Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Trump considering Pentagon plan to ‘take out’ Khamenei and his son, says report

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday that the Iranian government “better negotiate a fair deal” as he considers military force.

US President Donald Trump earlier said he is weighing the option of limited military action even as negotiations with Iran continue.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Tehran would likely suspend participation in talks if the US launched a strike, a senior government official who asked not to be identified, told Bloomberg.

While Trump has given a deadline of between 10 and 15 days, it also pointed to a possibility of ‘limited’ strikes on Iran.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Australia’s government urged its citizens to avoid travel to Iran and leave the country, citing possible military conflict and airspace disruptions, Iran International reported.

“Prioritise your safety, monitor events and follow local advice,” the government said, cautioning that commercial flights remain available but could change quickly due to recent airspace closures.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to impose visa restrictions on individuals involved in repressing Iranians. According to the Department of State, visa restrictions have been imposed against 18 Iranian regime officials and telecommunications industry leaders, as well as their immediate family members.

This visa restriction policy will target individuals who are complicit, or believed to be complicit, in serious violations of human rights of Iranians, the department said.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Two rounds of Iran-US talks have stalled on core issues, from uranium enrichment to missiles and sanctions relief.

When Omani mediators delivered an envelope from the US side containing missile-related proposals, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi refused even to open it and returned it, a source familiar with the talks told Reuters.

After talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Araqchi said the sides had agreed on “guiding principles,” but the White House said there was still distance between them.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Serbia has urged its citizens in Iran to leave the country “as soon as possible”, after US President Donald Trump threatened military action over the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme, AFP reported.

“Due to the deteriorating security situation, citizens of the Republic of Serbia are not recommended to travel to Iran in the coming period,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump has been presented by the Pentagon with an option to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his son Mojtaba, American digital news outlet Axios reported, citing senior US officials and advisers.

“They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs,” a presidential adviser reportedly said.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: A senior White House official told Reuters that despite Trump’s bellicose rhetoric, there was still no “unified support” within the administration to go ahead with an attack on Iran.

Trump’s aides are also mindful of the need to avoid sending a “distracted message” to undecided voters more concerned about the economy, the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

White House advisers and Republican campaign officials want Trump focused on the economy.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: The United States has positioned two carrier strike groups off the coast of Oman, each costing around $8 million per day to operate, a Bloomberg report said.

Iran-US Tensions LIVE Updates: Tehran would likely halt participation in nuclear talks if the United States launched a strike, a senior regional government official told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.

Barbara Slavin, a fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, said the warning underscores the risks of military threats. “He’s not going to get a diplomatic agreement out of the Iranians if he attacks them again,” Slavin said, the report added.

She added that the threats alone — even without action — could make Tehran less willing to negotiate a deal.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: The Australian government has urged its citizens to avoid travel to Iran and leave the country if it is safe to do so, citing the risk of military conflict and potential airspace disruptions, according to updated SmartTraveller advice cited by Iran International.

“Prioritise your safety, monitor events and follow local advice,” the government said, noting that while commercial flights are currently available, schedules could change quickly due to recent airspace closures and restrictions.

The advisory described Iran’s security situation as extremely volatile, warning that Australians – including dual nationals – face a high risk of detention. Those remaining in the country were advised to avoid public gatherings and protests and be prepared to shelter in place with sufficient food, water, and medication.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to impose visa restrictions on individuals involved in repressing Iranians, following violent crackdowns and censorship, officials said on Friday.

Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar posted on X: “The United States will continue to pursue visa restrictions for individuals who violently repress and censor Iranians seeking to exercise their freedom of expression.”

The move signals Washington’s continued pressure on Tehran amid ongoing human rights concerns and growing international scrutiny.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump is weighing a narrow nuclear agreement with Iran that could allow “token” uranium enrichment, even as he is being presented with Pentagon options that include plans targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son, Axios reported on Friday, citing senior US officials and advisers.

The report suggests that diplomatic and military tracks are being considered simultaneously as tensions remain high.

Responding to the report, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Axios: “The media may continue to speculate on the President’s thinking all they want, but only President Trump knows what he may or may not do.”

