Iran's Supreme Court Orders Retrial of Protester on Death Row

An Iranian woman during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. (AP)
An Iranian woman during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. (AP)
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Iran's Supreme Court Orders Retrial of Protester on Death Row

An Iranian woman during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. (AP)
An Iranian woman during protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. (AP)

The Iranian Supreme Court ordered a retrial of a protester sentenced to death in early November, according to the judiciary's website, Mizan Online.

According to Agence France-Presse, Mahan Sedarat was among 11 people sentenced to death for events related to the protests that have been rocking the country for three months.

The demonstrations, described by the authorities as "riots," erupted over the death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in prison on Sept. 16 after she was arrested for violating Iran’s strict dress code for women.

The death penalty was imposed on two 23-year-olds convicted of killing or wounding members of the security forces or paramilitary forces.

Sedarat was convicted of "moharebegh," or enmity against God, on November 3 after he drew a knife, inciting fear and insecurity around him, according to the state news agency, IRNA.

IRNA added that he denied the knife charge but admitted to setting a motorcycle on fire.

The execution was suspended last week, and the Mizan website reported Wednesday that based on new evidence in the case, the defendant's request for a new trial was considered per the law and the case for a new trial. No further details were provided.

Mizan Online also said the death sentence of Hamid Ghare-Hasanlou was not final, reporting that "no definitive verdict has been issued yet, and the case is being investigated."

The reformist Etimad newspaper reported Wednesday that the death sentence against Ghare-Hasanlou has been canceled.

Amnesty International, which also reported that he was sentenced to death, revealed that Ghare-Hasanlou and his wife were heading to the funeral of a demonstrator when they were "caught up in chaos" of a fatal attack that claimed the life of a Basij member.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Tuesday that Tehran should immediately halt its military support for Russia and repression of the demonstrators at home, reflecting diplomatic tensions with efforts to revive a nuclear deal at a standstill.

Amirabdollahian denounced Western support for the protests and the "illegal" sanctions against his country.

The EU and United States have imposed new sanctions on Iranian officials over Iran's crackdown on the unrest ignited by the death of Amini.

The Iranian protests mark one of the boldest challenges to the ruling theocracy since the 1979 revolution. Iran accuses Western powers of fomenting the unrest, which security forces have met with deadly violence.

The Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that 502 protesters and 62 members of the security forces have been killed so far.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed three independent Fact-Finding Mission members on the violent crackdown on protesters.

The resolution stated that the three women who will head the independent investigation into alleged human rights violations are: Shaheen Sardar Ali from Pakistan, Viviana Krsticevic from Argentina and Sara Hossain from Bangladesh.

The mission was requested to "establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and collect, consolidate and analyze evidence of such violations and preserve evidence, including in view of cooperation in any legal proceedings."

In November, the Human Rights Council launched an investigation into acts of violence committed by Iranian security forces.



Trump Says No 'Definitive' Agreement with Netanyahu, US Talks with Iran to Continue

Image published by the Israeli Prime Minister's website from his meeting with the US President at the White House yesterday
Image published by the Israeli Prime Minister's website from his meeting with the US President at the White House yesterday
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Trump Says No 'Definitive' Agreement with Netanyahu, US Talks with Iran to Continue

Image published by the Israeli Prime Minister's website from his meeting with the US President at the White House yesterday
Image published by the Israeli Prime Minister's website from his meeting with the US President at the White House yesterday

President Donald Trump said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday they reached no "definitive" agreement on how to move forward with Iran but he insisted negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal can be achieved.

Netanyahu, who had been expected to press Trump to widen diplomacy with Iran beyond its nuclear program to include limits on its missile arsenal, stressed that Israel's security interests must be taken into account but offered no sign that the president made the commitments he sought, said Reuters.

In their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office last year, Netanyahu - whose visit was more muted than usual and closed to the press - was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday.

The two leaders spoke behind closed doors for more than two and a half hours in what Trump described as a "very good meeting" but said no major decisions were made and stopped short of publicly accepting Netanyahu's entreaties.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war as the US amasses forces in the Middle East. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding US ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his blunt warning to Iran, while saying he believes Tehran wants a deal.

"There was ‌nothing definitive reached other ‌than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated," Trump said in ‌a ⁠social media post after ⁠the meeting with Netanyahu. "If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference."

"If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be," Trump added, noting that the last time Iran decided against an agreement the US struck its nuclear sites last June.

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES

Trump told Fox Business in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that a good deal with Iran would mean "no nuclear weapons, no missiles," without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier strike group as part of a major US buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the US might pursue a narrow nuclear deal that does not include restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have urged the US not to trust Iran's promises.

Iran has rejected such demands and says ⁠the Oman talks focused only on nuclear issues.

"The Prime Minister emphasized the security needs of the State of Israel in the context ‌of the negotiations, and the two agreed to continue their close coordination and tight contact," Netanyahu's office said in ‌a statement after Wednesday's talks.

The two leaders had also been expected to talk about potential military action if diplomacy with Iran fails, one source said.

Iran has said it is prepared to discuss ‌curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

"The Islamic Republic's missile capabilities are non-negotiable," Ali Shamkhani, an adviser ‌to Iran's supreme leader, said on Wednesday. Netanyahu's arrival at the White House was lower-key than usual. The two leaders were shown shaking hands in a photo released by the Israeli Embassy. But unlike previous Netanyahu visits with Trump, a press pool was not allowed into the Oval Office. It was not immediately known why he received such low-profile treatment.

