile programs, rendering the current mediation efforts by Oman and Qatar largely "to no avail."

Despite the diplomatic efforts, Trump is moving forward with plans to amass nearly half of the military power he originally intended to deploy in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. But instead of a full-scale war, the Saudis anticipate "one or two" targeted strikes. They warn, however, that this will only be a "temporary solution" and will not neutralize the long-term Iranian threat to Israel. (Source)

US transported 6,000 Starlink terminals into Iran since January - WSJ

The United States smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran in January as the Iranian regime cut off internet service in the country as part of a brutal crackdown on anti-regime protests, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday. Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is a satellite-internet network that can be accessed through small, portable Starlink terminals. The US sent around 6,000 terminals to Iran in an unprecedented, direct attempt to deliver internet freedomto regime-stifled protestors, according to officials cited by the outlet.

The majority of the US State Department’s purchase of almost 7,000 terminals was made in January, utilizing funds diverted from similar “internet-freedom initiatives,” to “help anti-regime activists circumvent internet shut-offs in Iran,” officials told WSJ. Starlink terminals are just one of the methods the US has explored for expanding uncensored internet access for Iranians despite regime blackouts.

The US additionally funds virtual private networks (VPNs) for Iranians, and, according to the WSJ, there is some debate among US officials regarding whether Starlink or VPNs better protect Iranian internet freedom. “Operating Starlink without VPNs would make it easier for Iranian authorities to geolocate the user,” US officials told the WSJ, adding that VPNs are “more accessible and cost-effective for a broader base of people." (Read More)

Breitbart Business Digest: The Trump Administration’s Hidden Ace to Rebalance Trade Even if Tariffs Are Struck Down

The legal establishment in Washington has convinced itself that the Supreme Court is about to ride to the rescue of the global trade status quo. Lawyers at white-shoe firms are telling their multinational clients to hold tight: the courts will strike down the President’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and the whole trade rebalancing project will collapse.

They’re wrong. Not because the Justices won’t strike down the tariffs. They might. But because the administration has a path forward that doesn’t depend on tariff authority at all, one that rests on powers the statute expressly grants in plain English, and one that may actually be more effective than tariffs at forcing surplus countries to the table.

Here’s the thing the trade establishment doesn’t want to think about: IEEPA doesn’t just let the president regulate imports. It lets him prohibit them. And it lets him issue licenses as exceptions to that prohibition. Those aren’t implied powers or creative readings. They’re right there in the text of the law: the president may “prevent or prohibit” importation and may act “by means of instructions, licenses, or otherwise.” That language points to a mechanism that could reshape the global trade landscape even if every tariff the administration has imposed gets struck down tomorrow. President Donald Trump holds up a display of reciprocal tariff rates during his “Liberation Day” event in the White House Rose Garden on April 2, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Read More)

Key Points from Zeldin's Speech/Statements Today:

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin spoke today, February 12, 2026, alongside President Trump, announcing the rescission of the 2009 "Endangerment Finding" and ending vehicle greenhouse gas regulations, calling it the "single largest act of deregulation in U.S. history" to boost energy, the economy, and lower costs. He highlighted rolling back climate rules, reorganizing the EPA for efficiency, and addressing issues like diesel exhaust fluid for farmers, framing these as delivering on promises for American prosperity and energy independence.

Key Points from Zeldin's Speech/Statements: 

Deregulation: 

He called rescinding the 2009 finding the "biggest deregulatory action in American history," removing legal basis for many climate rules on cars, power plants, and industry.
Economic Focus: 

Zeldin stated these actions will lower the cost of living, help the auto industry, and bring back manufacturing jobs.
"Follow the Science, Law, and Common Sense": 

He emphasized a commitment to cleaner air, land, and water while removing what he sees as stifling regulations.
Reorganization: 

The EPA is consolidating offices to streamline operations and eliminate inefficiencies.
Farmer/Trucker Support: 

He announced actions to address Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) issues, preventing forced vehicle shutdowns for farmers and truckers.
Tour of States: 

Zeldin noted visiting all 50 states in under a year, listening to concerns about regulations and disaster response. 

 
Context:

* These announcements formalize actions proposed by the Trump administration to reverse Obama-era climate policies, following a Supreme Court ruling.

* The move removes the EPA's justification for regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, paving the way for new rules and rescinding old ones, including delaying a Biden-era rule on vehicle emissions. 

