Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Iran says deal with US ‘within reach’ ahead of Geneva talks

Iran’s foreign minister said Iran will “under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon.”

He emphasized that Iran retains its right to “harness dividends of peaceful nuclear technology.”

Iran’s foreign minister said a deal to avoid military conflict with the United States is “within reach” ahead of renewed talks.

Abbas Araghchi said, “We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests.”

He emphasized that progress depends on diplomacy, adding a deal is “within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.”

The remarks came two days before a third round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington in Geneva.

Lebanon’s foreign minister Youssef Raggi said Lebanon fears its infrastructure could be targeted if tensions with Iran escalate.

His comments come after Israel intensified strikes against Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran.

Raggi warned there are indications Israel could “strike very hard” in the event of further escalation.

He said potential targets could include strategic infrastructure such as Lebanon’s airport.

The remarks were made during a press briefing in Geneva.

Amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet senior congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss Tehran, according to Politico, which cited two sources familiar with the plans.

The session is expected to include House and Senate leadership as well as the chairs and ranking members of the intelligence committees. The briefing comes only hours before President Donald Trump is set to deliver his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill.

According to a CNN report, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, US Representative Mike Lawler has pushed back against efforts in Congress to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to launch potential military action against Tehran.

In an interview with CNN, he labeled Iran the foremost state sponsor of terrorism and maintained that the president, as commander-in-chief, needs the flexibility to protect American interests at home and abroad.

According to an AP report, Lebanon has urged Iran-backed Hezbollah not to get involved in any potential confrontation if Washington strikes Tehran. The development comes amid fresh fears that the situation could spiral into a fresh conflict with Israel.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said authorities in Beirut have cautioned Hezbollah against becoming involved. He also warned that if another war erupts between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel could target Lebanese civilian infrastructure more aggressively than during previous clashes.

According to a report in the Times of Israel, the US military has started to move 12 F-22 stealth fighter jets towards the Middle East region. The development comes after they were stationed at an airbase in the UK in recent days. The F-22s were seen taking off from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England and linking up with KC-46 refueler planes, as they make their way toward the region.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said Iran is ready to take “any necessary steps” to reach a deal with the United States.

His remarks come as Tehran and Washington prepare for a new round of talks.

Takht-Ravanchi warned that any US strike on Iran would be “a real gamble.” (Reuters)

Amid growing unease over the situation in Iran, many Indian students, especially those from Jammu and Kashmir, say they want to return home but feel constrained by examinations set for March, ANI reported. A significant number of them are pursuing medical degrees at Iranian universities. Students say their institutions have not indicated any plans to delay exams despite the uncertainty, leaving them with a tough choice: remain in Iran to sit for their tests or travel back to India and potentially lose an academic year.

According to a Reuters report, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday (local time) said that Donald Trump’s first option is always diplomacy; however, he is willing to use lethal force if necessary.

According to a Reuters report, Iran is close to finalising a deal with China to get its anti-ship cruise missiles. The development comes as the US deployed a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the latter

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has kicked off a series of military drills along the country’s southern coastline bordering the Gulf, according to state media reports on Tuesday. The exercises come amid ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington.

A Washington Post report suggests that the US has deployed over 150 military aircraft to bases across Europe and the Middle East in the last few days, as the nuclear negotiations between the two countries stalled last week. The buildup includes cargo planes, aerial refuelling tankers, and combat jets, making it one of the largest US force movements in the region in over 20 years.

During a rally on Tuesday (local time), students at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tehran chanted anti-establishment slogans like “Khamenei is a killer.”

Former Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast said that Iran must be fully equipped for the possibility of war to deter it, as Tehran prepares for a third round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States in Geneva on Thursday.

Mehmanparast emphasized that Iran is willing to reach an agreement, provided it is fair and based on mutual respect, adding that responsibility for progress now lies with Washington. He rejected the idea that threats of military action could compel Tehran to compromise.

“To prevent war, we have to be completely prepared for it,” he said, noting that Iran’s armed forces are at peak readiness and stressing that the country will not back down in the face of pressure.

On Monday (local time), Retired General Jack Keane said that Washington and Tel Aviv are at a crucial moment in dealing with Iran, arguing that negotiations would prolong the survival of a government he described as weak.

Speaking to Fox News, the former US Army vice chief of staff said the US should avoid actions that might “extend the life” of Iran’s leadership, and added that the current conditions present a rare chance to set the stage for potential regime collapse.

Reports suggest that security forces deployed tear gas against students inside the lobby of the Vanak campus of Khajeh Nasir University of Technology in Tehran, according to the university’s newsletter.

India’s foreign ministry on Monday urged its citizens to leave Iran immediately, warning of worsening regional tensions and fears of a possible US strike on Tehran. The Indian Embassy in Tehran advised all Indians in the country — including students, pilgrims, business people and tourists — to “leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights” as the security situation evolves.

