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The White House on Friday announced the names of several figures expected to help oversee the next phase in Gaza, as a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee tasked with governing the territory met for the first time in Cairo. The committee’s head, Ali Shaath, a Gaza-born engineer and former Palestinian Authority official, said the group would begin work immediately to improve living conditions. He estimated that reconstruction would take around three years and said the initial focus would be on urgent needs such as housing. “The Palestinian people were waiting for this committee and its work to help save them,” Shaath told Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News following the meeting. Dhaka yet to decide on sending forces under ISF to Gaza; reiterates conditions U.S. President Donald Trump has endorsed the committee’s role in managing Gaza after the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas. Following a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, Israeli forces withdrew from parts of the territory, allowing thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to heavily damaged neighborhoods. Significant challenges remain, including the deployment of an international security force to monitor the ceasefire and the complex task of disarming Hamas. Under Trump’s proposal, the technocratic committee would handle Gaza’s daily administration under the supervision of a Trump-led “Board of Peace,” whose full membership has yet to be announced. White House names oversight officialsThe White House said an executive board will be responsible for implementing the Board of Peace’s strategy. Members include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Deputy National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel. Former U.N. Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov will serve as the executive board’s on-the-ground representative, overseeing day-to-day operations. In addition, the administration unveiled the “Gaza Executive Board,” which will coordinate with Mladenov, the Palestinian committee, and an international stabilization force. Witkoff, Kushner, Blair, Rowan, and Mladenov will also serve on this board, joined by 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 and Middle East expert Sigrid Kaag. Violence in the West Bank and GazaIn the occupied West Bank, mourners gathered Friday for the funeral of a 14-year-old Palestinian boy killed by Israeli forces. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the victim as Mohammad Na’san, saying he was the first child killed by Israeli troops in the West Bank in 2026. Local residents said Israeli forces used stun grenades and tear gas without provocation, while Israel’s military said the operation followed stone-throwing and tire-burning by Palestinians. The killing marked another violent incident in al-Mughayyir, a village east of Ramallah that has become a focal point of tension. Earlier this year, Israeli forces and settlers damaged olive groves and demolished a children’s park while searching for militants. According to U.N. figures, 240 Palestinians — including 55 children — were killed in the West Bank in 2025, while 17 Israelis, including one child, were killed by Palestinians. In Gaza, hospital officials said two children — a 7-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy — were killed Friday in Beit Lahiya near the Yellow Line. Their bodies were taken to al-Shifa Hospital, and further details were not immediately available.

Iran appeared to have slipped back into a tense calm following weeks of unrest that ended in a violent government crackdown. On Friday, a senior conservative cleric called for the execution of detained protesters and openly threatened U.S. President Donald Trump, underscoring the anger and anxiety gripping Iran’s leadership. At the same time, Trump adopted a more measured tone, expressing appreciation toward Iranian officials for refraining from executing hundreds of detainees. His comments suggested a possible step back from military action. Trump has previously warned that executions and the killing of peaceful demonstrators would cross U.S. “red lines.” The harsh suppression of protests—reportedly leaving thousands dead—appears to have halted demonstrations that began on Dec. 28 over economic grievances and later evolved into direct challenges to Iran’s ruling system. In Tehran, daily life seemed to return to the surface-level normalcy, with shops open and streets busy, although an internet shutdown that began a week earlier remained in effect. Authorities reported no new unrest elsewhere in the country. “Iran canceled the hanging of more than 800 people,” Trump told reporters in Washington, saying he respected the decision. He did not specify who in Iran had confirmed this information. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported a death toll of 3,090 as of Friday—higher than any previous unrest in Iran in decades and reminiscent of the turmoil surrounding the 1979 revolution. While the figure could not be independently verified by the AP, the organization has historically relied on a credible network of activists inside Iran. The Iranian government has released no official casualty numbers. Hard-line cleric delivers incendiary sermonState radio broadcast a sermon by Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami that drew chants such as “Armed hypocrites should be executed!” from worshippers. Khatami, a member of both the Assembly of Experts and the Guardian Council, labeled protesters as agents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “soldiers of Trump.” He warned that both Netanyahu and Trump should expect severe retaliation, declaring that “Americans and Zionists should not expect peace.” His remarks came as international efforts sought to ease tensions. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to the Kremlin. Russia, previously quiet about the protests, has been strained by its prolonged war in Ukraine and recent setbacks involving key allies. Exiled royal urges protests to continueAlthough Trump had earlier promised that “help is on its way,” both protests and the likelihood of U.S. military action appeared to fade. A diplomat told the AP that officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar warned Trump that military intervention could destabilize the region and harm the global economy. Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi urged the U.S. to follow through on its promises. Speaking in Washington, he said he still trusted Trump’s commitment and insisted that Iranians must continue their struggle regardless of foreign intervention. “I will return to Iran,” Pahlavi said, later calling on protesters to resume demonstrations from Saturday through Monday. Despite limited support inside Iran, Pahlavi continues to position himself as a potential transitional leader should the government collapse. Authorities detail damage from unrestKhatami also released the first official estimates of damage caused during the protests, claiming that hundreds of mosques, prayer halls, hospitals, ambulances, and emergency vehicles were damaged, along with dozens of homes belonging to Friday prayer leaders—figures that highlight public anger toward state institutions. While protests inside Iran appear to have subsided, large demonstrations by exiled Iranians and supporters have taken place across Europe. Due to the internet shutdown, some Iranians crossed borders to communicate with the outside world. At Turkey’s Van province border, travelers said they were leaving Iran temporarily to bypass the blackout. “I’ll return once the internet is restored,” said Mehdi, who withheld his last name for security reasons. Exiled crown prince urges world support to topple Iran government Some Turkish citizens also fled the unrest. Mehmet Önder, a Turkish textile businessman, said he heard heavy gunfire while sheltering in Tehran. Based on his military experience, he said the weapons used were machine guns, not light firearms. Adding to regional tensions, a Kurdish separatist group based in Iraq claimed responsibility for recent attacks on Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, saying the strikes were retaliation for Tehran’s violent crackdown and were carried out by its fighters operating inside Iran.

Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986. Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.” President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change. The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours. In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala. “We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said. Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.” Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said. Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud. Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours. Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said. Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party. Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating. “My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.” Museveni serving Africa's third-longest presidential term Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago. Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago. The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering. Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking. Heavy security deployed There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week. Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person. Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday. “You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said. The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote. “Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right." Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.” Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.    

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez used her first state of the union message Thursday to advocate for opening the crucial state-run oil industry to more foreign investment following the Trump administration's pledge to seize control of Venezuelan crude sales. For the first time, Rodríguez laid out a vision for Venezuela’s new political reality — one that challenges her government’s most deeply rooted beliefs less than two weeks after the United States captured and toppled former President Nicolás Maduro. Under pressure from the U.S. to cooperate with its plans for reshaping Venezuela’s sanctioned oil industry, Maduro's former vice president declared that a “new policy is being formed in Venezuela." She urged the foreign diplomats in attendance to tell investors abroad about the changes and called on lawmakers to approve oil sector reforms that would secure foreign firms' access to Venezuela’s vast reserves. “Venezuela, in free trade relations with the world, can sell the products of its energy industry,” she said. The Trump administration has said it plans to control future oil export revenues to ensure it benefits the Venezuelan people. In that vein, Rodríguez described cash from the oil sales flowing into two sovereign wealth funds, one to support crisis-stricken health services and another to bolster public infrastructure, much of which was built under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, and has since deteriorated. These days the country's hospitals are so poorly equipped that patients are asked to provide supplies needed for their care, from syringes to surgical screws. While Rodríguez criticized the U.S. capture of Maduro and referred to a “stain on our relations," she also promoted the resumption of diplomacy between the historic adversaries. Her succinct, 44-minute speech and mollifying tone marked a dramatic contrast to her predecessors' fiery rants against U.S. imperialism that often went on for hours. “Let us not be afraid of diplomacy,” Rodriguez. “I ask that politics not be transformed, that it not begin with hatred and intolerance.” The day before, she gave a 4-minute briefing to the media to say her government would continue releasing prisoners detained under Maduro's harsh rule. But human rights groups have verified just a fraction of the releases that she claimed took place. Rodríguez appears to be threading a needle. A portrait of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, was displayed next to her as she spoke. She called for the U.S. government to "respect the dignity" of Maduro, who is being held in a Brooklyn jail after pleading not guilty to drug-trafficking charges. She portrayed herself as defending Venezuela's sovereignty even as the country warmed up to the U.S. with dizzying speed. “If one day, as acting president, I have to go to Washington, I will do so standing up, walking, not being dragged," she said. "I'll go standing tall ... never crawling.” Rodríguez delivered her speech as Venezuela's Nobel Prize-winning opposition leader María Corina Machado was the one in Washington to meet President Donald Trump.

