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Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has warned the United States that its forces remain on high alert, even as President Donald Trump said Tehran appears willing to enter negotiations. In a statement aired by state television on Thursday, Revolutionary Guard commander Gen Mohammad Pakpour said his forces have their “finger on the trigger,” cautioning both Washington and Israel against what he described as potential miscalculations. He urged the US and Israel to draw lessons from past conflicts, including what he called the “12-day imposed war,” and said the Guard stood fully prepared to carry out any orders from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Despite the sharp rhetoric, signs of immediate US military action appeared to ease this week. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said the United States had struck Iranian uranium enrichment facilities last year to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. New Israeli settlement Yatziv inaugurated near Beit Sahour “We can’t let that happen,” Trump said, adding that Iran “does want to talk,” and that the US would engage in discussions. At the same time, Iran’s military leadership issued further warnings. Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, head of Iran’s joint command headquarters, said any US attack would make “all US interests, bases and centres of influence” legitimate targets. Earlier this week, Trump had warned Iran’s leaders that the United States would respond decisively if there were any attempt on his life, linking such a scenario to potential retaliation over actions targeting Khamenei. The heightened tensions come as Iran’s leadership deals with the fallout from nationwide protests that erupted in late December. Authorities have since suppressed the unrest through a forceful crackdown, alongside a sweeping internet blackout described by monitoring group NetBlocks as a “national kill-switch,” now in its second week. Hackers disrupt Iran state TV as protest crackdown death toll tops 4,000 On Wednesday, Iranian officials released their first official casualty figures from the protests, saying 3,117 people were killed. #With inputs from Agencies

US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, initially conceived as a small group of world leaders to oversee the Gaza ceasefire, is rapidly expanding into a far more ambitious international body that Trump says could one day broker global conflicts and rival the United Nations Security Council. Trump is due to travel to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where more details about the initiative are expected. Ahead of the trip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he had agreed to join the board, reversing his earlier criticism of its Gaza oversight committee. Although the board’s charter has not yet been officially released, a draft obtained by the Associated Press suggests that sweeping authority would be concentrated in Trump’s hands. The document says countries that contribute $1 billion in cash during their first year would be granted permanent membership. A far broader mission than Gaza The Trump administration now appears to be positioning the Board of Peace as a global conflict-resolution body, far beyond its original focus on Gaza. In invitation letters sent to world leaders last Friday, Trump said the board would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict,” language that signals an ambition to operate as a rival to the UN Security Council. A draft charter, shared by a European diplomat and confirmed by a US official as accurate as of Monday, describes the need for a more “nimble and effective international peace-building body” and calls for departing from institutions that “have too often failed.” It says the board aims to “secure peace in places where it has for too long proven elusive.” Under the draft, the chairman — a role Trump says he will hold — would have the authority to invite member states, break tie votes, determine how often the board meets and create or dissolve subsidiary bodies. Member states would serve three-year terms and fund the board’s operations. Those paying more than $1 billion in cash during their first year could secure a permanent seat. US officials cautioned that the charter remains under constant revision and is not final. Countries invited and confirmed So far, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Argentina and Belarus have agreed to participate. Netanyahu’s decision marks a change in position. His office had earlier objected to the Gaza executive committee, citing the inclusion of Turkey, a regional rival of Israel. Invitation letters have also been sent to Paraguayan President Santiago Peña, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Russia, India, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Union’s executive arm have confirmed receiving invitations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is reviewing the proposal and seeking clarification on its details. Trump confirmed on Monday night that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been invited. It remains unclear how many more countries will ultimately be asked to join. Some allies say no France has signalled it does not plan to join, amid tensions with Washington over Trump’s interest in taking over Greenland, a self-governing territory under NATO ally Denmark. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Paris supports implementing Trump’s peace plan but opposes creating a new organisation that would replace the United Nations. Reacting to reports that French President Emmanuel Macron was unlikely to participate, Trump said, “Nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon,” and joked about imposing tariffs on French wine to pressure him to join. Other bodies linked to the Board of Peace The White House said an executive board will be formed to implement the Board of Peace’s vision. Its members include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, former British prime minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Trump’s deputy national security adviser Robert Gabriel. Another body, the Gaza Executive Board, will oversee the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, including deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and rebuilding the territory. Read More: Netanyahu confirms Israel’s participation in Trump’s proposed Board of Peace Former UN Mideast envoy Nickolay Mladenov will manage day-to-day operations. Other members include Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Rowan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi, Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, Emirati minister Reem Al-Hashimy, Israeli businessman Yakir Gabay and former Dutch deputy prime minister Sigrid Kaag.

