Did Britain just say no to a potential U.S. strike on Iran? And is Diego Garcia now the center of a new transatlantic rift?

Britain has reportedly declined to approve U.S. use of its military bases for potential strikes on Iran, a decision that appears to have triggered sharp criticism from President Donald Trump over London’s planned handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

According to The Times, the White House is drafting military options that could involve Diego Garcia — a key joint U.S.-UK base in the Indian Ocean — as well as RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, home to America’s heavy bombers in Europe.

Under longstanding bilateral agreements, U.S. forces require British approval before launching offensive operations from UK territory.

The report suggests that Prime Minister Keir Starmer has not granted that approval, as Washington weighs military action following stalled nuclear talks with Tehran and months of rising tensions.

Hours after speaking with Starmer, Trump publicly lashed out at Britain’s agreement to lease Diego Garcia to Mauritius for 100 years as part of a sovereignty settlement over the Chagos archipelago. Writing on Truth Social, Trump warned Starmer not to “give away” the strategic base, arguing it could prove vital if the U.S. conducts operations against Iran.

“We will always be ready, willing, and able to fight for the UK,” Trump wrote, urging Britain to remain “strong.”

Diego Garcia has long served as a cornerstone of U.S. power projection in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. Its role becomes especially sensitive as Washington positions aircraft carriers and other assets within range of Iran, while pressing Tehran for major concessions on its nuclear program.

The British Foreign Office defended the Mauritius agreement, stating that it guarantees the long-term future of the base and remains “crucial to the security of the UK and our key allies.”

The apparent disagreement underscores deeper strains in transatlantic coordination over Iran. While the U.S. has threatened military action if diplomacy fails, Britain’s reported hesitation highlights the political and strategic complexities facing Western allies as tensions escalate.

With nuclear negotiations unresolved and military planning underway, Diego Garcia has unexpectedly emerged as a flashpoint in both Middle East strategy and Anglo-American relations.

After years on the ground in Syria, the U.S. may be pulling out entirely. What does this mean for ISIS, the Kurds — and Iran?

The United States is preparing to withdraw all of its roughly 1,000 troops from Syria over the next two months, according to multiple U.S. media reports, marking a significant shift in Washington’s military posture in the Middle East.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the planned pullout, citing unnamed officials who said the decision follows the Syrian government’s consolidation of control across much of the country. Television network CBS also reported the withdrawal plan, referencing U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

American forces have already vacated several key installations, including bases at al-Tanf and al-Shadadi, which had been central to the U.S.-led coalition’s campaign against ISIS. Those positions were long viewed as strategic footholds in eastern Syria, particularly near the Iraqi border.

The move comes amid broader political shifts inside Syria. After the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Washington has cautiously engaged with Syria’s new authorities. At the same time, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces — once a crucial U.S. partner in combating ISIS — have pledged to integrate into the Syrian state structure.

Thousands of ISIS detainees previously held in Syrian facilities have been transferred to more secure sites in Iraq, according to the reports, reducing one of Washington’s major security concerns tied to its presence.

The planned withdrawal unfolds against a backdrop of rising tensions elsewhere in the region. The United States has recently increased its military deployments near Iran, where officials have warned of retaliatory action if attacked. Separate reports indicate Washington is positioning assets that could be used for potential strikes against Iranian targets, though President Donald Trump has not publicly finalized any decision.

The Pentagon has not officially confirmed the Syria withdrawal plan and did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

If carried out, the exit would close a chapter in a military mission that began during the fight against ISIS and evolved into a complex balancing act involving Kurdish allies, regional rivals, and shifting alliances across a fractured Syrian landscape.

Russia Warns Against Any New U.S. Strike on Iran After Geneva Talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Wednesday that any fresh U.S. military strike on Iran would carry “serious consequences,” urging restraint and a diplomatic solution following the latest round of indirect U.S.–Iran negotiations in Geneva.

In an interview with Saudi broadcaster Al-Arabiya, broadcast a day after U.S. and Iranian envoys met in Switzerland, Lavrov said further strikes — especially on nuclear sites — risked dangerous escalation and could undo recent regional rapprochements, including improved ties between Tehran and Gulf states.

