Latest news with #MajidTakht-Ravanchi
Shafaq News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran denies Trump's meeting claims
Shafaq News - Tehran On Sunday, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Political Deputy to the Iranian Foreign Minister, dismissed US President Donald Trump's recent claim that talks between Washington and Tehran are scheduled for next week, noting that no meeting has been arranged with American officials. Addressing the Iranian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, Takht-Ravanchi questioned the reliability of the United States in any future negotiations, citing growing public anger over the killing of civilians, military personnel, and scientists. During the same session, Committee spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei acknowledged Iran's continued commitment to diplomacy but pointed to a broader crisis of confidence among the public. 'What guarantee exists that the Americans won't reverse course again?' he asked, referring to past disruptions in negotiations. The comments come amid reports in US media that White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit the region in the coming days for meetings with Iranian officials. Discussions are expected to focus on the possibility of halting uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt further confirmed that contact with Iranian counterparts remains ongoing, though clarified that no talks are currently scheduled on the nuclear file. Notably, a planned sixth round of negotiations, initially set for June 15 in Oman, was cancelled following Israel's surprise strike on Iran on June 13, which has evolved into one of the most dangerous escalations between the two countries in years.
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First Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
What happens if Iran attacks US bases in West Asia
Iran has said it will launch 'powerful and targeted operations' against the United States after Washington on Sunday attacked three nuclear sites in Iran – Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. But what has Iran said exactly? What do we know about the US presence in West Asia? and what happens if Iran hits a military base? read more A day after the United States targeted nuclear sites in Iran, Tehran has vowed to hit back. United States on Sunday attacked three nuclear sites in Iran – Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. US President Donald Trump claimed that the three sides were 'completely and totally obliterated'. Iran also on Monday said it would to continue its enrichment uranium program. Read latest updates about America joining Israel-Iran war here. 'Iran will continue its uranium enrichment activities despite US and Israeli strikes,' Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said. 'No one can tell us what we should or should not do'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what did Iran say? And what happens if it hits US bases in West Asia? What did Iran say? Iran vowed to respond to the US strikes on its nuclear bases with 'powerful and targeted operations'. ALSO READ | Did US use Indian airspace to launch strikes on Iran's nuclear sites? 'The criminal America, continuing its all-out support for the aggression of the Zionist regime by blatantly violating the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, directly entered the war with Iran and invaded the sacred soil of Iran. We assure you that with this aggression, the clock will not turn in your favour. The warriors of Islam, in response to this crime, will bring heavy, regrettable and unpredictable consequences for you with powerful and targeted operations. God willing,' Khatam Central Headquarters said. Tehran said its military would decide the 'timing, nature and scale' of its reply to the US. Iran on Sunday had accused the US of destroying diplomacy. Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani on Sunday told the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting that 'Iran had repeatedly warned the warmongering US regime to refrain from stumbling into this quagmire'. 'Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3 (group of European ministers)/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Iran also said the US had 'crossed a very big red line'. It said 'every American citizen or military personnel' in West Asia is now considered a target. Experts think that Iran is likely to retaliate by likely hitting a US base somewhere in the region. US presence in West Asia First, let's look at the US' presence in West Asia. The United States has a massive footprint in the region – and has had for decades. This includes tens of thousands of troops – between 40,000 and 50 thousand – at least eight permanent bases in the region. These eight permanent bases are located in Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan. Qatar is home to US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Al Udeid AIr Base, the largest military base, in the region. The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, which includes 'airlift, aerial refuelling intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and aeromedical evacuation assets', also operates out of this base. In Kuwait, the US has Camp Arifjan – a major army base – and the Ali Al Salem Air Base, which is where the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing operates from. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US also has several military bases in Iraq. This includes the Al-Harir and Al Asad air bases as well as a number of camps and outposts. US President Donald Trump gestures while onstage to deliver remarks to US troops during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar. Reuters In the UAE, the US operates the Al-Dhafra airbase. This outpost, whose focus is on reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, is home to the US 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The Gulf Air Warfare Centre for air and missile defence training is also at this airbase. Saudi Arabia is home to the Prince Sultan Air Base, which is used by the US Air Force. US military personnel are also put up at the Eskan Village near Riyadh. Bahrain hosts the Naval Support Activity Bahrain site. US Naval Forces Central Command and United States Fifth Fleet operate out of this location – previously a British naval command. Egypt is home to a number of US facilities, while Jordan has the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base – which the US operates with its allies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US also has facilities in nearly two dozen nations in West Asia. In short, there are many places that Iran could conceivably attack in retaliation. It has done so on many occasions in the past. What happens if it hits US bases in West Asia? Experts say Iran is in a difficult situation. 