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الوسم: Arabian Sea

  • US and Iran Prepare for Urgent Nuclear Negotiations in Geneva

    US and Iran Prepare for Urgent Nuclear Negotiations in Geneva

    The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln leads its strike group during a photo exercise in the Arabian Sea on February 6, 2026. — Reuters

    – Trump suggests Iran might be open to negotiations.
    – The US and Iran are engaging in indirect nuclear talks in Geneva.
    – The US military is gearing up for possible operations against Iran.

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    GENEVA: On Tuesday, the US and Iran held indirect talks in Geneva aimed at resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute. However, there was little clear progress toward an agreement, even as Washington assembled a military force in the region.

    US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner participated in negotiations mediated by Oman, according to a source familiar with the matter. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was also involved.

    President Donald Trump stated he would be indirectly involved in the Geneva talks and expressed optimism that Tehran is interested in reaching a deal.

    “I don’t believe they want the consequences of not making a deal,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. “We could have secured a deal instead of deploying B-2 bombers to disable their nuclear capabilities. They knew that.”

    Iran is aware that a previous effort to restart negotiations was underway last June when Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iranian targets. US B-2 stealth bombers also struck nuclear-related sites. Since then, Tehran claims to have halted uranium enrichment beyond civilian requirements.

    Meanwhile, the US military is preparing for potential prolonged operations against Iran if ordered by Trump, according to two US officials.

    Iran responded by launching a military exercise on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for Shia-led Gulf Arab oil exports, with regional leaders urging diplomacy to de-escalate the tensions.

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    Tehran and Washington resumed negotiations on February 6 to address their decades-long nuclear disagreements.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi in Geneva on February 16. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, despite enriching uranium to levels close to those required for a bomb, while the US and Israel contend Iran seeks nuclear weapons to threaten Israel’s existence.

    Since the June missile strikes, Iran’s government has faced widespread protests, which they have suppressed at significant cost. These protests are driven by economic hardship worsened by international sanctions that restrict Iran’s oil revenue.

    Unlike previous efforts, the US has now positioned a substantial naval fleet in the region, a move President Trump describes as “massive.”

    The US aims to broaden negotiations to include non-nuclear issues like Iran’s missile arsenal, although Tehran insists it will only discuss limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran refuses to completely denuclearize or negotiate its missile program.

    On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Budapest that although a deal with Iran is difficult, the US remains open to trying.

    On the same day, Araqchi met with Grossi to explore cooperation with the IAEA and technical matters ahead of upcoming discussions with the US.

    Later, Witkoff and Kushner will join a three-party dialogue with Russia and Ukraine in efforts to mediate an end to Moscow’s four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to sources.

  • India Seizes 3 Iranian Oil Tankers for Smuggling: Report

    India Seizes 3 Iranian Oil Tankers for Smuggling: Report

    The Indian Coast Guard has reportedly confiscated three Iranian oil tankers in the Arabian Sea during a coordinated effort against an international oil smuggling ring, according to Iranian media reports.

    This event occurred a few weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government rescinded its agreement with Iran regarding the Chabahar port. India was compelled to withdraw from participating in the port project after the United States imposed a 25% tariff on countries engaging with Tehran, as reported by The Economic Times last week.

    On social media platform X, the Indian Coast Guard stated that it intercepted the vessels approximately 100 nautical miles west of Mumbai on Friday, utilizing advanced surveillance and data analysis techniques. They refrained from specifically naming Iran but indicated that the vessels were linked to Iran based on tracking and Iranian media reports.

    The coast guard explained that the syndicate took advantage of mid-sea transfers in international waters to shift inexpensive oil from conflict zones to motor tankers, thereby bypassing duties owed to coastal nations.

    Tanker-tracking company TankerTrackers identified the ships as AL JAFZIA, ASPHALT STAR, and STELLAR RUBY. All three ships are under U.S. sanctions, with STELLAR RUBY flying under the Iranian flag. Iranian media separately reported that the tankers were connected to Iran and were detained on charges of oil smuggling.

    The Indian Coast Guard added that these ships are known for frequently altering their identities. They emphasized that the operation illustrates India’s role as a major maritime security provider and defender of the rules-based international order.

    Neither Indian authorities nor Iranian officials have publicly commented on the claims linking these vessels to Iran.

  • 54 Migrants Drown as Boat Sinks Off Yemen Coast, Say Medics

    54 Migrants Drown as Boat Sinks Off Yemen Coast, Say Medics

    At least 54 migrants lost their lives when a boat capsized off the coast of Yemen amid stormy weather on Sunday, according to medical sources. rescue teams retrieved 54 bodies from nearby beaches and surrounding areas, while 12 survivors were taken to Shaqra Hospital, as reported by Abdul Qader Bajamil, head of the Zanzibar health office, on Al Jazeera. The vessel, which was estimated to be carrying around 150 individuals, mostly from Ethiopia, sank in the Arabian Sea near Shaqra in the Abyan Governorate on Saturday evening, overwhelmed by strong winds. Search operations continued despite challenging conditions, with officials planning burials for the victims in a location near the city.

    Despite Yemen’s ongoing civil war since 2014, irregular migration persists through the impoverished nation, especially from Ethiopia, a country plagued by ethnic conflicts. Migrants often traverse the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the waterway separating Djibouti and Yemen, which is a crucial route for international trade heading to and from the Suez Canal, and also for trafficking and migration. Wealthy Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates host large populations of migrant workers from South Asia and Africa. The UN’s International Organization for Migration estimates that tens of thousands of migrants have become stranded in Yemen, frequently facing abuse and exploitation during their journeys.