Wall Street plunged sharply on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on eight European countries, intensifying tensions over his push to assert American influence over Greenland. The sell-off affected nearly all sectors, extending losses from last week. The S&P 500 fell 143.15 points, or 2.1%, to 6,796.86, marking its steepest decline since October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 870.74 points, or 1.8%, to 48,488.59, while the Nasdaq composite slid 561.07 points, or 2.4%, to 22,954.32. Technology stocks led the decline, with Nvidia down 4.4% and Apple falling 3.5%. Retailers, banks and industrial companies also lost ground, including Lowe’s (-3.3%), JPMorgan Chase (-3.1%) and Caterpillar (-2.5%). Global markets reacted similarly, with European and Asian indices falling. Japanese long-term bond yields hit record levels amid concerns over fiscal policy. Gold and silver prices surged 3.7% and 6.9% respectively, while bitcoin retreated to around $89,700 from last week’s peak above $96,000. Trump said on Saturday that he would levy a 10% import tax in February on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland. Combined imports from these European nations exceed those from the US’s two largest import partners, Mexico and China. The threat has drawn sharp diplomatic reactions in Europe, with leaders considering countermeasures, including retaliatory tariffs. Analysts warned that such measures could push up inflation, complicating the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. Investors are also monitoring corporate earnings amid the tariff uncertainty. Industrial giant 3M fell 7% after reporting mixed quarterly results, while other major firms, including Johnson & Johnson, Halliburton and Intel, are expected to release earnings this week.

U.S. military forces on Tuesday boarded and took control of a seventh oil tanker linked to Venezuela as part of the Trump administration’s drive to assert control over the South American country’s oil sector. U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post that American forces apprehended the Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident, saying the tanker was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s declared quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The command did not specify whether the U.S. Coast Guard carried out the operation, as in previous seizures. The Pentagon and Southern Command said they had no additional details. The Sagitta, a Liberian-flagged tanker, is registered to a Hong Kong-based company. The vessel last transmitted its location more than two months ago after leaving the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. It was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under an executive order tied to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Southern Command said the tanker had taken oil from Venezuela, adding that the seizure “demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully.” The command released aerial footage showing the Sagitta at sea, though unlike earlier operations the video did not show U.S. helicopters approaching or troops boarding the vessel. Since the U.S.-led ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise overnight raid on Jan 3, the Trump administration has moved to take control of Venezuela’s oil production, refining and global distribution. Administration officials have said seizing tankers is part of an effort to generate revenue to rebuild the country’s battered oil industry and revive its economy. Trump met oil industry executives nearly two weeks ago to discuss plans to invest $100 billion in Venezuela’s energy sector and said the United States expects to sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil. Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. has already taken 50 million barrels of oil out of Venezuela. “We’ve got millions of barrels of oil left,” he said. “We’re selling it on the open market. We’re bringing down oil prices incredibly.” The first tanker was seized off Venezuela’s coast on Dec 10. Most of the others were captured in nearby waters, except for the Bella 1, which was intercepted in the North Atlantic after abruptly turning back toward Europe on Dec 15 and was seized on Jan 7.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to impose 200% tariffs on French wines and champagne after reports suggested French President Emmanuel Macron was unwilling to join his “Board of Peace” on Gaza.  “Well, nobody wants him because he’s going to be out of office very soon,” Trump said. “So you know, that’s all right. What I’ll do is, if they feel like hostile, I’ll put a 200% tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he’ll join. But he doesn’t have to join.” Greenland, tariffs and Trump dominate Davos talks Macron’s five-year presidential term ends in May 2027, and under French law, he is ineligible for a third term. The Board of Peace, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in November, is a global body tasked with overseeing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Invitations to world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have been sent. Trump also reiterated his plans regarding Greenland, saying, “I don’t think they’re going to push back too much. We have to have it ...They can’t protect it.” #With inputs from Agencies

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said Europe will not bow to pressure from US President Donald Trump, as European leaders rallied behind Greenland in response to Washington’s threat of tariffs over the autonomous Danish territory. Trump has warned he will impose new tariffs on eight US allies – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK – from February if they oppose his plan to take control of Greenland. He has described the island as vital for US security and has not ruled out using force, triggering strong criticism across Europe. In a joint statement, the countries threatened with tariffs said Trump’s move could spark a “dangerous downward spiral” and undermine transatlantic relations. “We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” the statement said, stressing that Arctic security is a shared Nato interest and that sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. Writing on Facebook, Frederiksen said Europe wanted cooperation, not conflict, but would stand firm on its core values. “Europe will not be blackmailed,” she wrote. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had spoken with Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte before holding talks with Trump. A Downing Street spokeswoman said Starmer made clear that Greenland’s security was a priority for all Nato members and that imposing tariffs on allies over collective security was wrong. Trump has threatened a 10 percent tariff on goods from the eight countries from February 1, with the possibility of raising it to 25 percent until a deal is reached. European leaders have warned the move would damage long-standing alliances, while public protests have already taken place in Denmark and Greenland against Trump’s takeover plan.   With inputs from BBC