After weeks of escalating tension, U.S. and Iranian officials faced each other Thursday at the U.N. Security Council, where America's envoy renewed threats against the Islamic Republic despite President Donald Trump's efforts to lower the temperature between the two adversaries. The U.S. was joined by Iranian dissidents in rebuking the government’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that activists say have killed at least 2,677 people. “Colleagues, let me be clear: President Trump is a man of action, not endless talk like we see at the United Nations,” Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., told the council. “He has made it clear that all options are on the table to stop the slaughter. And no one should know that better than the leadership of the Iranian regime.” Waltz's remarks came as the prospect of U.S. retaliation for the protesters’ deaths still hung over the region, though Trump signaled a possible de-escalation, saying the killing appeared to be ending. By Thursday, the protests challenging Iran’s theocracy appeared increasingly smothered, but the state-ordered internet and communication blackout remained. One diplomat told The Associated Press that top officials from Egypt, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar spent the last 48 hours raising concerns with Trump that a U.S. military intervention would shake the global economy and destabilize an already volatile region. During the meeting, Hossein Darzi, the deputy Iranian ambassador to the U.N., blasted the U.S. for what he claimed was America's “direct involvement in steering unrest in Iran to violence.” “Under the hollow pretext of concern for the Iranian people and claims of support for human rights, the United States is attempting to portray itself as a friend of the Iranian people, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for political destabilization and military intervention under a so-called ′humanitarian′ narrative,” Darzi said. The U.S. requested the emergency Security Council meeting and invited two Iranian dissidents, Masih Alinejad and Ahmad Batebi, to describe their experience as targets of the Islamic Republic. In a stunning moment, Alinejad addressed the Iranian representative directly. “You have tried to kill me three times. I have seen my would-be assassin with my own eyes in front of my garden, in my home in Brooklyn,” she said while the Iranian official looked directly ahead, without acknowledging her. In October, two purported Russian mobsters were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars for hiring a hit man to kill Alinejad at her New York home three years ago on behalf of the Iranian government. Batebi described the deep cuts the prison guards in Iran would inflict on him before pouring salt on his wounds. “If you do not believe me, I can show you my body right now,” he told the council. Both dissidents called on the world body and the council to do more to hold Iran accountable for its human rights abuses. Batebi pleaded with Trump not to “leave” the Iranian people alone. “You encouraged people to go into the streets. That was a good thing. But don’t leave them alone,” he said. Russia was the only member of the council that defended Iran's actions while calling for the U.S. to stop intervening. Protests appear smothered as death toll risesVideos of demonstrations have stopped coming out of Iran, likely signaling the slowdown of their pace under the heavy security force presence in major cities. In Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses said recent mornings showed no new signs of bonfires lit the night before or debris in the streets. The sound of gunfire, which had been intense for several nights, has also faded. The clampdown on the demonstrations has killed at least 2,677 people, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The figure reported Thursday is an increase of 106 from a day earlier, and the organization says the number will likely continue to climb. The death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the chaos surrounding the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. The U.S.