Iranian President Rejects ‘Humiliating Conditions’ Set by US For Resuming Nuclear Talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (IRNA) 
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (IRNA) 
TT

Iranian President Rejects ‘Humiliating Conditions’ Set by US For Resuming Nuclear Talks

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (IRNA) 
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (IRNA) 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected “humiliating conditions” set by the US for resuming nuclear talks, warning against any attempts to exert coercion, bullying, or any process that undermines Iran’s military capacities in the face of Israel.

At a meeting with a group of political elites, prominent figures and secretaries of parties, held Wednesday evening in Tehran, the President said Iran seeks peace but will not accept humiliating impositions.

“Iran had previously negotiated with the United States and had been ready to reach an agreement, but Washington disrupted the deal by resorting to war,” he noted.

Pezeshkian added, “Now, the US is proposing humiliating conditions for the resumption of talks,” which he said Iran is not prepared to accept. “Iran will not submit to humiliation nor accept a weak and fragmented country.”

Iran had passed a law last July to suspend its cooperation with the IAEA, denying UN inspectors access into the country. The suspension came after US and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 22.

The Iranian President affirmed that his country does not seek confrontation, noting that Tehran has repeatedly declared it is not pursuing the construction of a nuclear bomb and is ready for any form of verification.

Washington had set conditions for the resumption of talks with Iran. The US has insisted that Iran must completely halt its uranium enrichment program. Tehran rejected Washington’s demands, describing them as an “unacceptable infringements on its national sovereignty.”

Speaking on Thursday during a visit to South Khorasan province, Pezeshkian urged national unity to overcome the country’s difficulties and problems.

“If the Muslim communities were united, and rejected differences and conflicts, Israel would not have committed all these atrocities and crimes in the region,” he said.

IRGC Spokesperson

Commenting on the June war with Israel, a spokesperson for the Iranian Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said Iran had built up a complete intelligence database on Israeli targets prior to the 12‑day war, enabling Iranian missiles to strike with precise accuracy.

Brigadier General Mohammad Naeini said “based on intelligence collected from within the Israeli occupied territory, Iranian missile strikes destroyed 47 strategic centers, several science and technology parks, and two power plants.”

He said nearly 80% of Iran’s counterstrikes during the war relied on intelligence gathered in previous years, without which the operations would not have been possible.

Araghchi’s Visit to Russia

Amid a crisis in Iran’s relations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and ongoing disagreements with the West over the nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi kicked off a visit on Tuesday to Moscow, where he held talks with his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Prior to Araghchi’s visit, the Russian diplomat had affirmed the need for the IAEA to fully comply with neutrality when dealing with Iran.

On Wednesday, the foreign ministers inked a cooperation document, which comes following the entry into force of a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty ratified by the Russian parliament and president over the summer, and formally adopted in Iran in early October.

On Thursday, Araghchi wrote on X: “Building on our Strategic Partnership Treaty, Iran and Russia's foreign ministries have agreed on a three-year roadmap to regularize and elevate our cooperation and coordination.”

He added that closer collaboration between Moscow and Tehran will enable stronger action against unlawful Western sanctions, promote regional stability, advance infrastructure projects, and block illegal measures in the UN Security Council.

 

 

 



UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Embassy’s ‘Unacceptable’ Comments on Social Media

Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
TT

UK Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Embassy’s ‘Unacceptable’ Comments on Social Media

Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)
Police officers stand guard outside the Iranian embassy as demonstrators continue protesting outside during a rally in support of nationwide protests in Iran, in London, Britain, January 13, 2026. (Reuters)

Britain said on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador to London had been summoned over what the government described as the Iranian embassy's "unacceptable and inflammatory" comments on social media.

Britain's minister for the Middle East, ‌Hamish Falconer, made ‌clear that the embassy "must ‌cease ⁠any form of communications ⁠that could be interpreted as encouraging violence in the UK or internationally", the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Iranian officials in Tehran could not be immediately reached for ⁠comment on Britain's move.

A ‌statement posted ‌by the Iranian embassy on its Telegram channel ‌earlier this month called on ‌Iranians in Britain to volunteer for a campaign to declare their willingness to sacrifice their lives in a war ‌in defense of their country.

The British government did not ⁠specify ⁠which of the embassy's social media comments it was referring to.

British lawmakers have warned of significant and wide-ranging threats posed by Iran to Britain.

The government also summoned the Iranian ambassador last month after an Iranian national and a British-Iranian dual national were charged on suspicion of helping Iran's intelligence services.


