Live: Gulf States’ diplomacy stopped Trump from attacking Iran, Saudi official says

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led a successful “last-minute effort” to dissuade US President Donald Trump from attacking Iran, a senior Saudi official said on Thursday. Trump had previously said he would support protesters in Iran with a possible attack on the regime, but the Gulf trio convinced him to “give Iran a chance to show good intention”. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments.

an hour ago

Canadian dies in Iran at the hands of the authorities, says Ottawa

A ‍Canadian citizen ​has died ⁠in Iran at the hands of the Iranian authorities, ​Foreign ‍Minister Anita Anand said in ​a social media post , but did not give details of how or when.

"Peaceful protests by the Iranian ‍people – asking that ​their voices be heard in the face of the ‌Iranian regime's repression and ongoing human ‍rights violations - has led the regime to flagrantly disregard human life," she said.

2 hours ago

‘No plans’ for executions, Iranian FM tells Fox News

As Iran’s leadership claims that it has quelled largescale national protests calling for an end to the regime, the country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told US network Fox News that there were “no plans” to execute more protesters.

Araghchi also reached out to the US leadership with an appeal against war. “Diplomacy is the better way,” he said.

2 hours ago

Red Crescent employee killed in Iran, IFRC reports

One Red Crescent member of staff was killed and five other colleagues were wounded while on duty in northwestern Iran, the aid group's parent organisation said without giving the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

“The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is deeply saddened by the killing of Amir Ali Latifi, an Iranian Red Crescent Society staff member, and the wounding of five other IRCS colleagues, who were all in the line of duty in Gilan province, on January 10," the IFRC said in a statement from its headquarters in Geneva.

3 hours ago

US lowers security alert at Qatar air base, sources say

The ‍security warning ​level at the US ⁠Al Udeid air base in Qatar has been lowered after ​a heightened alert ‍triggered on Wednesday, three sources ​briefed on the situation told ​Reuters.

US aircraft that were moved out of Al Udeid on Wednesday are gradually returning to the base, ‍one of the sources added.

The ​other two sources, both diplomats who spoke on condition ‌of anonymity, said that some personnel who ‍were advised to leave the base on Wednesday have also been permitted to return.

3 hours ago

Saudi, Qatar, Oman convinced Trump to 'give Iran a chance', says senior Saudi official

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led efforts to talk US President Donald Trump out of an attack on Iran, fearing "grave blowbacks in the region", a senior Saudi official told AFP on Thursday.

The Gulf trio "led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a chance to show good intention", the official said, on condition of anonymity.

"Communication is still under way to consolidate gained trust and current good spirit," he added.

3 hours ago

European airlines continue to avoid Iran and Iraq despite airspace reopening

European airlines like Wizz Air, Lufthansa and British Airways dodged Iraqi and Iranian airspace on Thursday, according ​to flight tracking websites, opting instead for routes over Afghanistan and central Asia ‍in an effort to mitigate risks.

5 hours ago

Portugal closes Iran embassy over 'tension'

Portugal on Thursday announced a "temporary" closure of its embassy in Tehran, citing a "context of tension", and advised its nationals not to travel to Iran.

Portugal's foreign ministry said in a statement that eight Portuguese citizens had already left Iran, and others were preparing to do the same.

Another 10 Portuguese passport holders, including seven dual nationals, had decided to remain in the country, the ministry said.

5 hours ago

China's foreign minister calls for dialogue and restraint in phone call with Iranian counterpart

China's Foreign ‌Minister Wang Yi called for dialogue ⁠and restraint in resolving disputes in a phone call with ​his Iranian counterpart ‍on Thursday, according to a ​readout released by China's state-run ​news agency Xinhua.

China opposed the use or threat of force in international relations, and believed that the Iranian ‍government and people could overcome ​difficulties and safeguard national stability, Wang Yi told Iranian Foreign ‌Minister Abbas Araqchi.

China hoped all parties ‍would cherish peace, exercise restraint and resolve differences through dialogue, he said, adding that Beijing was willing to ‍play a constructive role.

5 hours ago

Iran will 'defend itself against any foreign threat', Iran's foreign minister tells Saudi counterpart

Iran will defend itself "against any foreign threat", the country's foreign minister told his Saudi counterpart Thursday, as Washington refuses to rule out military strikes over the Iranian crackdown on protesters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Saudi's Faisal bin Farhan in telephone talks of the importance of "global condemnation of foreign interference in the internal affairs of regional countries", according to a statement on his Telegram channel.

The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the talks, saying "they discussed developments in the region and how to enhance its security and stability".

6 hours ago

German air traffic control advises avoiding Iranian airspace until Feb 10

Germany's air traffic control authority said Thursday it was recommending planes avoid Iranian airspace after the United States has in recent days warned of a possible military intervention in Iran.

A spokesman for Germany's Flight Safety Office told AFP in a statement it had issued a recommendation "that Iranian airspace not be overflown ... until February 10", adding that the advice had been issued "on the instruction of the transport ministry".

6 hours ago

Turkish foreign minister says priority is to avoid destabilisation in Iran

Turkish Foreign ​Minister Hakan Fidan ⁠said on Thursday that Turkey does not ​condone the possibility ‍of using violence ​against Iran and that ​the priority is to avoid destabilisation as Iran continues its crackdown on protests.

Speaking at a ‍press conference in ​Istanbul, Fidan said that Turkey will continue its diplomatic ‌initiatives regarding Iran, and added ‍Ankara hoped Iran and the United States could find a solution to their ‍conflict.

9 hours ago

Iran's judiciary says Erfan Soltani will not be given death sentence, state media reports

Erfan Soltani, ​a 26 ⁠year-old Iranian man arrested on January 10 during protests, ​has ‍not been sentenced to death, ​the country's judiciary was ​quoted as saying on Thursday by state media.

The judiciary said Soltani, currently held in the ‍central penitentiary of Karaj, ​is being charged with "colluding against the country's internal security ‌and propaganda activities against the regime" ‍but that the death penalty does not apply to such charges if they are ‍confirmed by a ‌court.