* Environmental groups have criticized these moves as the biggest attack on climate action in U.S. history. (Ed note: Anyone looking for a 327 Chevy Chevelle, a 383 Plymouth Road Runner with a 4 speed, or a classic Chevy 2dr Nomad? And what was your favorite Ford? Perhaps we will see those types of cars again.)   (Source: Google AI Overview)

Hamas vows not to lay down arms until Israel’s ‘elimination’

"The matter of Palestinian weapons is linked to the presence or elimination of the occupation," said Osama Hamadan.

Hamas will not lay down its weapons until Israel is “eliminated,” Osama Hamdan, a senior official in the terror organization, vowed on Wednesday. “We have been very clear with mediators, and in our messages passed on to the relevant parties, that the matter of Palestinian weapons is linked to the presence or elimination of the occupation,” stated Hamdan, referencing Israel in an interview with Al Jazeera.

“To this day, the Palestinian national motto states that the occupation needs to be eliminated,” he stated. “The weapons are legal according to international law, and by virtue of the will of the Palestinian people, so these weapons will not be laid down until their goal is achieved.” Hamas’s official charter calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and refers to parts of the Quran that call for Muslims to kill Jews everywhere.

However, Hamdan said, “if the establishment of a Palestinian state is in the cards, it is possible to have some kind of agreement on a hudna,” or a temporary truce, which according to Islamic doctrine can be used to rebuild, rearm and prepare for future hostilities. (Ed note: Oh my, what did Steve and Jared say? What are ya going to do now, Deal Maker? That's an "in your face, Trump" for sure!) (Read More)

Trump After ‘Good Meeting’ with Netanyahu: ‘Nothing Definitive’ on Iran as Pentagon Preps Second Carrier

President Donald Trump said after a nearly three-hour White House meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that “there was nothing definitive reached” beyond his insistence that negotiations with Iran continue — warning that if a deal cannot be consummated, “we will just have to see what the outcome will be,” as the Pentagon readies a second aircraft carrier for possible deployment to the Middle East. Speaking in a post on Truth Social following Wednesday’s session, Trump described the meeting as “very good,” adding that “the tremendous relationship between our two Countries continues.”

On Iran, however, the president made clear diplomacy remains the immediate track — but not the only option. “There was nothing definitive reached other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated,” Trump wrote. “If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.” Trump pointedly invoked Operation Midnight Hammer — the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last year that capped the 12-day Israel-Iran war — as the precedent for what follows failed diplomacy.

“Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them,” he stated. “Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible.” The president added that he and Netanyahu also discussed what he called “tremendous progress” in Gaza and “the Region in general,” concluding, “There is truly PEACE in the Middle East.” The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement posted to X, said the two leaders discussed “the negotiations with Iran, Gaza and regional developments,” with Netanyahu emphasizing “the security needs of the State of Israel in the context of the negotiations.” “The two leaders agreed on continued coordination and the close contact between them,” the Israeli readout said. (Read More)

Iran secretly executed thousands despite promise to US

Tehran promised to halt executions but secretly continued killing protesters while misleading Washington about willingness to negotiate on missiles and terror proxies, sources reveal.

Iran has deceived the United States at least twice to prevent strikes and reach talks in Oman, according to two diplomatic sources, one of them from the region. During the first weeks of January, as the US prepared for a strike and began advancing its forces toward the Gulf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian conveyed messages to the Americans, including a promise that they would respond to initial American demands to avoid a strike. The Americans first demanded a halt to the massacre of protesters and the prevention of the expected executions there. 

Araghchi and Pezeshkian pledged that there would be no executions, and President Trump presented this as an achievement on January 14 that led to postponing the decision to launch a strike. "We were told that the killing in Iran has stopped and there is no plan for executions, or for an execution, or for executions – that's what I was told based on reliable authority."

However, according to intelligence information that reached several intelligence agencies in the West, including the Mossad and the British and German agencies, the executions continued, but efforts were made to conceal them. Instead of hanging protesters who were caught in city squares, they were shot or strangled in custody, and their families were told they died in the protests, even though there is evidence they were arrested alive. According to estimates, this method resulted in thousands of executions, separate from the tens of thousands killed during the dispersal of protests. In addition, the West continuously receives reports about the ongoing suppression of protests and demonstrations breaking out in rural cities, and about mass arrests.

