US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.
Day 96 | Trump says Iran talks happening “continuously”, Rubio still hopeful
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States and Iran were speaking “continuously,” denying reports that Tehran had broken off contact over ‘Israel’s’ attacks on Lebanon.
Trump added that “one never knows” where the negotiations would lead, as weeks of direct and indirect talks have failed to end the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran that began on February 28.
“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the U.S.A., stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today.”
Trump added: “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal. You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer!’”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday expressed hope that a deal to end the war in Iran was in the cards, stressing that Tehran must severely curtail its nuclear program before any sanctions are lifted.
"There is the prospect before us, which could happen today, it could happen tomorrow, it could happen next week," Rubio told a Congressional panel.
Rubio was testifying in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as the three-month US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran appears to have reached an impasse, with the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz continuing to disrupt global energy markets.
Rubio insisted that Tehran must reopen the shipping channel for any peace agreement to take hold, while also agreeing to curb its nuclear activities in order to see sanctions lifted.
"Iran is being sanctioned because they've highly enriched uranium, Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities," Rubio said. "If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief."
VIDEO - Trump confirms calling Netanyahu “fu**king crazy”
Trump confirms lashing out on Netanyahu during a phone call over the situation with Hezbollah Lebanon.
"I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon, you know. At some point I said, 'Bibi, we've got to stop this. We gotta stop it,” Trump said in an interview with Miranda Devine on the show “Pod Force One”.
A report by Axios said earlier that Trump told Netanyahu: “You're fu**ing crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
India condemns Kuwait airport attack, says one citizen dead
India's foreign ministry condemned an Iranian attack on Kuwait's airport on Wednesday, confirming that an Indian national had been killed and others wounded.
"We condemn the attack on the Kuwait International Airport today in which an Indian national has died and several of our nationals are injured," India's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"We again call upon parties to cease such attacks," it added.
Kuwait blamed Iran for the attack, and demanded that two Iranian embassy staff leave the country within 24 hours.
Kuwait denies territory was used for attacks after Iran claims
Kuwait said on Wednesday that its territory and airspace were not used to attack "any country", denying Iranian claims that the United States launched strikes from there.
The denial came as Kuwait summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan issuing "Kuwait's categorical rejection of the use of its territory or airspace in any hostile acts against any country, emphasizing that the false Iranian claims are baseless and do not rely on evidence", a ministry statement said.
Kuwait demands two Iran embassy staff leave after deadly attack
Kuwait demanded that two Iranian embassy staff leave the country within 24 hours on Wednesday after an Iranian attack on the country's airport that killed one person and injured dozens more.
Kuwait's deputy foreign affairs minister Hamad Suleiman Al-Mashaan summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Kuwait, Hamed Hamid Yaqoubi Far, and "handed him an official protest note regarding the continued Iranian attacks and the decision to reduce the number of members of the Iranian Embassy in the country and to consider two members of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata, and request their departure from the territory of the State of Kuwait within a maximum period of 24 hours" the ministry said in a statement.
Kuwait says Iran launched 30 ballistic missiles and drones at country
Kuwait said it detected 30 ballistic missiles and drones launched as part of a "heinous Iranian aggression" on Wednesday.
"Since dawn today, the armed forces have detected and engaged 13 hostile ballistic missiles within Kuwaiti airspace. These missiles were intercepted over several residential areas, resulting in some debris falling. The armed forces also detected and engaged 17 hostile drones. This heinous Iranian aggression targeted civilian and vital facilities," defence ministry spokesman Saud Abdulaziz al-Atwan said.
Trump: ‘If it wasn’t for me there would be no Israel right now’
US President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu persuaded or manipulated him into launching the war on Iran, insisting the decision was entirely his own.
“He tricked me? I’m the one that started it,” Trump said during an appearance on Pod Force One, adding that he acted because “we can’t let them have a nuclear weapon”.
Trump dismissed the allegations as politically motivated, blaming his opponents for spreading the claims.
“They’re just the Dumbocrats. These are people that don’t know what they’re doing,” he said.
The president said his concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities date back to his first term, when he withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated under former President Barack Obama.
Trump also linked the issue to the security of ‘Israel’, saying it would likely have been the first target if Iran obtained a nuclear weapon.
“If it wasn’t for me there would be no Israel right now,” Trump said.
Kuwait says 63 injured after Iranian attack, seven major surgeries performed
Kuwait’s Health Ministry says the country’s healthcare system was placed on full emergency alert from the first hours of what it described as the Iranian attack on the country.
Health Ministry spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad said medical facilities received 63 injured people following the incident and performed seven urgent major surgeries.
Al-Sanad said hospitals and emergency services activated comprehensive response plans immediately after the attack, with medical teams mobilised to handle casualties and ensure continuity of care.
He added that the health system remains at a heightened state of readiness around the clock.
US lawmaker says reports of tension between Trump, Netanyahu ‘all talk’
US Republican Representative Thomas Massie has dismissed reports of a dispute between US President Donald Trump and ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the claims as “all talk”.
In a social media post, Massie criticised continued US financial support for ‘Israel’, arguing that suspending aid would quickly reduce regional tensions.
“It’s all talk. Just withhold foreign aid to Israel for a month and they’ll stop bombing their neighbors,” Massie wrote, adding that such a move could help restore stability and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He also claimed that ‘Israel’ “has been, and continues to be, the biggest welfare recipient from American taxpayers”.
Iran rejects Secretary Rubio’s accusations of Iranian assassination plots
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has rejected claims by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Iranian plots to assassinate American political leaders, including the president.
Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Washington was attempting to deflect attention from what he described as “war crimes” against Iranian civilians, according to a post on X.