GAZA ON THE AGENDA

Also on the agenda was Gaza, with Trump looking to push ahead with a ceasefire agreement he helped to broker. Progress on his 20-point plan to end the war and rebuild the shattered Palestinian enclave has stalled, with major gaps over ‌steps such as Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw in phases.

"We discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the Region in general," Trump said after the meeting.

Netanyahu's visit, originally scheduled for February 18, was brought forward amid renewed US ⁠engagement with Iran. Both sides at last week's ⁠Oman meeting said the negotiations were positive and further talks were expected soon.

Trump has been vague about broadening the negotiations. He was quoted as telling Axios on Tuesday that it was a "no-brainer" for any deal to cover Iran's nuclear program, but that he also thought it possible to address its missile stockpiles.

Iran says its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, while the US and Israel have accused it of past efforts to develop nuclear weapons.

During a 12-day war last June, Israel heavily damaged Iran's air defenses and missile arsenal. Two Israeli officials say there are signs Iran is working to restore those capabilities.

Trump threatened last month to intervene militarily during a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, but ultimately held off.

ISRAEL WARY OF A WEAKENED IRAN REBUILDING

Tehran's regional influence has been weakened by Israel’s June attack, losses suffered by its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and the ousting of its ally, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But Israel is wary of its adversaries rebuilding after the multifront war triggered by Hamas' October 2023 assault on southern Israel.

While Trump and Netanyahu have mostly been in sync and the US remains Israel's main arms supplier, they appear to be at odds on another key issue.

Part of Trump's Gaza plan holds out the prospect for eventual Palestinian statehood - which Netanyahu and his coalition, the most far-right in Israel's history, have long resisted.

Netanyahu's security cabinet on Sunday authorized steps that would make it easier for Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank to buy land while granting Israel broader powers in what the Palestinians see as the heartland of a future state.

The decision drew international condemnation, and Trump on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to West Bank annexation.


Turkish, Greek Leaders Voice Desire to Resolve Issues After Talks

In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
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Turkish, Greek Leaders Voice Desire to Resolve Issues After Talks

In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)

The leaders of Türkiye and Greece voiced their desire to resolve longstanding maritime disputes hobbling ties during discussions in Ankara on Wednesday, as the NATO allies and historic rivals try to build on warming relations.

The neighbors have been at odds over a range of issues for decades, primarily maritime boundaries and rights in the Aegean, an area widely believed to hold energy resources and with key implications for airspace and military activity.

Following years of heightened tensions, a 2023 declaration on friendly relations prompted a thaw in rhetoric, though their maritime issues have remained unresolved and the two sides still disagree over ‌regional matters.

Speaking at ‌a press conference in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, ‌Turkish ⁠President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ⁠they had discussed their issues in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean "in an open and sincere way" during the talks.

"While the issues may be thorny, they are not unsolvable on the basis of international law. I saw that we were in agreement with my friend Kyriakos," Erdogan said.

He added that the two countries would continue working to achieve their goal of reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade.

Mitsotakis said he hoped circumstances would allow the sides to solve a dispute on ⁠the demarcation of maritime and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean ‌and eastern Mediterranean.

'IF NOT NOW, WHEN?'

"It is time to ‌remove any substantial and formal threats to our relations, if not now, when?" Mitsotakis said.

"Destiny has ‌appointed us to live in the same neighborhood. We cannot change geography, but we can ‌make it an ally, choosing convergence, dialogue and trust in international law... to build a future of peace, progress and prosperity for our people."

Despite the positive tone, Greece's foreign minister earlier said Athens planned to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean.

Shortly after, Ankara said it had issued ‌a maritime notice urging Greece to coordinate research activities in areas of the Aegean that Türkiye considers part of its continental shelf.

In ⁠1995, Türkiye’s parliament ⁠declared a casus belli — a cause for war — should Greece unilaterally extend its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a stance Athens says violates international maritime law. Greece says it wants only to discuss demarcation of maritime zones.

Mitsotakis also said the flows of migrants in the Aegean Sea had decreased by almost 60% last year due to cooperation between the two countries, adding this should be strengthened.

Fifteen migrants died in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios last week after their boat collided with a Greek coastguard vessel and sank in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast.

Türkiye is a transit country for migrants seeking to reach the European Union via Greece. Ankara says the EU has not fully delivered on commitments under a 2016 migration deal and Athens wants Türkiye to do more to curb irregular crossings.


US Energy Secretary in Venezuela for Oil Talks

Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
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US Energy Secretary in Venezuela for Oil Talks

Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday for talks with acting president Delcy Rodriguez and oil industry executives on harnessing the country's vast crude reserves.

Wright is the highest-ranking official in the administration of US President Donald Trump to travel to Venezuela since US special forces seized and overthrew longtime socialist leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

Trump has backed Maduro's former deputy Rodriguez to succeed the ousted leader, on condition that she abide by US demands, including granting the United States access to Venezuelan oil and ease state repression.

Welcoming Wright to Venezuela on X, the US embassy in the country said: "Your visit is key to advancing @POTUS's (Trump's) vision of a prosperous Venezuela."

It added that "the US private sector will be essential to boost the oil sector, modernize the electric grid, and unlock Venezuela's enormous potential."

A photo posted by the embassy showed Wright on the tarmac at Maiquetia International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas, together with the new US charge d'affaires in Venezuela, Laura Dogu.

Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world's oil reserves and was once a major crude supplier to the United States.

But it produced only around one percent of the world's total crude output in 2024, according to OPEC, due to years of under-investment, mismanagement and US sanctions.

Washington eased sanctions on Venezuelan oil last month after Rodriguez's administration passed a law throwing open the sector to private investment.

Trump wants US oil majors to rapidly rebuild the sector and boost output by millions of barrels a day.