The second story is no less serious. Iran conveyed a message to the Americans through Turkey that it was ready to open negotiations with the US "for comprehensive discussion of all disputes." The Americans demanded details, and according to diplomatic sources, Iran confirmed it would agree to discuss not only the nuclear issue but also long-range missiles and the support and maintenance of terror organizations dependent on it – Hezbollah, the Houthis, the militias in Syria and Iraq, and, of course, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. (Read More)

Iran rushes to protect Natanz, its most crucial nuclear site, from potential US strike

Tehran may have used the delay in the US's potential strike to make the beneath-mountain facility nearly untouchable.

High-resolution satellite imagery of Iran's largest and most crucial remaining nuclear facility shows a recent rush to protect it from potential American or Israeli aerial attack, according to the Institute for Science & International Security (ISIS). Satellite imagery from February 10 appears to show that Tehran has taken advantage of delays in any such attack since the December 28 protests started to better defend the facility. 

The facility in question is a large tunnel complex at Kolang-Gaz La Mountain, aka Pickaxe Mountain, a mountain near the series of Natanz nuclear facilities, which were the center of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program until the Israel-Iran War of June 2025. Most of the other Natanz facilities, including the existing centrifuges at the time, were destroyed in June 2025, but for reasons that have not been fully explained to date, this facility was not struck. Construction started at the site by 2021, and the ISISthink tank and The Jerusalem Post revealed its existence to the public in early 2022.

According to the think tank, the relatively new enormous underground facility is still not thought to be operational, one of the reasons it may not have been struck previously, but there are concerns that it could be used to enrich uranium or even for some kind of clandestine rush to a small nuclear weapon at some point if not dealt with. Certainly, since June 2025, it has received extra attention and emphasis from Iran as its singularly most important undamaged facility for potential nuclear program use. (Read More)

Iran’s poorly maintained ‘dark fleet’ poses major risk for oil spill in Mideast - Guardian

Five of the ships were aging, very large crude carriers capable of holding about 300,000 tons of oil, meaning a single accident could dwarf past disasters, the report noted.

Iran’s network of aging oil tankers used to move crude under sanctions is increasingly being flagged as an environmental and maritime safety risk, with experts warning that a serious accident could trigger a catastrophic spill, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. The Guardian said Pole Star Global assessed 29 Iran-linked vessels that “went dark” by switching off satellite identification systems, and found that about half were older than the recommended 20-year safe service life. Analysts said the ships are believed to be poorly maintained and may fail to meet international safety standards because they operate outside normal scrutiny

Seven of the 29 vessels were placed in an “extreme risk” category because they were over 25 years old, and three were more than 30 years old. It added that five of the ships were both aging and very large crude carriers, capable of holding about 300,000 tons of oil, meaning a single accident could dwarf past disasters, the report noted.

The Guardian cited more than 50 reported incidents involving shadow tankers globally in recent years, ranging from collisions to spills, and said nine oil slicks between 2021 and 2024 were attributed to Russian “dark fleet” vessels. It said the Iranian fleet has drawn less scrutiny, despite analysts warning that its age profile is among the worst observed.  (Read More)

Iran Threatens War Over Second U.S. Carrier's Deployment

Iranian media outlets aligned with the regime reported that Tehran will interpret the deployment of a second American aircraft carrier to the Middle East as a “definite step toward war”. The statement was issued in response to reports that the Pentagon has ordered preparations for a second carrier strike group to deploy to the region.

According to the Wall Street Journal, one carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln is already in the Middle East. The Pentagon has ordered the USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group to prepare for rapid deployment to the region. The George H.W. Bush is currently off the coast of Virginia, conducting training exercises.

President Trump has not yet given final approval, but if he does, its schedule could be expedited, potentially allowing it to sail within two weeks once the final order is given. Regime-linked media described the potential arrival of a second carrier as a clear escalation that would sabotage ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations. This would be the first time in nearly a year that two U.S. aircraft carriers are simultaneously stationed in the region. (Source)

US forces evacuate Syria's al-Tanf military base, relocating to Jordan, sources tell AFP

US forces departed the al-Tanf military base in eastern Syria, relocating troops stationed there to Jordan, two Syrian military sources told Agence-France Presse on Wednesday. "American forces withdrew entirely from al-Tanf base today," a Syrian military source told Agence France-Presse. US forces had been removing equipment from the base for the past 15 days, another Syrian military source told the outlet.

