Iran us ties
Iran-Iraq-US: timeline since Soleimani killing
A recap of events since the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad by the US on 3 January, which escalated tensions between Tehran and...
Fears of a conflict in the crude-rich Middle East ratcheted up Thursday when Tehran said it had shot down a US "spy drone" that was violating its airspace, which Washington denied.
Iran has protested the arrest of Marzieh Hashemi, who was born in the United States and is a presenter on Iran's English-language Press TV, amid high tensions between the two countries.
Pentagon officials stressed that it was not unusual for the Defense Department to draw up military plans for the White House.
If passed, the resolution would allow "the continuation of discussions between Russia and the US in order to work through the two countries' concerns about the framework of the agreement."
Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 38 and Majid Ghorbani, 59, were charged in the indictment with acting on behalf of Iran by conducting the surveillance.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed earlier this month it held war games in the Gulf, saying they were aimed at “confronting possible threats” by enemies.
In response, Iran said the way back to talks was for the United States to return to the nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers that Trump exited in May.
The comments by Major-General Qassem Soleimani, who heads the Quds Force of the Guards, were the latest salvo in a war of words between the two countries.
He added that the US government was launching a 24/7 Farsi-language channel on TV, radio, digital and social media formats to reach Iranians in Iran and around the globe, he said.
Iran faces increased US pressure and looming sanctions after Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from a 2015 international deal over Iran’s nuclear program.
The drive has intensified since Trump withdrew on May 8 from a 2015 seven-nation deal to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Rouhani and some senior military commanders have threatened in recent days to disrupt oil shipments from the Gulf countries if Washington tries to strangle Tehran’s exports.
In May, Trump pulled out of a multinational deal under which sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for curbs to its nuclear program, verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Tehran meanwhile signalled its resolve to expand its enrichment capability by detailing plans to build advanced centrifuges - the machines that enrich uranium.
It remains unclear what Trump will say in his speech or whether he will announce concrete policies that the administration plans to implement.
Trump’s announcement that he will reimpose US economic sanctions on Iran to undermine the nuclear deal is now expected to shift the balance of power against Rouhani.
The official did not know, however, if the Europeans had done enough to convince Trump to remain in the deal.
Technically, Trump must decide by 12 May whether to renew “waivers” suspending some of the US sanctions on Iran.