Trump accuses Democrats of illegally threatening Republicans ahead of planned congressional probes
How this story unfolded across 20 stories on Lamha, oldest first.
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White House asks Pentagon for options on Iran strikes before midterms
The Atlantic reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. officials, that the White House has asked the Defense Department to prepare options for strikes on Iranian targets that could be carried out before the midterm elections. According to Al Jazeera's account of the report, the administration aims to lower fuel prices and show military progress, while concerns persist over the fallout from escalation.
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Barrack doesn't rule out US strike on Iran this weekend; Trump says he knows nothing of it
US envoy Tom Barrack said on Friday that he could not rule out an American strike on Iran by the end of the week. President Donald Trump responded that he knew nothing about it, but hinted at another round of military action if Tehran fails to reach a deal with Washington. Sky News Arabia reported that the remarks come amid escalating threats from Washington and Israel.
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Trump threatens swift strike or lasting deal on Iran's nuclear program as Pezeshkian blames US for failed talks
US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could carry out a swift strike on Iran unless a lasting agreement is reached to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, for his part, blamed the United States for the collapse of the earlier talks, while saying a new attempt at a deal is necessary.
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Iranian delegation travels to Doha with Qatari negotiators after Tehran talks
Qatari negotiators have returned to Doha from Tehran together with an Iranian delegation, after a day of talks on a possible agreement with the United States, Axios reported. The site cited an unnamed diplomatic source, and the available information gave no details on the terms under discussion.
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Iran's Araghchi cites progress in talks but no final outcome; Trump says issues unresolved
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said ongoing negotiations are making progress but have yet to produce a final outcome. According to RT Arabic, the progress concerns talks involving Qatar as mediator, and no agreement with the United States has been reached. U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that some issues related to Iran remain unresolved.
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Trump says Iran deal possible as Tehran cites intensive mediated talks
US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran could be reached, while Tehran confirmed that contacts to end the war are continuing, with no progress announced, according to BBC Arabic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said consultations through mediators are very intensive, that Iran has submitted its conditions and proposals, and that the outcome depends on Washington's political rationality.
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Vance says US has made progress in Iran talks, voices hope for a deal
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington has made some progress in ongoing talks with Iran. He expressed his administration's optimism that a diplomatic agreement can be reached, as reported by RT Arabic. The report gave no details on the terms or timing of the talks.
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US carries out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island as indirect talks hang in the balance
The United States carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after Vice President JD Vance said he was optimistic that diplomacy to end the war was heading the right way. US Central Command confirmed the strikes, which were first disclosed by Iranians on social media, and reports said they targeted surface-to-air missiles used against US assets. US officials told the New York Times the action was defensive and limited, with no immediate plans to escalate.
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Trump says US has no immediate plans to strike Iran
President Donald Trump said the United States has no immediate plans to launch a strike on Iran. The remark plays down speculation that Washington could escalate the conflict with Tehran right after the midterm elections.
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Schumer calls for an end to Iran war, hints at using government funding as leverage
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday that the war with Iran must end. He hinted that his party's expected majority in Congress could use its control over government funding to press for that outcome. RT Arabic reported that Democrats won the midterm elections, while Sky News Arabia said Vance blamed the war for the Republican loss.
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Democrats win Congress, putting Trump's Iran war in the spotlight
Democrats scored a decisive win in the US midterm elections and took control of both the Senate and the House, according to BBC Arabic. Sky News Arabia reports that this gives the party greater power to obstruct President Donald Trump's agenda, including his war against Iran, which could become one of its priorities. Trump acknowledged that the war with Iran, higher fuel prices and living costs weighed on the result.
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Trump says Iran talks going well, decision on next steps due within two weeks
US President Donald Trump said Washington is continuing negotiations with Iran and that the contacts are going very well, amid intensive diplomatic efforts to settle the dispute between the two countries. According to the BBC, he said the United States will decide within the next two weeks whether to take further steps against Iran or approve a deal. The BBC also cited preliminary reports that two missiles struck Qeshm island, though no further details were available.
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Vance reportedly leads secret push for new ceasefire with Iran
US Vice President JD Vance is leading secret contacts aimed at a new ceasefire agreement with Iran, according to a report by RT Arabic. The effort also seeks to restart negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. The report does not say who is involved in the contacts or when they are taking place.
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Preliminary reports of two missiles landing on Iran's Qeshm Island
Iran's Tasnim news agency reported early Saturday that preliminary reports point to two missiles landing on Qeshm Island in southern Iran, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz. RT Arabic carried the report, citing Tasnim, which in turn relied on unnamed sources. The nature of the missiles, who launched them and the extent of any damage remain unclear, and there has been no official confirmation.
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Conflicting reports of explosions in Iran's Qeshm and Bandar Abbas as Trump ties war to talks
Iranian media reported hearing explosions on Qeshm island and in the southern city of Bandar Abbas, though Sky News Arabia described the information as conflicting, with differing accounts. US President Donald Trump said that avoiding a return to war with Iran depends on talks continuing and making progress. Coverage also cited him referring to an "Iron Gate" and the "greatest blockade".
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Trump says new strikes on Iran unlikely while talks progress
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he does not expect to order fresh strikes on Iran as long as negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz keep moving forward. He did not rule out military action, however, saying US forces in the region are ready to act if he considers it necessary. RT Arabic quoted him as calling a return to war with Iran highly unlikely if the talks make headway.
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Trump says Qatar and Saudi Arabia want a peaceful end to Iran war, but US ready to strike again
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Qatar and Saudi Arabia want the war on Iran to end peacefully. He warned, however, that Washington is prepared to resume military strikes at any moment. RT Arabic reported that he made the remarks to Reuters.
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Trump says Iran blockade is working, keeps strike option on the table
US President Donald Trump said the blockade on Iran is achieving its goals, according to RT Arabic. He suggested tangible results are near, while not ruling out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and infrastructure.
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Trump says Iran war is 'effectively over' and downplays escalation fears
Speaking at a White House press conference after talks with Qatar's prime minister, US President Donald Trump said the war in Iran is "effectively over" and suggested it could formally end "fairly soon". He played down concerns that Washington would escalate its military campaign against Tehran after the midterm elections, saying Israel and Gulf allies are well protected and that escalation is unnecessary. Fox News, however, reported that Trump has launched "Task Force Iron Gate" to choke off Iran's land-border trade, and experts warned that squeezing Tehran could trigger escalation.
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Trump accuses Democrats of illegally threatening Republicans ahead of planned congressional probes
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Democrats are illegally threatening Republicans, as his administration escalates its own threats against them. Democrats have pledged to open investigations into the president and his administration once they take control of Congress. Al Jazeera reports that the incoming Democratic majority is preparing probes that could cover Elon Musk's government contracts and political influence.