Published on: 02/19/2026 - 07:28 Last updated: 02/20/2026 - 00:38

US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran to conclude a "meaningful deal" and said, "We must reach a meaningful deal or bad things will happen." Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday in a televised speech during a military ceremony that Iran would receive an “unimaginable response” if it attacked Israel. Iran issued a notification to air traffic that it is planning missile launches in the southern regions of the country, where it intends to conduct a maneuver with Russia.

Trump gives Iran between 10 and 15 days to reach an agreement

US President Donald Trump on Thursday gave Iran between 10 and 15 days to reach an agreement with the United States, after calling on Tehran to conclude a “meaningful deal” in the ongoing discussions between the two countries, or else face “bad things.”

Trump said during the inaugural meeting of the “Peace Council” in Washington: “Maybe we should go a step further, or maybe not, or maybe we will conclude an agreement. You will probably find out in the next ten days.”

However, Trump later spoke to reporters about a maximum deadline of “ten, 15 days,” in statements on board the presidential plane transporting him to the state of Georgia.

Denmark detains an Iranian-flagged ship for not being properly registered

Danish maritime authorities said Thursday that they had detained a container ship anchored in the country's waters flying the Iranian flag because it was not properly registered.

Data from the London Stock Exchange Group showed that the container ship used the name (Nora) and was flying the Comoros flag, but the Danish authorities told Reuters via email that the Comoros had informed Copenhagen that it had not found the ship in its records.

“The ship is being detained until the country flying its flag can provide proof to the Danish maritime authorities that it is fully registered and approved,” the authorities said, adding that they would conduct an inspection of the ship before it could be released.

She added: “The examination will be conducted when weather conditions allow it to be done safely.”

Data from the London Stock Exchange Group indicate that the ship (Nora) is now sailing under the Iranian flag.

Trump: “The next ten days” will reveal whether reaching an agreement with Iran is possible

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the next ten days will reveal whether reaching an agreement with Iran is possible, after he called on Tehran to conclude a “meaningful deal” in the ongoing discussions between the two countries, or else face “bad things.”

Trump: Iran must make a deal or bad things will happen

US President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Iran to make a "meaningful deal" as he continues the military buildup in the Middle East and threatens to launch an attack on the Islamic Republic.

Trump said at the inaugural meeting of the “Peace Council”: “It has been proven over the years that it is not easy to reach a meaningful deal with Iran. We have to reach a meaningful deal or bad things will happen.”

He warned that Washington “may have to take a further step” in the absence of an agreement, adding: “You will probably find out in the next ten days.”

Russia warns against escalating tensions with Iran amid an American military buildup

Russia warned Thursday of an "unprecedented escalation of tension" around Iran and urged restraint amid a US military buildup in the region that a senior US official said would be completed by mid-March.

American threats to bomb Iran, in light of the divergent views of both sides regarding Tehran's nuclear program, led to a rise in oil prices. On Thursday, a Russian frigate joined Iranian naval maneuvers scheduled in the Gulf of Oman, a vital maritime route for global energy.

Iranian and American negotiators met on Tuesday, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said they had agreed on “guiding principles,” but White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt said on Wednesday that the two sides were still at odds over some issues. A senior US official said that Iran would submit a written proposal on how to address US concerns.

Netanyahu: Iran will face an “unimaginable” response if it attacks Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that his country would respond forcefully to Iran if it attacked it, after US President Donald Trump hinted again at the possibility of military action against Tehran.

“If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine,” Netanyahu said in a televised speech during a military ceremony.

Tehran defends its right to enrichment after Washington's warnings

Iran on Thursday defended its right to enrich uranium, the day after a warning from the United States, which believed that there were “several reasons” to strike the Islamic Republic, with which it is engaged in indirect negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement.

The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Islami, said in a video clip, “The basis of the nuclear industry is enrichment. You need nuclear fuel, whatever you want to do in the nuclear process,” adding, “The Iranian nuclear program is progressing according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to benefit from this technology peacefully.”

The United States warned Iran on Wednesday that it would be “wise” to reach an agreement, the day after a second round of indirect talks in Geneva, which the two countries announced their intention to continue.

White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt issued this new warning after Iran announced on Wednesday that it was preparing a framework to advance these negotiations with Washington, which resumed on February 6 with Omani mediation in the capital, Muscat.

The Kremlin urges Iran and “other parties” to show restraint and wisdom

The Kremlin said on Thursday that there is an unprecedented escalation of tension around Iran with the United States transferring military assets to the Middle East, adding that Moscow urges Tehran and “other parties” to exercise wisdom and restraint.

The Kremlin said that the joint naval exercises between Iran and Russia were planned long before the current tension.

The Kremlin: We are witnessing an unprecedented escalation of tension in the region

The Kremlin regarding naval exercises with Iran: These are planned and pre-agreed exercises

The Kremlin: We are working to develop relations with Tehran and urge our Iranian friends and other parties to exercise restraint and wisdom.

Prime Minister: The opportunity to evacuate Poles from Iran may end within a few hours

Polish Prime Minister: All Poles must leave Iran immediately

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday that all Poles should leave Iran immediately and warned that a potential military conflict could make evacuation impossible within hours.

He added, "Please leave Iran immediately... and do not go to this country under any circumstances."

The director of the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency says that no country can deprive Iran of its right to enrichment

The head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Islami, said Thursday that no country can deprive Tehran of its right to enrich uranium, in light of the simmering tension with Washington and the indirect discussions aimed at reaching an agreement.

Eslami stated in a video clip published by Etemad newspaper, “The basis of the nuclear industry is enrichment. You need nuclear fuel, whatever you want to do in the nuclear process,” noting that “the Iranian nuclear program is progressing in accordance with the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to benefit from this technology peacefully.”

London denounces the prison sentence issued against a British couple in Iran as “completely unjustified”

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday denounced the ten-year prison sentence imposed on a British couple detained in Iran on charges of espionage, considering it “completely horrific and completely unjustified.”

“We will tirelessly pursue this case with the Iranian government until we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their families,” Cooper said in a statement.

The couple, who were in their early fifties, were arrested last January while passing through the city of Kerman in central Iran during a trip around the world on two motorcycles.

British couple detained in Iran sentenced to ten years in prison (Family)

A British couple detained in Iran since January 2025 have been sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of espionage, their son announced Thursday.

Joe Bennett said in a statement, "My parents were sentenced to ten years in prison at the conclusion of a trial that lasted only three hours, during which they were not allowed to present any defense."

Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who are in their early fifties, were arrested last January while passing through the city of Kerman in central Iran during a trip around the world on two motorcycles.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency warns that “time is running out” in the Iranian-American talks

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi spoke of a “step forward” taken in talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva, but warned that “time is running out.”

The two parties held talks with Omani mediation in Geneva, and the negotiations were overshadowed by the United States threatening military action against the Islamic Republic.

In an interview with the French channel LCE, Grossi said, “We have made progress, but there is still work to be done, and the problem is that time is running out.”

He continued, "There is a possibility of a dialogue that has begun, for the first time, to truly take shape," adding, "We are starting to talk about concrete things, about what we need to do."

He said that he sensed "a willingness on both sides to reach an agreement," but pointed out that this matter was "extremely complex."

A senior American official told Reuters: Iran will submit a written proposal on how to resolve its dispute with the United States

A senior US official told Reuters on Wednesday that Iran is expected to submit a written proposal on how to resolve its dispute with the United States, after the Geneva talks.

The official stated that US national security advisors met at the White House yesterday, Wednesday, and were informed that all US military forces deployed in the region must be in their positions by mid-March.

France 24/ Agencies

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