Sharing a video of Rubio’s remarks, Baghaei wrote: “Every accusation is a confession,” adding that “playing victim cannot whitewash your harrowing war crimes and crimes against humanity against the nation of Iran.”
In the clip, Rubio said individuals had been convicted in connection with alleged Iranian-linked plots to target US political figures on American soil. The US has not publicly released full details of those cases in this context.
Baghaei also referenced recent incidents in the ongoing tensions between Iran and the US, including a February 28 missile strike on a school in Minab, which Iranian officials say killed more than 170 children and teachers.
Jordanian interior minister receives Kuwaiti counterpart in Amman
Jordan’s Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya received Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahd Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman on Tuesday, according to official reports.
Sheikh Fahd is on a short visit to Jordan, accompanied by a delegation of senior officials from Kuwait’s Interior Ministry.
The meeting took place at the airport upon arrival, with both sides exchanging greetings as part of the official reception protocol.
Kuwait Airport resumes flights after strike damage assessment
Kuwait International Airport says it has resumed Kuwait Airways flights from Terminal 4 after a temporary suspension following reported drone and missile strikes attributed to Iran.
The state-run Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that operations restarted after technical teams and relevant authorities completed an assessment of the damage and implemented safety measures to ensure normal operations.
Authorities said the decision to restart flights followed checks on operational systems and infrastructure affected by the earlier attack, which had forced the suspension of air traffic and diversions to alternative airports.
According to the report, one person was killed and an unspecified number were injured in the strike on the airport terminal.
Iran armed forces vow to fight ‘to the death’ on Khomeini death anniversary
Iran’s armed forces have issued a statement marking the anniversary of the death of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the Khordad 15 uprising, vowing to defend the country’s revolutionary system against what it described as US and ‘Israeli’ aggression, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
The joint statement, issued by the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said recent actions by Washington and Tel Aviv had “revealed to the world the true face of the false claimants of human rights,” citing a reported strike on a school in Minab that it said killed more than 170 people.
“The Iranian nation will not retreat in the face of threats and aggression,” the statement said, adding that the armed forces would defend the ideals of the Islamic Revolution “to the death.”
It also said the United States and ‘Israel’ “will have no choice but to surrender before the divine will of the armed forces and the enlightened and aware nation,” while urging public unity behind national leadership.
UAE calls for ‘unified Gulf stance’ after Iran attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain
Anwar Gargash, adviser to the United Arab Emirates president, has called for a firm and unified Gulf response to what he described as repeated Iranian “aggression” against Kuwait and Bahrain.
Writing on X, Gargash said no Gulf state should be left alone to face such attacks, stressing that the security of Gulf Cooperation Council countries is interconnected and their interests are shared.
“The security of the Gulf Cooperation Council states is interconnected, their interests are shared, and their destiny is one,” Gargash wrote. “This aggression does not target one country in particular, but rather targets us all.”
Iran blames ‘American-Zionist aggressors’ for Gulf turmoil
Iran has accused what it called the US “terrorist army” of escalating tensions in the Gulf through attacks on a commercial vessel and a communications tower, according to statements carried by Fars News Agency.
The Foreign Ministry warned regional countries against allowing their territory, airspace, or maritime space to be used for military operations against Iran.
In a statement cited by Iranian media, the ministry said any country that permits “aggressor parties” to use its facilities or territory for attacks on Iran would be in violation of international law and principles of good neighbourliness.
It added that responsibility for the consequences of the situation lies with what it described as “American-Zionist aggressors” and any parties assisting them.
Iran condemns US strikes on Qeshm Island infrastructure
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned what it described as US attacks on Iranian assets, including a tanker and a communications tower on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
The ministry said the strikes took place early Wednesday and amounted to a violation of international law, according to Iranian state-linked reporting.
Tehran said the reported attack on an Iranian oil tanker and communications infrastructure represents a dangerous escalation in the Gulf, amid heightened tensions across the region.
Sirens sound in northern ‘Israel’ as rockets, drones launched from Lebanon
Sirens sounded in the northern areas of Manara and Kiryat Shmona after warnings of rockets and drones launched from Lebanon, according to the ‘Israeli’ Home Front Command.
Iran says Kuwait and Bahrain ‘bear direct responsibility’ for US attacks
Iran has condemned what it described as US attacks, saying they violated a ceasefire understanding and international law, amid rising tensions across the Gulf region.
The Foreign Ministry said Kuwait and Bahrain bear “direct and clear responsibility” for the strikes, alleging their territory and facilities were used to support US military operations against Iran.
Tehran accused both countries of enabling operations it links to US military activity, escalating diplomatic rhetoric as regional security concerns intensify.
Bahrain says it intercepted 3 Iranian missiles and multiple drones
Bahrain’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed three missiles and “a number of” drones on Wednesday, according to the country’s military, which condemned Iran’s attacks on the region.
Iran “continues its systematic hostile approach through its heinous attacks with missiles and drones targeting civilian objects in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” the military’s General Command said.
It added that “all its weapons and units are at the highest levels of readiness and defensive preparedness,” and warned civilians not to touch or approach any “strange or suspicious objects.”
'Israel' drone strike hits car in southern Beirut
An ‘Israeli’ drone strike targeted a vehicle on the main highway in Khaldeh, on the southern outskirts of Lebanon’s capital Beirut, according to local reports.
The strike took place on the key road linking Beirut with southern Lebanon, just a few kilometres from the capital. It is not yet clear whether there are casualties.
The attack hit a vehicle travelling on the coastal highway, a major transport route frequently used between Beirut and southern Lebanon.
China calls for calm as Iran conflict risks resurgence
China has expressed concern over the situation in the Middle East, warning that a renewed war in Iran would not be in the interest of any side.
In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it hopes all parties will adhere to a ceasefire and avoid further escalation. It also stressed the importance of maintaining diplomatic momentum between Tehran and Washington.