Serbia also issued a similar advisory, asking its nationals in Iran to leave the country “as soon as possible,” citing the “deteriorating security situation.”

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard posted a “strong appeal” addressed to Swedish citizens who are in Iran to leave, reflecting growing concern for their safety.

In addition, Australia and Poland have advised their citizens in Iran to exercise heightened caution as geopolitical tensions continue to mount.

University students have the right to protest but everyone must “understand the red lines”, the Iranian government’s spokeswoman said Tuesday, in the first official reaction to renewed rallies on campuses since the weekend.

“Sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or deviate from, even at the height of anger,” Fatemeh Mohajerani told news agency AFP.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has urged a “diplomatic solution” on Iran ahead of expected talks between Tehran and Washington, as US President Donald Trump threatens strikes on the country, Al Arabia reported on Monday.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth urges Iran to agree to a deal, saying it has an opportunity to do so and that is the outcome the US president Trump would prefer.

“Our job is to provide options…everything is on the table. It’s the President’s decision. We are here to ensure that a deal is made, and I think, Iran would be wise to make a deal,” Pete Hegseth was heard saying in a video shared by Al Arabiya English on Tuesday.

Ruling National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asked students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in Iran to leave that country immediately, as it would be difficult to evacuate them after the airspace closure.

Farooq Abdullah, “I want to tell the children of Jammu and Kashmir to leave Iran immediately. If the airspace is closed tomorrow, their parents and families will panic. It is better that they leave before such a situation arises.”

US President Donald Trump took to TRUTH social media platform to refute media reports claiming that General Daniel Caine has cautioned Washington against the war with Iran. He wrote:

“Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran. The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect. General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won. He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear Development. It is a Development no longer, but rather, was blown to smithereens by our Great B-2 Bombers. Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World. He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about, he only knows one thing, how to WIN and, if he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack. Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so. I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them.”

The Washington Post claimed that Gen. Dan Caine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, cautioned Washington against the war with Iran.

It was reported earlier in the day that Caine had told Trump during a meeting last week that a lack of critical munitions and support from regional allies could hinder US efforts to contain a possible Iranian retaliation in the event of an attack by the US.

“Separately, in Pentagon meetings this month, Caine also has raised concerns about the scale of any Iran campaign, its inherent complexity and the possibility of U.S. casualties,” one person was quoted by The Washington Post as saying.

In an exclusive interview with Tehran Times, Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector and US Marine intelligence officer, said, “Let’s be honest: if it weren’t for Iran’s ballistic missile programs, Iran wouldn’t exist today as an Islamic Republic. It would have already been destroyed. The only thing that keeps Iran viable is the fact that it has this deterrence—this ballistic missile capability that can harm Israel and destroy American bases in the region.”

The US military is mobilising a massive array of forces in the Middle East, potentially the largest deployment in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and refueling tankers, as per Bloomberg. President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he is “considering” limited strikes on Iran and warned that Tehran has roughly two weeks to reach an agreement regarding its nuclear program.

The US military is assembling a vast array of forces to the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets and refueling tankers. Trump said on Friday that he’s “considering” limited strikes on Iran and has said Tehran has limited time to strike a deal over its nuclear program.

The US State Department is reportedly pulling out non-essential government personnel and their eligible family members from the US embassy in Beirut, a senior State Department official told Reuters on Monday.

“We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel,” said a senior State Department official.

What does it signify? The development may come as part of the US’ preparations for armed conflict with Iran in the past.

In 2025, the US temporarily evacuated non-essential personnel from embassies in Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait before launching strikes on Iranian uranium enrichment and other facilities linked to its nuclear programme, the Guardian reported.

Iranian media cited analysts as saying that a nuclear deal offering better conditions than the JCPOA is the only logical path for a US administration during the negotiations.

Iranian officials maintain they will never submit to demands that include a total ban on uranium enrichment, caps on Iranian missiles, and the severance of ties with regional allies.

However, they have signalled a willingness to offer new concessions on the level and volume of uranium enrichment, while offering the US profitable economic opportunities in Iran’s oil, gas, and aviation sectors.

Iran hopes that the meeting with the US would yield a breakthrough, though it remains fully prepared to defend itself should the US repeat its June 2025 attack on diplomacy, the Tehran Times reported.

The Iran-based media claims that whether a deal is struck this Thursday depends largely on whether the Trump administration is actually ready for “serious diplomacy.”

Meanwhile, Trump had last week said that Iran had at most 15 days to make a deal and again suggested that the United States would attack if it failed to do so.

Iranian officials maintain they will never submit to Trump’s “excessive” demands, which include a total ban on uranium enrichment, caps on Iranian missiles, and the severance of ties with regional allies.