He said Arab Gulf monarchies had signaled that they did not want tensions to rise, calling the situation “playing with fire.”

Lavrov emphasized the need to preserve Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear programme under international law and avoid actions that could destabilize the Middle East, underscoring Russia’s position that diplomacy should take precedence over force.

The warning comes amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the region, including the deployment of two aircraft carrier strike groups, as Washington pressures Tehran over its nuclear activities and broader regional conduct.

Iran is expected to submit a written proposal to address U.S. concerns after the Geneva talks, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, but negotiations remain far apart on core issues.

Diplomacy in Switzerland. Warships in the Gulf. The message from Tehran is clear.

Iran and Russia are set to conduct joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman on Thursday, Iranian state media reported, just days after a second round of Oman-mediated nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva.

According to the semi-official ISNA news agency, Rear Admiral Hassan Maghsoudloo said the drills would take place in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, with the stated aim of strengthening maritime security and deepening naval cooperation between the two countries. The duration of the maneuvers was not disclosed.

The exercises follow heightened military activity in the region. Earlier this week, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched separate drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments. Tehran briefly restricted sections of the strait for “security” reasons during live-fire exercises, though it has never fully closed the waterway despite repeated threats during past standoffs with the United States.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes, has long been a flashpoint in US-Iran tensions. President Donald Trump has deployed what he described as an “armada” of American naval assets to the region amid renewed nuclear negotiations.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its warships, alongside Iranian and Chinese vessels, conducted artillery drills and simulated counterterrorism operations in the Gulf of Oman earlier this week. Crews practiced daytime and nighttime firing at mock unmanned boats and aerial targets, as well as joint boarding operations to free a vessel seized by simulated militants. Russian agencies reported the ships later returned to the Iranian port of Chabahar.

The maneuvers come against a backdrop of cautious optimism in Tehran following the latest talks in Geneva. Previous negotiations collapsed after an Israeli strike on Iranian targets in June 2025 triggered a 12-day conflict that briefly drew in the United States.

While diplomats speak of possible progress, the parallel display of naval coordination between Moscow and Tehran underscores a familiar reality: even as talks resume, military signaling remains central to the standoff.

21% of the world’s oil passes through Hormuz. Iran just shut parts of it down. Message to Washington — or warning to the world?

Iran on Tuesday temporarily closed sections of the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire naval drills, marking the first such move since the 1980s and escalating tensions as nuclear negotiations with the United States continue in Geneva.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that parts of the strategic waterway would be shut for several hours during exercises north-west of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, while the USS Gerald R. Ford heads toward the region. Iranian state television aired footage of cruise missiles launched during the drills.

The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow corridor just 24 miles wide at its tightest point, handles roughly 21 percent of the world’s oil supply — about 21 million barrels per day. Any sustained closure would likely send global energy prices sharply higher and disrupt international markets. Iran has previously threatened to block the strait but has never fully closed it.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei intensified the rhetoric, warning that U.S. aircraft carriers could be sent “to the bottom of the sea,” dismissing American military superiority. The remarks appeared aimed as much at a domestic audience as at Washington, as Iran’s leadership faces internal divisions following a deadly protest crackdown earlier this year.

In Geneva, indirect talks mediated by Oman ended without a breakthrough. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the sides agreed on “guiding principles” and would exchange draft texts before a possible third round. A U.S. official said Tehran would return within two weeks with detailed proposals addressing remaining gaps.

Vice President JD Vance said the talks were mixed: “In some ways, it went well … but the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to acknowledge.” He reiterated that Washington would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon “whether it’s through diplomatic options or through another option.”

President Donald Trump has maintained military pressure, deploying additional naval assets while insisting he prefers a negotiated settlement.

With naval drills underway, aircraft carriers in position and draft texts pending, the region now balances between diplomacy and deterrence — and the world’s energy markets are watching closely.

Israel wants all uranium out of Iran. Tehran calls zero enrichment a red line. Can diplomacy survive?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that any nuclear agreement between the United States and Iran must require Tehran to surrender all enriched uranium and permanently forgo further enrichment.

Speaking in Jerusalem ahead of a new round of indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva, Netanyahu insisted that “all enriched material has to leave Iran” and that there must be “no enrichment capability” left inside the country.