The US forces would "continue to coordinate with [personnel in al-Tanf] from Jordan," the second source added. The al-Tanf base is strategically located in the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan, and Iraq. It was established in 2014 as a key hub for operations by the global coalition against Islamic State terrorists.

The base was used to host the evacuated injured soldiers and personnel following an ISIS attack in December. US personnel have also been posted in Jordan for decades, and the forces departing al-Tanf are likely to join an existing US military base in the kingdom. (Ed note: Remember to keep one eye on Syria.)   (Read More)

Why Iran may not afford to close the Strait of Hormuz

Tehran’s frequently invoked threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz may be far easier to signal than to carry out, not least because it would harm allied China more than the hostile West. For now, the threat is muted as Iran and the United States have returned to the negotiating table. But the shadow of war has not lifted. Hardline and influential voices in both capitals continue to push a confrontational line, and the presence of the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln near Iranian waters is a reminder of how quickly tensions could escalate.

Earlier this week, units from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached and boarded a commercial vessel flying a US flag in the strait, while a US F-35 fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that had approached the carrier strike group. On the same day, amid a diplomatic scramble across the region to keep talks alive, hardline lawmakers in Tehran publicly revived calls to close the strait. Yet the economic constraints on any serious disruption are severe.

The China factor

According to data from commodities intelligence provider Kpler seen by Iran International, nearly 95 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports in 2025 were loaded at Kharg Island and shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, primarily to China. Estimates from the US Energy Information Administration show that roughly 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products—about one-fifth of global consumption—pass through the strait each day. 

Only about 6 percent of that volume is destined for Europe and the United States. Asian buyers dominate, absorbing 84 percent of oil and petroleum products transiting Hormuz, as well as more than 80 percent of liquefied natural gas shipments. China alone imports around 5 million barrels of oil per day via the route. Any sustained disruption would therefore strike directly at Beijing’s energy security.

A narrowing margin

...With sanctions also complicating imports from Russia and Iran, China’s reliance on Persian Gulf oil—and on uninterrupted traffic through Hormuz—is set to deepen further. From a Western perspective, these shifts have quietly altered the risk calculus. While any disruption in Hormuz would still push global oil prices higher, Europe and the United States are now better positioned than in the past to absorb short-term shocks. China is not.

...For Iran, the costs would be higher still. Roughly 80 percent of its foreign trade, oil and non-oil alike, moves through ports along the Persian Gulf. Closing Hormuz would not only jeopardize China’s energy supplies but effectively paralyze Iran’s own external commerce. (Ed note: Very interesting article, Kharg Island is about 43 miles from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran.)    (Read More)

‘Take the Oil’: Seizing the Kharg Island Terminal Is the Ultimate Checkmate to Iran

Should Trump Take Kharg, Rather than Destroy It, He Can Ensure the Regime Can Never Again Pay the Salaries of Its Bureaucrats and Soldiers

America Should Seize the Kharg Oil Terminal—Not Bomb Iran

When protests erupted in Tehran’s bazaar, President Donald Trump warned Iran on TruthSocial, “If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.” Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has now called Trump’s bluff. Reports filtering out of Iran suggest Iranian security forces have conducted a massacre of protestors far larger than what the Chinese Communists did at Tiananmen Square. Either Trump stands down, at which point he essentially mirrors President Barack Obama, voiding his own red lines in the wake of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons use, or he attacks Iran.

The Kharg Island Play

Fortunately, Trump has a way out if he only looks at past plans. In 1979, after radical students loyal to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini took 52 American diplomats hostage, President Jimmy Carter tasked Adm. James “Ace” Lyons to come up with a plan to compel their release. Lyons proposed blockading Iranian ports and seizing Kharg Island. His logic was simple: The Revolutionary regime could not afford a cessation of its oil exports.

Carter’s aides ultimately rejected the plan; they feared a blockade sliding into direct conflict, something Carter himself had ruled out in the emergency National Security Council meeting that occurred just after the hostage seizure. Carter’s fear and self-deterrence kneecapped his administration and empowered Khomeini to extort the United States. Only when Ronald Reagan took office did Khomeini release the hostages, fearing what might come next. 

