Wed 28 January 2026:

US President ⁠Donald Trump has urged ‍Iran to ⁠make a deal or ‌the next attack will ‌be “far ‌worse”.

“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” he said in a lengthy post on Truth Social on Wednesday.

The US president added that “hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL!”

The US has indicated in recent weeks that it is considering an attack against Iran in response to Tehran’s crackdown on protesters, which has left thousands of people dead. US President Donald Trump has sent the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region.

Since the conflict, Trump has reiterated demands that Iran dismantle its nuclear programme and halt uranium enrichment, but talks have not resumed.

On Monday, a US official said that Washington was “open for business” for Iran.

“I think they know the terms,” the official told reporters when asked about talks with Iran. “They’re aware of the terms.”

Pezeshkian warns of regional instability amid US threats

On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) after a United States aircraft carrier arrived in the region amid growing fears of a new conflict with Israel or the US.

Pezeshkian hit out at US “threats” in the call with Saudi Arabia’s leader on Tuesday, saying they were “aimed at disrupting the security of the region, and will achieve nothing other than instability”.

“The president pointed to recent pressures and hostilities against Iran, including economic pressure and external interference, stating that such actions had failed to undermine the resilience and awareness of the Iranian people,” a statement from Pezeshkian’s office said on Tuesday.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported after the call that Prince Mohammed ‍told Pezeshkian that Riyadh would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran.

“HRH the Crown Prince affirmed during the call the Kingdom’s position in respecting the sovereignty of Iran, stressing that the Kingdom will not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin,” SPA reported.

Amid growing fears of a new war, a commander from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday issued a warning to his country’s neighbours.

“Neighbouring countries are our friends, but if their soil, sky, or waters are used against Iran, they will be considered hostile,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy of the IRGC’s naval forces, was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.

Israel carried out a wave of attacks on Iran in June 2025, targeting several senior military officials and nuclear scientists, as well as nuclear facilities. The US then joined the 12-day war to bombard three nuclear sites in Iran.

The war came on the eve of a round of planned negotiations between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

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Iran’s currency drops to record low

This latest dip comes nearly a month after shopkeepers in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar shut their stores in protest against the falling value of the rial, hyperinflation and a government decision to end certain food and fuel subsidies.

The demonstrations that began in the capital on December 28 quickly spread across the country, with protesters demanding political change. They were met by a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces, the scale of which is only starting to become clear as the country faced more than two weeks of internet blackout – the most comprehensive in its history.

Iran’s government said at least 3,117 people were killed in the unrest, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest “terrorists.”

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which verifies each death with a network of activists in Iran, put the death toll at 5,777 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 86 children and 49 civilians who were not participating in the demonstrations.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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