Trump and Charles Greet Each Other Warmly as the King Begins a Day of Diplomacy in Washington

US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
TT

Trump and Charles Greet Each Other Warmly as the King Begins a Day of Diplomacy in Washington

US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump speaks with Britain's King Charles III during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2026. (AFP)

President Donald Trump and King Charles III greeted each other warmly on Tuesday as the monarch began a day of diplomacy in Washington designed to emphasize a bond between the United Kingdom and the United States that is so strong it can withstand the political turmoil of the moment.

Trump welcomed Charles and Queen Camilla to the White House in a ceremony on the South Lawn. The king shook hands with members of Trump's Cabinet before joining the president for a rendition of the national anthem.

The leaders will huddle later in the Oval Office for a meeting that’s closed to the public, reducing the potential for the freewheeling, sometimes controversial meetings with foreign officials that have become routine during Trump’s second term.

Charles will later become the first British monarch to address the US Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991. Her speech highlighted the shared history of both countries and the importance of their democratic values, themes Charles will likely reinforce on Tuesday.

Such addresses are an opportunity afforded to only the most prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis, Václav Havel and Winston Churchill. It will likely mark the most extensive public remarks Charles will deliver during a four-day visit to the US that's intended to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary of independence from Britain.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the UK Parliament earlier this year. He attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told him he would be “well received” in Congress.

The visit comes at a challenging moment for US-UK relations. Trump’s up-and-down relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump criticized Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with.”

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand on stage with Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla during a State Visit arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP)

Trump has also imposed tariffs on the UK and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the UK if it doesn't scrap a digital services tax on US technology companies.

Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to annex Greenland and threats to walk away from NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.

Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the US. There's no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blamed Republican policies on Monday for straining the US-UK relationship.

“Hopefully, the king's visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.

Charles and Camilla arrived at the nation's capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their US trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.


Ukraine Says It Shot Down 33,000 Russian Drones in March, a Monthly Record

Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP)
Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP)
TT

Ukraine Says It Shot Down 33,000 Russian Drones in March, a Monthly Record

Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP)
Police officers inspect fragments of a Russian drone after an air attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP)

Ukraine used interceptor systems to shoot down more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types in March, a record monthly figure since Moscow launched its all-out invasion more than four years ago, Ukraine’s defense minister claimed.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s domestically developed long-range attack drones struck a Russian oil refinery and terminal on the Black Sea for the third time in less than two weeks, prompting the evacuation of local people as a precautionary measure.

Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and has drawn military interest from around the world.

Ukraine is scaling up supplies of interceptor drones to thwart Russian aerial attacks, and its military has introduced a new command within the air force to boost the country’s capabilities, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a post on Telegram late Monday.

Ukraine’s offensive capabilities have also improved, with the Defense Ministry saying Tuesday that the country’s forces have more than doubled the range of their deep-strike capabilities since Russia’s February 2022 invasion.

At that time, Ukrainian forces were able to hit military targets about 630 kilometers (400 miles) away, it said. They are now striking targets as far as roughly 1,750 kilometers (1,100 miles) behind enemy lines, the ministry said in a statement.

That improvement has allowed Ukraine to hit Russian oil installations that provide crucial revenue for Moscow’s war effort. It has also targeted manufacturing plants that supply Russia’s armed forces.

Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery at the Black Sea port of Tuapse for the third time this month in a coordinated operation involving multiple branches of the country’s defense and security services, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said Tuesday

The two strikes earlier this month destroyed 24 oil storage tanks and damaged four others, it said. Independent verification of the claims was not possible.

Video from Tuapse released Tuesday by Krasnodar regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev showed a massive plume of black smoke rising from the refinery and black, steaming puddles on an adjacent street. An emergency official reported to the governor that boiling oil products had spilled onto the street from one of the oil tanks, damaging several cars.

People who live near the Tuapse refinery were being evacuated, Kondratyev said. He didn’t provide any details about how many people were being evacuated or for how long.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday its air defenses overnight intercepted 186 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, the annexed Crimea and the Black and the Azov seas.

In the Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, three people were killed and three more were wounded in a drone attack, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Russian drone attacks on Ukraine, meanwhile, killed three civilians and wounded five others, Ukrainian authorities said.

Two people were killed in the city of Chuhuiv in the northeastern Kharkiv region, according to the head of the regional military administration Oleh Syniehubov.

A 40-year-old man died and five other men sustained injuries in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

A rare daytime drone attack on Kyiv on Tuesday wounded two people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Another Russian attack on Konotop, in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, knocked out the city’s power and water supply.