-based agency, founded 20 years ago, has been accurate throughout multiple years of demonstrations, relying on a network of activists inside Iran that confirms all reported fatalities. With communications greatly limited in Iran, the AP has been unable to independently confirm the group’s toll. The Iranian government has not provided casualty figures. New sanctions on senior IraniansIn other developments Thursday, the U.S. announced new sanctions on Iranian officials accused of suppressing the protests, which began late last month over the country’s faltering economy and the collapse of its currency. The Group of Seven industrialized democracies and the European Union also said they too were looking at new sanctions to ratchet up the pressure on Iran’s theocratic government. Among those hit with U.S. sanctions was the secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, whom the Treasury Department accuses of being one of the first officials to call for violence against protesters. The Group of Seven, of which the U.S. is a member, also warned they could impose more sanctions if Iran’s crackdown continues. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said the 27-nation bloc was looking at strengthening sanctions “to push forward that this regime comes to an end and that there is change.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Wednesday her government would continue releasing prisoners detained under former president Nicolás Maduro, describing the move as part of a “new political moment” following his removal by the United States earlier this month. Speaking at her first press briefing since Maduro was captured by US forces and flown to New York on Jan 3 to face drug trafficking charges, Rodríguez said the process of freeing detainees “has not yet concluded” and signaled that more releases were planned. Addressing reporters at the presidential palace in Caracas, she struck a conciliatory tone, promising a Venezuela that would allow political and ideological diversity while insisting that the rule of law would be strictly enforced. A leading Venezuelan human rights group estimates that about 800 political prisoners remain behind bars, including politicians, soldiers, lawyers and civil society activists. Rodríguez’s comments came after US President Donald Trump said he had held a “great conversation” with her, their first direct contact since Maduro’s arrest. “We had a long call. We discussed a lot of things, and I think we’re getting along very well with Venezuela,” Trump said at the White House. Unlike previous speeches that echoed Maduro’s anti-US rhetoric, Rodríguez avoided mentioning Washington directly, even as relations between the two countries shift rapidly. She acknowledged that prisoner releases were under way, a move widely seen as encouraged by the Trump administration, but insisted that the process had begun under Maduro in December as a gesture toward dialogue and tolerance. “Crimes related to the constitutional order are being evaluated,” she said, referring to detainees held on charges that human rights groups say are politically motivated. “Messages of hatred, intolerance and acts of violence will not be permitted.” Flanked by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, she took no questions and said Cabello was overseeing the release process, which critics say has been slow and opaque. Venezuela’s leading prisoners’ rights group, Foro Penal, confirmed that at least 72 detainees have been freed so far, including political activist Nicmer Evans, journalist Roland Carreño and two campaign aides of opposition leader María Corina Machado. However, Foro Penal says more than 800 prisoners remain in custody on political grounds and has criticised the government for a lack of transparency. Rodríguez rejected such claims, accusing what she called “self-proclaimed nongovernmental organizations” of spreading falsehoods about Venezuela. “There will always be those who want to fish in troubled waters,” she said, adding that her government was committed to letting “the truth be reported.”