Iran’s Geography Problem

Lyons died in 2018, but his plan remains as relevant 46 years later. Iran’s vulnerability is its geography. The Persian Gulf is extremely narrow and shallow. At its deepest point, it is only 298 feet deep. In comparison, Lake Michigan’s deepest point is almost 1,000 feet deep. The Persian Gulf’s average depth is even less—just 160 feet deep, but much shallower as it slopes up to Iran’s rocky shore. In practice, this means that ordinary tankers, let alone the supertankers that today carry most crude, cannot get anywhere near the Iranian coast. To resolve this problem, the Iranians pipe most oil they produce to the Kharg Oil Terminal, built during the Shah’s time, on Kharg Island, about 15 miles off the coast of Iran. Today, Kharg is responsible for about 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports.

What Will Iran Do In Response?

...Will Khamenei take the loss of Kharg sitting down? First, there is a limit to what Khamenei can do when he’s hiding in an underground bunker isolated from even his top aides. Second, any Iranian military attempt to confront U.S. forces will not only divert forces from attacking Iranians in the streets but will also end with those Revolutionary Guardsmen losing in epic fashion.

...After Operation Praying Mantis, regional Arabs told a joke: “Why does the Iranian Navy have glass-bottom boats?” The answer: “So they can see their air force.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, of course, could target Kharg with ballistic missiles, but that would sign their death warrant. Not only would Trump respond in kind, but such action would end Iranian oil exports for months to come, again leaving salaries unpaid.

...Khamenei’s arrogance and his misreading of Trump already led to the loss of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, raising questions even among supporters about what their multibillion-dollar sacrifice was for. To cap that off with a loss of Iran’s oil revenue would likely be too much for even Khamenei’s most ardent supporters to survive. Ace Lyons will be laughing from his grave. (Read More)

As Iran marks revolution anniversary, official insists missile program nonnegotiable

Iranian president says Tehran won’t yield to ‘excessive demands’ from US; Tehran rally attendees chant ‘Death to America and Israel’; shouts of ‘Death to Khamenei!’ also heard.

Iran’s missile capabilities are its red line and are not a subject to be negotiated, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said on Wednesday, as the Islamic Republic marked the anniversary of the 1979 revolution with events overshadowed by the looming threat of US military action. “The Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities are nonnegotiable,” Ali Shamkhani said, according to state media, while appearing in a march commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

Washington has long sought to extend talks on Iran’s nuclear capabilities to additionally cover its missile program. Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions, including missiles. US President Donald Trump has not ruled out strikes against Tehran although, after initially threatening military action due to the regime’s treatment of protesters, he has since tied his decision to a potential deal on the Iranian nuclear program. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who wants a tougher stance against Tehran, was due to hold talks with Trump at the White House on Wednesday. In a speech at Azadi Square in the capital for the 47th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would not yield to “excessive demands” from Washington. “Our Iran will not yield in the face of aggression, but we are continuing dialogue with all our strength with neighboring countries in order to establish peace and tranquility in the region,” he said. (Read More)

Estimation: Iran will have about 2,000 ballistic missiles "within weeks"

Israeli officials spoke with CNN ahead of the expected meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Iran's actions and the threats it poses. "Netanyahu will emphasize to Trump the need for military freedom of action in Iran, even if an agreement is signed between Tehran and Washington," said the officials. According to them, the Prime Minister intends to present new intelligence information to Trump on Iran's military capabilities, mainly regarding the rehabilitation of ballistic missiles.

The assessment in Israel is that, without intervention, Iran will possess up to 2,000 missiles within weeks or months. Netanyahu flew this morning to Washington, D.C., for a diplomatic visit, during which he will meet with President Donald Trump. This is Netanyahu’s seventh visit to the U.S. since Trump's re-election.

Before his departure, Netanyahu said: "I am now going to the United States for my seventh trip to meet with President Trump since his re-election. This, of course, does not include his unforgettable visit to Israel and his speech in the Knesset." "I think these things reflect the unique closeness in the exceptional relationship we have with the United States, personally with the president, and with Israel and the United States-a relationship that has never been like this in our history," he added. (Source)

Netanyahu meets Witkoff, Kushner ahead of White House talks with Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Tuesday with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner ahead of scheduled talks with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday.The meeting, held at Blair House in Washington, focused on “regional issues,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, adding that Witkoff and Kushner briefed the premier on the first round of talks with Iran.

Other participants included Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Netanyahu’s military secretary, Roman Gofman, according to a photo distributed by the PMO. Netanyahu touched down in Washington just hours earlier for his seventh visit since Trump began his second term, saying the trip would focus on Iran, Gaza and other regional developments.