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday suggested that countries could face tariffs if they do not support U.S. control over Greenland, as a bipartisan Congressional delegation met in Copenhagen to ease tensions over the issue. Trump has repeatedly asserted that the U.S. should have control over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, calling any outcome short of U.S. ownership “unacceptable.” Speaking at a White House event on rural health care, Trump said he had previously threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals and added, “I may do that for Greenland too… because we need Greenland for national security.” This marks the first time Trump mentioned tariffs as a possible means to assert control over the Arctic territory. Earlier this week, Denmark’s and Greenland’s foreign ministers met in Washington with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, resulting in the formation of a working group, though disagreements between Denmark and the White House remain. Denmark has emphasized that decisions on Greenland are a matter for Denmark and Greenland and announced plans to strengthen its military presence on the island. In Copenhagen, U.S. senators and representatives met with Danish and Greenlandic officials, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, thanked Denmark for “225 years of being a good and trusted ally” and highlighted discussions on sustaining the relationship. Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said the visit underscored the importance of viewing Greenland as an ally rather than an asset, contrasting with the White House’s more confrontational tone. Read More: Donald Trump claims India, Russia have fallen to China Trump has justified his push for U.S. control by citing potential Chinese and Russian interest in Greenland, which contains vast reserves of strategic minerals, and the White House has not ruled out forceful acquisition. Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic politician in the Danish parliament, said the U.S. has been the main source of threats, while Murkowski noted that public opinion strongly opposes U.S. annexation, with about 75% against it. She and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen have introduced bipartisan legislation barring the use of U.S. funds to seize Greenland or any NATO ally’s territory without consent. The debate has sparked concern among Greenlanders. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen affirmed the territory’s allegiance to Denmark, NATO, and the EU. Sara Olsvig, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, criticized the U.S. stance, saying it shows a troubling view of Indigenous peoples and smaller nations, emphasizing that Greenlanders do not want to be colonized again.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told “on good authority” that Iran has stopped plans to carry out executions, even as Tehran signals fast-track trials and harsh punishments for thousands detained in its nationwide crackdown on protesters. The U.S. president made the claim without providing details, days after telling protesting Iranians that “help is on the way” and that his administration would “act accordingly” in response to the Iranian government’s actions. However, Trump did not explain how Washington might respond and it was unclear whether his remarks suggested a delay in any possible U.S. action. Earlier in the day, Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said authorities must move quickly to punish more than 18,000 people detained during the unrest through rapid trials and executions. Iran’s security forces have killed at least 2,586 people during the crackdown, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The toll is the highest from any wave of unrest in Iran in decades, recalling the turmoil surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tensions between Tehran and Washington remained high as Iran further extended an order closing its airspace to commercial aircraft without explanation early Thursday. A notice to pilots said the closure was expected to last until 7:30am local time. The United States also requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Iran, while U.S. embassies in Kuwait and Qatar ordered heightened security measures and advised personnel to limit movements to key military bases. Britain shut its embassy in Tehran and withdrew diplomats, citing security concerns, while several countries, including India and Italy, urged their nationals to leave Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is “ready for negotiation” and urged Washington to choose diplomacy over war, while again blaming foreign powers for the unrest. US labels three Muslim Brotherhood branches as terrorist groups Meanwhile, mass funerals were held in Tehran for security force members killed in the protests, and demonstrations in support of Iranian protesters continued in cities across Europe.

