US squadron of F-15E fighters arrive in UAE amid Iran tensions
A squadron of American F-15E Strike Eagles arrived in United Arab Emirates on Thursday as part of reinforcements against the Iranian threat as announced last month by the Pentagon.
Iran
‘Iranian missiles can hit aircraft carriers in Persian Gulf’
Iranian missiles are capable of carrying out precision strikes on aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami said Tuesday in an interview with Iranian state television.
Netanyahu: Israel-Russia-U.S. meeting in Jerusalem crucial for regional security
Next week’s meeting in Jerusalem between the national security advisers of Israel, the United States, and Russia is ‘very important for the stability of the Middle East during these turbulent times,’ said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
Pompeo: US forces in Persian Gulf just a deterrent
The Trump administration is not seeking conflict with Iran and its military buildup in the Persian Gulf is aimed entirely at deterring Iranian aggression and threats to US interests and international shipping, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday.
Russia-Iran strain raises possibility of US-Israel-Russia Syria deal
While few expect the advisors’ meeting this month in Jerusalem to produce immediate results, American and Israeli officials hope that it could prepare the ground for a deal that would further weaken Russian ties to Iran and reduce, if not terminate, Iran’s presence in Syria.
Iran Prepared to Enrich Uranium at 20%, Breaking Nuclear Agreement
Iran will not hesitate from stepping up its uranium enrichment to 20%, an Iranian nuclear spokesperson said Monday.
Pentagon approves sending 1,000 more troops to Mideast as US releases new photos of tanker attack linked to Iran
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released new images Monday showing the aftermath of mine attacks against two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman last week, including some images purporting to show Iranian forces removing an unexploded device from the hull of one of the vessels.
Germany, UK warn Iran over enrichment threat; EU takes wait-and-see approach
Germany and Britain on Monday warned Tehran not to breach uranium stockpile limits set by the 2015 nuclear deal, as the EU’s diplomatic chief dismissed Iranian threats as ‘political dialectics.’
U.N. officials: U.S. planning a ‘tactical assault’ in Iran
Diplomatic sources at the UN headquarters in New York revealed to Maariv that they are assessing the United States’ plans to carry out a tactical assault on Iran in response to the tanker attack in the Persian Gulf on Thursday.
U.S. says to send more troops to the Middle East, cites Iran threats
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced on Monday the deployment of about 1,000 more troops to the Middle East for what he said were defensive purposes, citing concerns about a threat from Iran.
Royal Navy plans to deploy marines to Gulf as Iran blamed for oil tanker attacks
The Royal Navy is drawing up plans to deploy marines to the Persian Gulf to protect British ships after a series of alleged Iranian attacks on oil tankers in the region.
U.S. blames Iran for helping Houthi rebels shoot down drone in Yemen
Houthi rebels in Yemen recently shot down a U.S. government-operated drone with assistance from Iran, the U.S. military said in a statement on Sunday.
Pompeo: ‘Of course’ military option on table to deal with Iran
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday that the United States is considering ‘a full range of options,’ including a military response, to combat Iranian aggression.
Pompeo says US does not want war with Iran, urges diplomacy
While it is ‘unmistakable’ that Iran was responsible for the attacks on two tankers last week, the United States does not want to go to war with Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.
Israel joins U.S. in accusing Iran of oil tankers attack
After the US accused Iran of being behind the attack on the oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, senior Israeli officials told Channel 13 that they too believe that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards were the ones who carried out the attack on the oil tankers in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian official calls IAEA inspectors ‘roaches,’ says Tehran should quit NPT
The head of an Iranian academic institute that conducts nuclear research has called for the Islamic Republic to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and renegotiate the 2015 nuclear deal, and repeatedly dubbed international nuclear inspectors ‘cockroaches.’
Iran says it will unveil measures reducing commitment to nuclear pact on Monday
Tehran said it would take further action Monday to renounce its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal signed with world powers.
US says Iran removed unexploded mine from oil tanker
The U.S. military’s Central Command has released a video is says shows Iranian forces removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the two ships suspected to have been attacked near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responsible for ‘blatant assault’ on oil tankers in Gulf of Oman, Mike Pompeo says
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iran for the ‘blatant assault’ on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman earlier Thursday.
Khamenei: Iran doesn’t want nuclear bomb, but US couldn’t stop us if we did
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneni said Thursday that while Tehran doesn’t want an atomic bomb, ‘America could not do anything’ to stop it if it did, just days after the UN’s nuclear watchdog did not explicitly report that Iran was implementing its nuclear-related commitments and said that its rate of uranium enrichment was increasing.