“I will present to the president our perspectives on the key principles in the negotiations—principles that, in my view, are important not only for Israel but for anyone in the world who seeks peace and security in the Middle East,” the premier said on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion Airport. Netanyahu was also scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, about two hours before his private Oval Office meeting with Trump, according to the State Department. (Source)

US draft plan on Gaza would reportedly allow Hamas to keep some small arms

The Hamas terror group will reportedly be allowed to keep some small arms while surrendering most of its long-range weapons, according to a draft plan drawn up by officials involved in the US-led Board of Peace. According to the report in The New York Times, a team including US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace Gaza envoy, plans on sharing the document in question with Hamas in the coming weeks.

The report says that the draft of the plan would see a “phased disarmament” of Hamas, which is likely to take at least months if not longer. According to the newspaper, “it was not immediately clear” where any weapons Hamas handed over would go and how such a plan would be carried out.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said that no reconstruction can move forward in Gaza before Hamas is disarmed, is slated to meet with US President Donald Trump in the White House tomorrow. An Israeli source said earlier today that Netanyahu will stress to Trump that phase two of the Gaza ceasefire “is not moving.” Israel has been telling the US that another IDF operation in Gaza is necessary in order to move to Trump’s vision for Gaza and the region, according to the source. (Ed note: Say it ain't so, Trump. Will you please call your boys Laurel and Hardy home, and let Israel do its job. Do you not remember when you said that Hamas MUST DISARM?) (Source)

The Secret Reason Arab Leaders Are Losing Sleep Over the Trump-Netanyahu Flash Meeting

Middle East expert Yoni Ben Menachem reveals why Arab rulers are "anxious for their seats" as Netanyahu heads to D.C. Will he be able to convince Trump to strike Iran?

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boarded his official aircraft for a high-stakes "flash meeting" with President Trump in Washington on Tuesday, a wave of anxiety swept through Arab capitals. The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, is being watched by regional leaders who fear a decisive shift in U.S. policy toward Iran could destabilize their own tenuous grip on power.

According to Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Middle East analyst and senior researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs, the primary concern among Arab rulers is "the chair," the survival of their regimes. In an interview with Channel 14, Ben Menachem described a region "in shock" over the possibility that Netanyahu will successfully persuade Trump to abandon ongoing nuclear negotiations in favor of a broad military campaign to topple the Islamic Republic.

While some Israeli officials have pushed for strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile sites, Arab leaders worry such an escalation would trigger a regional war that could "undermine the stability of the Middle East" and jeopardize their own internal security. The anxiety is compounded by a perceived link between the campaign against Tehran and the future of Judea and Samaria. Ben Menachem noted that many in the Arab world believe a weakened Iran would pave the way for Israel to tighten its control over Judea and Samaria. Conversely, some regional actors view the continued rule of the Ayatollahs as a necessary counterweight that preserves the long-term prospect of a Palestinian state. (Ed note: An excellent thought and analysis by the Jfeed Staff.) (Read More)

Iran’s Water Crisis Reaches a Breaking Point as Reservoirs Run Dry

Official figures expose the depth of Iran’s water emergency, while the ruling establishment responds with repression instead of solutions Iran’s water crisis has reached a stage where even official statistics can no longer conceal the scale of the disaster. Reports published by state-affiliated media show that a large share of the country’s dam reservoirs are effectively empty, pushing drinking water and agricultural supply—especially in Tehran—into a red-alert situation. At the same time, the regime has offered no structural response to this crisis, continuing instead down a path defined by repression and coercion.

According to a report published by the state-run outlet ILNA on February 6, total water inflow into Iran’s dam reservoirs by February 1 of the 2026 water year stood at approximately 7.34 billion cubic meters. This represents a 4 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Total stored water in dams has fallen to about 18.77 billion cubic meters, a 16 percent year-on-year decrease. Most strikingly, official figures now admit that 64 percent of dam reservoirs across the country are empty. These numbers confirm what communities across Iran have been experiencing for years: the water crisis is not temporary, regional, or accidental. It is systemic and nationwide.

Tehran on the Edge of a Water Emergency 

The situation in the dams supplying Tehran and Alborz Province is even more alarming. The Amir Kabir (Karaj) Dam reportedly holds only six million cubic meters of water, with a fill level of just 1 percent. The Lar Dam is in a similarly dire state, containing around ten million cubic meters—also at roughly 1 percent capacity. Other key reservoirs tell the same story. The Latian and Mamloo dams are each at just 8 percent capacity, while the Taleghan Dam stands at 21 percent. Taken together, these figures place the capital squarely in a critical water emergency, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of urban life, public health, and food security.