His remarks come as envoys prepare to meet Tuesday in Switzerland, where U.S. representatives including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to hold discussions with Iranian negotiators led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Iran, however, has made clear that a total halt to enrichment is unacceptable. Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that zero enrichment violates Iran’s rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and remains a red line. Still, he said Tehran is willing to discuss diluting its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent if Washington is prepared to negotiate sanctions relief.

The dispute underscores a fundamental gap. Under the 2015 nuclear agreement — formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — Iran accepted strict limits on enrichment and international inspections in exchange for sanctions relief. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from that deal during his first term.

Now, Washington has increased military pressure while emphasizing diplomacy. The United States has deployed two aircraft carriers to the Middle East, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said additional naval forces are in place to counter potential threats. Rubio reiterated that Trump prefers a negotiated outcome over military confrontation.

Netanyahu, who recently met Trump at the White House, said he conveyed skepticism about the prospects for a durable agreement unless Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional proxy support — including for Hamas and Hezbollah — are also addressed.

With Israel demanding complete dismantlement, Iran rejecting zero enrichment, and Washington balancing pressure with diplomacy, the Geneva talks face steep obstacles — and little margin for miscalculation.

Diplomats in Geneva. Warships in Hormuz. Is a nuclear deal closer — or is this brinkmanship?

Iran said Monday that the United States has adopted a “more realistic” position on its nuclear program, as both sides prepare for a second round of indirect negotiations in Geneva — even as Iranian forces launch military drills in the Strait of Hormuz.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said discussions mediated by Oman had prompted cautious optimism. “The U.S. position on the Iranian nuclear issue has moved towards a more realistic one,” he said, according to state media.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Switzerland ahead of Tuesday’s talks. He also met with Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for what both described as in-depth technical discussions.

Washington has confirmed that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will represent the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration remains hopeful for a deal but acknowledged the difficulty of negotiations.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards began exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil shipments transit. Iranian state television said the drills aim to prepare for “potential security and military threats.”

The military activity underscores the high stakes surrounding the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently increased military deployments to the region and reiterated that regime change would be preferable, while also saying he prefers a negotiated solution.

Western governments remain concerned that Iran’s nuclear program could advance toward weapons capability, an accusation Tehran denies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted any agreement must eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and enrichment capacity.

Iranian officials have indicated they could consider limits on uranium stockpiles if sanctions are lifted, but have ruled out “submission before threats.”

With war games in Hormuz and diplomats in Geneva, the coming days will test whether rising military pressure translates into compromise — or further confrontation.

Two carriers. Hundreds of cargo flights. Indirect talks in Geneva. Is this leverage — or the brink of war?

The United States is rapidly expanding its military footprint in the Middle East ahead of high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Iran in Geneva, signaling that diplomacy is proceeding under the shadow of force.

According to multiple officials familiar with the preparations, U.S. air and naval assets are being repositioned to provide President Donald Trump with a range of strike options should talks collapse.

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is already in the region, while the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is en route. Fighter squadrons, refueling tankers and advanced air defense systems are being moved closer to potential operational theaters.

Satellite imagery shows U.S. F-15 aircraft positioned in Jordan, while open-source tracking data indicates more than 250 U.S. cargo flights into regional hubs including Jordan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

Trump has publicly stated that the U.S. seeks “no enrichment” under any deal — a position that leaves little room for compromise given Tehran’s insistence that uranium enrichment is a sovereign right. While the Geneva talks will be led by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump said he will be “indirectly” involved.

The administration has floated the possibility of regime change, but officials privately acknowledge uncertainty over what would follow. U.S. intelligence assessments suggest that in the event of a sudden collapse, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could quickly consolidate power.

Regional allies in the Gulf are urging restraint, warning that military action could destabilize energy markets and regional security. Israel, by contrast, is seen as more supportive of a harder line.

Tehran has responded with military drills, including exercises near disputed Gulf islands, and issued stern warnings against U.S. aggression.

For now, warships and diplomats move in parallel. Whether the buildup is a negotiating tactic or a prelude to escalation depends on whether Geneva produces a breakthrough — or confirms that confrontation is unavoidable.