President Donald Trump was consulting with his national security team Tuesday about next steps with Iran as he looked to get a better understanding of the number of Iranian citizens who have been killed and arrested in more than two weeks of unrest throughout the country. Trump said he believes that the killing is “significant” and that his administration would “act accordingly.” He added that he believed the Iranian government was “badly misbehaving.” But the president said he has yet to receive a confirmed number of Iranians killed in the protests that began late last month, saying he has heard “five different sets of numbers” about the death toll. Since the protests began Dec. 28, 16,700 people have been arrested and more than 2,000 have been killed, the vast majority protesters, according to Human Rights Activists News Agency. The organization relies on a network of activists inside Iran that confirms all reported fatalities. “The message is they’ve got to show humanity,” Trump said of the Iranian government. “They’ve got a big problem. And I hope they’re not going to be killing people.” The comments came after Trump earlier in the day announced he was cutting off the prospect of talks with Iranian officials amid a protest crackdown, telling Iranian citizens “help is on its way.” Iran protest death toll jumps to 2,571 Trump did not offer any details about what the help would entail, but his remarks come just two days after the Republican president said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic. But Trump appeared to make an abrupt shift about his willingness to engage with the Iranian government. “Iranian Patriots, keep protesting and take over your institutions if you can,” Trump said in speech Tuesday at an auto factory in Michigan. “Save the names of the killers and abusers that are abusing you. You are being very badly abused." Iranian ambassador responds to Trump Iran's chief envoy to the United Nations, Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, denounced Trump's latest comments in a letter to U.N. officials as “interventionist rhetoric.” “This reckless statement explicitly encourages political destabilization, incites and invites violence and threatens the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Iravani wrote. Iranian state media has aired at least 97 confessions from protesters, many expressing remorse for their actions, since the protests began, according to a rights group that is tracking the videos. Iran alleges these confessions, which often include references to Israel or America, are proof of foreign plots behind Iran’s nationwide protests. Activists say they are coerced confessions, long a staple of Iran’s hard-line state television, the only broadcaster in the country. And these videos are coming at an unprecedented clip. Trump tells Iranians “help is on its way” amid deadly protests Trump, in an exchange with reporters during the factory visit, demurred when asked what kind of help he would provide. “You’re going to have to figure that one out,” he said. The U.S. president has repeatedly threatened Tehran with military action if his administration found the Islamic Republic was using deadly force against antigovernment protesters. Trump on Sunday told reporters he believed Iran is “starting to cross” that line and has left him and his national security team weighing “very strong options” even as he said the Iranians had made outreach efforts to the U.S. And on Monday, the president’s team offered guarded hope that a diplomatic solution could still be found. Later Monday, Trump said he would slap 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Tehran “effective immediately,” but the White House has not provided details on that move. China, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Brazil and Russia are among economies that do business with Tehran. Administration leaders weigh US options Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and key White House National Security Council officials began meeting Friday to develop options for Trump, ranging from a diplomatic approach to military strikes. “We don’t want to see people killed and we want to see a little bit of freedom for these people," Trump said. "These people have been living in hell for a long time.” Iraq PM race: al-Sudani withdraws in favor of Maliki Iran, through the country’s parliamentary speaker, has warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if Washington uses force to protect demonstrators. Trump said he was undeterred by threats of Iranian retaliation. “Iran said that the last time I blew them up,” said Trump, referring to threats from the government ahead of U.S. military strikes in June on key Iranian nuclear facilities. “They better behave.” More than 600 protests have taken place across all of Iran’s 31 provinces, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Tuesday. The activist group said 1,850 of the dead were protesters and 135 were government-affiliated. It said more than 16,700 people had been detained. Understanding the scale of the protests has been difficult. Iranian state media has provided little information about the demonstrations. Online videos offer only brief, shaky glimpses of people in the streets or the sound of gunfire. Trump's push on the Iranian government to end the crackdown comes as he is dealing with a series of other foreign policy emergencies around the globe. It’s been more than a week since the U.S. military launched a successful raid to arrest Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro and remove him from power. The U.S. continues to mass an unusually large number of troops in the Caribbean Sea. Trump is also focused on trying to get Israel and Hamas onto the second phase of a peace deal in Gaza and broker an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to end the nearly four-year war in Eastern Europe. But advocates urging Trump to take strong action against Iran say this moment offers an opportunity to further diminish the theocratic government that’s ruled the country since the Islamic revolution in 1979. The demonstrations are the biggest Iran has seen in years — protests spurred by the collapse of Iranian currency that have morphed into a larger test of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s repressive rule.

Greenland’s people would choose Denmark over the United States if asked today, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said, responding to renewed US pressure over the semi-autonomous island. Nielsen made the remark at a joint news conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the strongest statement yet from Greenland since former US President Donald Trump revived plans to annex the island. Trump has claimed the US needs to “own” Greenland to counter Russia and China and suggested buying the territory, without ruling out force. Frederiksen condemned the “completely unacceptable pressure” from the US and warned that any military action could harm the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance. Greenland’s strategic location between North America and the Arctic makes it important for missile early warning systems and monitoring vessels. The US already has more than 100 military personnel stationed at Pituffik base under existing agreements with Denmark. Nielsen said Greenland does not want to be governed or owned by the US, calling the situation a “geopolitical crisis.” European allies, including major NATO members, have expressed support for Denmark, stressing that only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters regarding the island. Danish and Greenlandic officials are scheduled to travel to the US to meet Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Greenland’s growing resource potential, including rare earth minerals, uranium, iron, oil, and gas, has increased international interest, especially as climate change melts ice and improves access.   With inputs from BBC