A Crisis Years in the Making

Water scarcity is only one of many accumulated crises facing Iran, but it is among the most revealing. Decades of mismanagement, environmentally destructive development, corruption, and the prioritization of ideological and military projects over public welfare have drained the country’s natural resources. Despite repeated warnings from experts, the ruling establishment has failed to make meaningful investments in sustainable water management or climate adaptation. More fundamentally, there has been no accountability. Officials rotate, slogans change, but policies remain locked into a system that treats public needs as secondary to regime survival. (Read More)

How Iran’s water bankruptcy seeped into the protest movement

Unrest that began in Tehran’s Bazaar in January spread nationwide in recent weeks, and turned deadly. Early reports described security forces using live fire in multiple Zagros belt towns, including the Ilam province, and nearby communities such as Lordegan. Violence eventually escalated dramatically during the government’s nationwide crackdown of January 8 to 9, when by some accounts over thirty thousand protesters were killed in possibly the worst massacre in Iran’s modern history.

Many of these protest hubs overlap with areas where severe water shortages in recent years have made life increasingly difficult. The pattern matters: these are not isolated security incidents, but repeated episodes of escalation in regions already under acute water stress and economic strain, where basic service failure has been eroding public tolerance for years.

Iran is approaching what its own meteorological authorities describe as “water day zero”—the point where supply systems simply stop functioning. In that frame, “shortage” is the wrong word; this is system failure. Many scientists describe this as “water bankruptcy”—a condition, associated with researchers including United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health’s Kaveh Madani, in which the damage becomes effectively irreversible on human timescales. And when system failure shows up at the tap, it turns a long-term resource crisis into an immediate legitimacy crisis—especially in provinces where people already live on the edge of service collapse.

The unifying force in these protests is not ideology. It is the erosion of dignity. When officials demand “endurance” while connected networks profit from scarcity, the issue stops being technical. It becomes a judgment about whether the state considers citizens worth serving. That is when water stress becomes a political risk-multiplier: it raises baseline pressure, broadens participation beyond organized activists, and shifts perception from temporary hardship to systemic neglect. (Source)

Iran seals Isfahan tunnels as US issues Hormuz warning

Satellite images taken this week show Iran has filled in all three tunnel entrances at its Isfahan nuclear complex, according to the Institute for Science and International Security. The middle and southern portals are now unrecognizable and completely covered, while the northern entrance, which includes additional passive defense features, also appears to be backfilled, said the organization. No vehicle activity is visible around any of the three access points.

“It appears clear that the Iranians are seriously concerned about a US/Israeli aerial attack and/or raid against this particularly hardened nuclear facility,” said the Washington-based think tank. “Backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special forces raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult,” the group continued. 

“It is also possible that Iran could have moved equipment or material into the tunnels to protect them, although this cannot be confirmed,” the institute said, noting that, “Preparations like these were last observed in the days before Operation Midnight Hammer struck facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” referring to the U.S. military’s June 22, 2025, strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. (Read More)

New satellite footage shows Iran taking steps to protect Isfahan nuclear site

New high-resolution satellite imagery published by Institute for Science and International Securityreveals Iran's efforts to protect Isfahan nuclear complex by covering tunnel entrances with soil.

High-resolution satellite imagery of Iran's Isfahan nuclear complex, taken on Sunday and published on Monday by the Institute for Science and International Security, reveals significant changes around the site’s tunnel entrances. The images show that the middle and southern entrances have been completely covered with soil, making them unrecognizable. The northernmost entrance, which features additional passive defense measures, has also been backfilled with soil.


The Institute for Science and International Security said that the alterations suggest Iran is taking steps to protect the facility from potential US or Israeli aerial strikes or ground raids. It noted that backfilling the tunnels would dampen the effects of airstrikes and complicate special forces operations intended to seize or destroy sensitive materials, such as highly enriched uranium, that may be stored in the tunnels. While it cannot be confirmed, it is possible that Iran has moved equipment or materials into these tunnels for protection, said the organization.


It also noted that similar preparations were observed just before Operation Midnight Hammer this past June, in which the US joined Israel and struck the nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This past Friday, The Associated Press published satellite images which show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel and the United States that may be a sign of Tehran trying to obscure efforts to salvage any materials remaining there. (Source)