Some personnel at a key US military base in Qatar were advised to evacuate by Wednesday evening as tensions rose following Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters and warnings of possible US action, a US official and Qatari authorities said. The precautionary move came after a senior Iranian official referred to Tehran’s retaliatory missile strike on Al Udeid Air Base in June, carried out in response to earlier US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the step was part of broader regional security measures. The official declined to say whether the evacuation was optional or mandatory, whether it applied to military or civilian personnel, or how many people were affected. Early Thursday, the US Embassy in Qatar said it had advised its staff to exercise increased caution and limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base. It also urged US citizens in Qatar to take similar precautions. In Kuwait, the US Embassy ordered a temporary halt on its personnel travelling to several military bases, including Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, Ali Al Salem Air Base and Camp Patriot, amid heightened regional tensions. Kuwait hosts US Army Central, Washington’s Middle East command. Anti-government protests in Iran began in late December, and President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to launch military operations if Tehran continues to kill and detain protesters. A day after describing the killings as “significant” and vowing that his administration would “act accordingly,” Trump told reporters he had been informed that Iran had halted its targeting of protesters and suspended execution plans, though he offered no details. His vague remarks left it unclear what action, if any, the United States might take against Iran. Qatar’s international media office said the security measures at Al Udeid were being taken in response to “current regional tensions” and stressed that protecting citizens, residents and critical infrastructure remained a top priority. Al Udeid, which hosts thousands of US troops, was struck by Iranian missiles in June. While the US military said no American or Qatari personnel were harmed, a Qatari officer later said one missile was not intercepted and hit the base. Iranian Supreme Leader adviser Ali Shamkhani warned on social media that any future US aggression would be met with a decisive response, citing the earlier strike on Al Udeid as proof of Iran’s capabilities. US and Qatari officials said they remain in close contact, with Qatar reiterating its support for de-escalation and peaceful solutions to maintain regional stability.

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.

The United States and the United Kingdom are partially withdrawing personnel from the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar amid rising tensions with Iran over its crackdown on anti-government protests. Officials described the move as a “precautionary measure” as US President Donald Trump considers possible actions against Tehran. Some UK staff are also reported to be leaving the base. A Qatari government statement said the steps were being taken “in response to current regional tensions.” Al-Udeid, the largest US military base in the Middle East, hosts about 10,000 US personnel and roughly 100 from the UK. It is unclear how many are departing. A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson declined to comment, citing operational security. Rights groups report that over 2,400 protesters have been killed in Iran since the unrest began in late December, with more than 18,400 arrests. The protests initially erupted over a collapsing currency and rising living costs and have grown into widespread demands for political change. Iran’s government has warned that any US military action would make Israeli and US military and shipping facilities in the region legitimate targets. Meanwhile, the US has advised its citizens in the Middle East to exercise increased caution and limit travel to military sites. Trump has repeatedly threatened “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters, while also stating that Iranian leaders have sought negotiations.   With inputs from BBC

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said anything short of US control over Greenland would be unacceptable, just hours before Vice President JD Vance was due to hold talks with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Washington. In a post on his social media platform, Trump repeated his claim that the United States “needs Greenland for national security” and said NATO should help Washington secure the Arctic island. Otherwise, he warned, Russia or China could step in. “NATO would become much stronger and more effective with Greenland under US control. Anything less than that is unacceptable,” Trump wrote. Greenland has become the focus of growing geopolitical tension after Trump openly declared his desire to take control of the island, a move strongly rejected by its residents and leaders. The White House has not ruled out the use of force to take over the semi-autonomous territory, which is part of Denmark, a NATO ally of the United States. Vice President Vance is scheduled to meet Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt to discuss the issue. Ahead of the meeting, France’s foreign minister criticised what he described as US “blackmail” over Greenland, reflecting rising frustration among Washington’s allies. In Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, international media crews have been questioning residents about the unfolding crisis. Tuuta Mikaelsen, a 22-year-old student, told the Associated Press she hoped US officials would “back off”. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in Copenhagen on Tuesday that if forced to choose, Greenland would stand with Denmark, NATO, the Danish kingdom and the European Union. Asked about Nielsen’s remarks, Trump said he disagreed and warned the issue could become “a big problem” for the Greenlandic leader. Greenland holds growing strategic importance as melting ice due to climate change could open shorter shipping routes to Asia and make it easier to access vast reserves of critical minerals used in electronics. Trump has also cited what he claims are threats from Russian and Chinese ships in the region as justification for seeking control of the island. However, both experts and Greenlandic residents have questioned those claims.