UAE Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba on WSJ opinion:

Forty miles away, the U.A.E. stands on the front line of this conflict.

The U.A.E. is the argument Iran can’t win, the idea it can’t accept.

Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been degraded. Its proxies have been weakened. More needs to be done.

We are ready to join an international initiative to reopen the strait and keep it open.

The stronger our economic ties to America, the stronger both nations become.

CENTCOM denies Iran’s claim that it shot down an F/A-18 jet today.

Israel is preparing for the possibility that Trump could announce a ceasefire in Iran by next Saturday.

The chances of reaching a detailed and precise agreement between Iran and the United States are slim.

Source: N12

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

There are no talks with the U.S.

The U.S. is sending messages through different mediators.

Exchange of messages via mediators does not mean negotiation with the U.S.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

We demand a permanent end to the war and compensation for destructions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

The fact that they are now talking about negotiations is an admission of defeat; didn’t they claim unconditional surrender before?

So why are they now mobilizing their top officials to negotiate?

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

For some countries we consider friends, we have allowed passage through the Strait of Hormuz; we permitted China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan to pass.

There is no reason to allow our enemy to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

The enemy must learn a lesson so that they never dare attack again.

BIG: Iran has reinforced Kharg Island with troops, air defenses, and mines, preparing for a potential US ground operation.

US officials warn of high risks, including heavy casualties, due to layered defenses and recent deployments of Iranian MANPADs and anti-armor mines.

Source: CNN

Russia sought to blackmail the United States by offering to stop sharing military intelligence with Iran if Washington cut off Ukraine from its intelligence, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

“I have reports from our intelligence services showing that Russia is doing this and saying: 'I will not pass on intelligence to Iran if America stops passing intelligence to Ukraine.' Isn't that blackmail? Absolutely,” Zelensky told Reuters.

Source: Reuters

The U.S. has offered security guarantees for a peace deal in Ukraine on the condition that Kyiv cedes the Donbas region to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Reuters.

"The Americans are prepared to finalise these guarantees at a high level once Ukraine is ready to withdraw from Donbas," Zelensky said.

Source: Reuters

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Japan will send combat troops to the Philippines for the 2026 Balikatan exercises, marking the first such deployment since World War II.

The troops will join forces from the United States and Australia in joint defensive drills.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

This is neither Iran’s war nor America’s war; rather, Israel has pushed the U.S. toward it.

The U.S. prioritizes Israel’s security, and its bases in the region are meant to protect Tel Aviv; Washington is willing to sacrifice everything for Israel’s security.

Israel’s goal is to achieve the “Greater Israel project,” which includes territories of some countries in the region.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

At present, our policy is to continue resistance, and no negotiations have taken place.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Berlin this Monday. His earlier trip, originally scheduled for January, was canceled. He will meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Source: BILD

German Chancellor Merz says he will no longer supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine, breaking his earlier promise:

I said this at a time and in a context that you naturally know, but at that time I assumed there were enough operational Taurus cruise missiles in the Bundeswehr’s stocks that we could deliver to Ukraine.

Today, Ukraine itself has long-range weapons in its depots, some built with our help, which are much more effective than the relatively small number of Taurus missiles we could have delivered. Ukraine is better armed today than ever before.

However, Ukraine has significant funding difficulties, and that is why at the moment we are not solving a problem with additional weapons. The weapons are there, but we need to mobilize money for Ukraine so these weapons can continue to be produced.

WATCH: Iranian IRGC‑affiliated media claims this video shows Iran striking a U.S. F/A‑18 fighter jet.

Another angle of IRGC targeting U.S. F/A‑18 fighter jet today.

Senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaee:

Do American soldiers really want to die for Israel?

We’re waiting.