'They're really stuck,' HA Hellyer, a senior associate at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, told NBC News. 'If they fight back by striking American targets, then the US is very likely to respond with a much more aggressive and continual campaign that could cause even more damage, not only to the regime, but to the country at large.' 'But if Iran doesn't respond, the cohesion of its regime,' a ruling class weighed down by corruption, public discontent and growing disillusionment with its promises of resistance, 'could really be challenged,' Hellyer added. Jonathan Panikoff, who works at the Atlantic Council think-tank, added, 'In the end, they are going to try to be calculated and narrow about how they respond'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Fawaz Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, said the country will likely try not 'being dragged into an all-out war with the United States.' How did other nations react? Many nations including some US allies have reacted with shock and dismay to Washington's move. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of escalation beyond West Asia as he called for all sides to negotiate a diplomatic end to the crisis, saying stability was the priority in the volatile region. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer Image: AFP Saudi Arabia, which previously condemned Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and military leaders, expressed 'deep concern' about the US airstrikes, but stopped short of condemning them. 'The Kingdom underscores the need to exert all possible efforts to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions, and avoid further escalation,' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters it was crucial to calm the situation as soon as possible, adding that Iranian nuclear weapons development also must be prevented. He declined to comment on whether he supported the US attacks on Iran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Shafaq News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran confirms continued uranium enrichment after US strikes
Shafaq News/ Iran will continue enriching uranium, rejecting any external pressure over its nuclear program, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi confirmed on Monday. 'We will continue enrichment, and no one can dictate what we should or should not do, as long as we operate within the framework of our obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),' Takht-Ravanchi stated in remarks to Germany's ARD television network. His comments came after the US targeted Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. President Donald Trump later confirmed the strikes, describing them as 'precision attacks on deep underground targets' and warning of 'more severe consequences' if Tehran does not end the ongoing war. Takht-Ravanchi denounced the attack as a 'breach of international law'' underscoring Iran's right to self-defense and dismissing renewed calls from the United States and Germany to return to negotiations. 'We were talking on June 13th when we were attacked,' he said. 'We do not negotiate just for the sake of negotiation.' The exchange marks a sharp escalation in regional tensions following the breakdown of indirect talks earlier this year. On June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, an offensive aimed at dismantling key components of Iran's nuclear, military, and intelligence infrastructure.
Shafaq News
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran accuses Iraq of enabling Israeli airstrikes
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi accused Iraq of enabling Israeli airstrikes by failing to prevent violations of its airspace. Takht-Ravanchi claimed that Iraq 'does not have precise control over its territory, but it remains responsible' for allowing Israeli aircraft to pass through its airspace during recent attacks on Iranian sites, adding that Iran would formulate a response plan targeting those who choose to 'stand neutral' in the current confrontation. The Iranian diplomat also confirmed that Tehran called on Iraqi authorities to submit a formal complaint to the UN Security Council, urging the UN to take steps to halt what he described as continued Israeli aggression against Iran. Earlier today, the Spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Sabah Al-Numan, threatened to confront Israeli violations of Iraqi airspace during its strikes on Iran.
Business Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Oil settles up as signs of US-Iran impasse counter economic concerns
[NEW YORK] Oil prices settled marginally higher on Monday as signs of a breakdown in US talks with Iran over its nuclear programme offset a Moody's downgrade of the US sovereign credit rating. Brent crude futures settled 13 cents higher at US$65.54 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude closed up 20 cents at US$62.69 a barrel. Both contracts rose more than 1 per cent last week. Nuclear talks will lead nowhere if Washington insists that Tehran stop its uranium enrichment activity, Iranian state media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi as saying on Monday. That remark dented hopes for an agreement, which would have paved the way for the easing of US sanctions and allowed Iran to raise its oil exports by 300,000 to 400,000 barrels per day, StoneX analyst Alex Hodes said. 'That potential increase looks very unlikely now.' The US sovereign credit downgrade by Moody's raised questions about the economic health of the world's largest oil consuming nation. Pressure also came from news of slowing industrial output growth and retail sales in China, the top oil importer. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up 'The weaker-than-expected Chinese data is not helping crude oil, although I would describe the setback as modest,' said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. Additional pressure came from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's comments that President Donald Trump will impose tariffs at the rate he threatened last month on trading partners that do not negotiate in 'good faith.' Oil prices are likely to remain volatile for the foreseeable future as investors look for updates on the tariffs, US-Iran negotiations, and talks to end the war in Ukraine, said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital in New York. Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a call with Trump on Monday, said Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord and that efforts to end the war were on the right track. An end to the Ukraine war would pave the way for the lifting of some Western sanctions against Moscow's oil sales, potentially boosting global supply and adding more pressure to oil prices, said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. REUTERS
