U.S.–Iran Tensions

Iran’s rial plunged to a record low of about 1.6 million to $1 on local markets amid panic over possible U.S. strikes after President Trump threatened action and a U.S. carrier group drew near the region. Regional diplomacy intensified — Egypt and Turkey spoke with Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to seek calm, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Saudi Arabia and the UAE would not allow their airspace to be used for any attack, and Iran said it was open to dialogue but would “defend itself” if attacked even as state media branded protesters “terrorists” and activists, amid a three‑week internet blackout, estimate more than 6,000 killed in the crackdown.

Mass anti‑government protests sparked by economic collapse and soaring inflation have spread across dozens of cities in Iran, with rights groups reporting anywhere from hundreds to several thousand killed and thousands detained amid a near‑nationwide internet blackout and efforts to block Starlink. In response, the U.S. has publicly warned Tehran—President Trump saying America is “locked and loaded” as a carrier strike group moves toward the region and the U.S. Embassy urged citizens to leave—while Sen. Ted Cruz urged arming protesters and Iran‑backed militias (including Kataib Hezbollah) and Iranian leaders have threatened retaliation, even warning U.S. bases and forces would be legitimate targets.

The Department of Homeland Security says it deported three Iranian nationals identified as former members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — Ehsan Khaledi, Mohammad Mehrani and Morteza Nasirikakolaki — on a Sunday charter flight that returned 14 Iranians to Tehran. DHS says all three men entered the U.S. illegally via the southern border in 2024 and that each had an executable final removal order from a federal immigration judge, making this the first deportation flight to Tehran since Iran’s latest anti‑government protests triggered a deadly crackdown. The article notes the flight is the third returning Iranian nationals since September 2025 and comes as President Trump has moved a carrier strike group toward Iran while publicly warning Tehran he may order strikes if mass executions of protesters continue. Human‑rights advocates had spotlighted the flight after two gay Iranian men slated for removal — whose lawyer warned of a high risk of execution if sent back — were taken off the manifest and placed in quarantine for measles exposure. The report underscores how Trump’s interior‑enforcement campaign and his escalating confrontation with Iran are intersecting in sensitive deportation decisions involving alleged former IRGC personnel and at‑risk asylum seekers.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Oman mounted 72 hours of intensive diplomacy urging restraint to avert a U.S.–Iran military clash, delivering coordinated messages to Washington and warning Tehran that attacks on U.S. facilities would damage ties with Arab neighbors as U.S. embassies urged Americans to avoid bases; the U.S. also withdrew a small number of personnel from Al Udeid air base as a precaution and Iran briefly closed its airspace. At the same time Israel’s U.N. ambassador and President Trump signaled readiness for further strikes over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters—Israel saying it is at “high readiness” and Trump threatening “very strong action” but indicating a possible pause after reports the hangings were being canceled—while Iran warned of global retaliation if its leadership is targeted.

After initially inviting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the Davos summit, the World Economic Forum said on X it has withdrawn the invitation—saying the “tragic loss of lives of civilians in Iran” makes it inappropriate for the government to be represented—after pressure from advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran. Human rights group HRANA reports 624 demonstrations, at least 24,669 arrests and 3,919 confirmed deaths (including 3,685 protesters and 25 minors) with nearly 9,000 additional deaths under investigation, and the Trump White House has signaled that “all options remain on the table” as it weighs possible military responses.

Sen. Lindsey Graham announced on X that he is traveling to Israel again to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his team, calling this a 'crucial time in the history of the Middle East' and praising what he terms the Trump–Netanyahu alliance. In his post, Graham said the goal of the visit is to 'build on the historic opportunities created by President Trump’s unprecedented leadership' and to 'stand up to evil' while supporting 'people who are sacrificing for freedom.' The South Carolina Republican has simultaneously been using social media and video clips to advocate a major U.S. operation against Iran, saying he is 'in the camp of bigger' when it comes to potential strikes and calling for stopping those killing protesters 'by any means necessary ASAP.' His rhetoric comes as the Trump administration rolls out new sanctions on Iranian officials and weighs further action, putting one of the Senate’s leading GOP hawks visibly in Israel’s corner at the same time he pushes for a harder line on Tehran. The trip underscores how close coordination between pro-Israel Republicans and the Netanyahu government could shape the next steps in U.S. policy toward Iran and the wider region.