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that 32,000 people were killed in Iran in a short period, asking Washington to provide evidence for the figure.

“Iran’s Government has already published a comprehensive list of all 3117 victims of recent terrorist operation, including about 200 officers,” Araqchi wrote on X.

“If anyone disputes accuracy of our data, please share any evidence,” he added, directly challenging Trump’s statement on the reported death toll.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: Despite President Donald Trump’s tough rhetoric on Iran, there is still no “unified support” within the administration for moving ahead with a military strike, a senior White House official said.

The official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said internal discussions are ongoing and no final decision has been made. Trump’s aides are also said to be mindful of avoiding a “distracted message” to undecided voters who are more focused on economic issues, suggesting political considerations are also part of the calculation.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: Some US lawmakers are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s recent comments on possible military action against Iran, saying Congress should have a say before any strikes happen.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said Friday that he has filed a war powers resolution that would require the president to get lawmakers’ approval before launching military action against Iran.

Kaine acknowledged that the measure has little chance of becoming law, in part because Trump would have to sign it.

“If some of my colleagues support war, then they should have the guts to vote for the war, and to be held accountable by their constituents, rather than hiding under their desks,” Kaine said in a statement, cited by AP

Meanwhile, other members of Congress oppose that resolution, saying it could restrict the US’s ability to respond quickly to threats and weaken deterrence if Iran continues to challenge regional stability.

US President Donald Trump has said he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal, even though recent indirect negotiations, including talks this week in Geneva, showed little visible progress.

The negotiations have remained stalled for years, particularly after Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers. Since then, Tehran has refused to negotiate over broader US and Israeli demands, including scaling back its missile programme and cutting ties with armed groups in the region.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that American negotiators have not asked for zero uranium enrichment in the latest round of talks – a position that differs from public statements made by US officials.

“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever,” he said, reported AP.

Araqchi added that Iran would be prepared to take certain confidence-building steps in return for relief from economic sanctions.

However, a White House official disputed his claim, reiterating that Trump’s position remains firm: Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons, cannot have the capacity to build them, and cannot enrich uranium. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to comment publicly.

Tehran has maintained that negotiations should focus strictly on its nuclear programme. It has also said it has not been enriching uranium since US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran as nuclear talks continue, giving Tehran roughly 10 to 15 days to strike a deal, or face consequences.

“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them… 10-15 days would be enough time,” Trump told reporters.

At the inaugural “Board of Peace” meeting, he reiterated that Iran must agree to a “meaningful deal” on its nuclear programme, but suggested that if diplomacy falters, “now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not,” signalling that US military option, remains under consideration.

Trump also stressed that Tehran cannot continue to destabilise the region and must negotiate fairly, noting that developments are likely to become clearer in the next 10 days.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: India is closely tracking developments in Iran amid rising tensions with the United States, the ministry of external affairs said on Friday.

Official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at the weekly press briefing, said, “We are keeping an eye on the situation and staying in constant touch with the Indian community living there (in Iran).”

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump has said he is weighing the option of limited military action even as negotiations with Iran continue.

Responding to a reporter’s question on whether Washington could take limited strikes during ongoing talks, Trump said, “I guess I can say I am considering that.”

His remarks came after Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a television interview that Tehran was working to finalise a draft deal within “the next two to three days,” which would then be sent to Washington for review.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Updates: The US Congress could vote as early as next week on whether to block President Donald Trump from launching military strikes on Iran without lawmakers’ approval, as the US military prepares for the possibility of a serious conflict if diplomatic efforts collapse, reported Reuters.

Several members of Congress, including some Republicans aligned with Trump as well as Democrats, have repeatedly attempted to pass resolutions aimed at restricting the president’s authority to take military action against foreign governments without congressional consent. Those efforts have so far failed.

Under the US Constitution, the power to declare war rests with Congress, not the president, except in cases involving limited strikes justified on national security grounds.

Iran US Tensions LIVE Update: Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araqchi has said a diplomatic breakthrough with the United States could be achieved “in a very short period of time,” signalling optimism despite ongoing tensions, reported Reuters.

While Araqchi did not specify when Tehran would formally share its counterproposal with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, he suggested that an agreement was within reach if talks continue on the current track.