Iran-US Tensions News Updates: Washington to hold critical nuclear talks with Tehran today in Geneva

Iran is ready take any necessary steps to reach a ⁠deal ​with the United States, the country's ​Deputy ​Foreign Minister ⁠Majid Takht-Ravanchi said on Tuesday, ‌as the two countries head to a new ⁠round ⁠of talks.

The Iranian diplomat ⁠said ‌any ​US strike ‌on Iran is "a ‌real gamble", ​adding ​that ​Tehran is ready to ​reach a ⁠deal with Washington as soon ‌as ⁠possible.

(Reuters)

As concerns continue to mount over the evolving situation in Iran, several Indian students -- particularly those from Jammu and Kashmir -- have expressed their desire to return home but say they are unable to do so due to their upcoming examinations scheduled for March.

A large number of these students are enrolled in medical programmes at universities across Iran. According to them, their institutions have not announced any postponement of examinations despite the prevailing uncertainty. This has placed them in a difficult position: either stay back to complete their exams or return to India and risk losing an academic year.

The All India Medical Students Association (AIMSA) has taken up the matter with the central government. The association has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging immediate intervention. In its appeal, AIMSA has requested that the Government of India engage with Iranian authorities and universities to explore the possibility of postponing examinations so that students who wish to return home can do so without jeopardising their studies.

Bilal Bhat, an Indian student currently studying in Iran, told ANI over Zoom that anxiety levels among students have increased in recent weeks.

"We want to come back home. Our families are worried. But our exams are scheduled in March and there is no clarity on postponement. If we miss exams, it will affect our academic year," he said.

(ANI)

A revolutionary court in Tehran has issued a death sentence for an Iranian man accused of "enmity against god", which if confirmed would be the first such sentence linked to mass protests ⁠in ​January, a source close to the man's family said.

The source told Reuters Tuesday that Iran's judiciary had not ​yet ​announced the sentence against ⁠the man, Mohammad Abbasi, and that Iran's Supreme Court was yet ‌to uphold it. Abbasi was accused of killing a security officer, an allegation his family denied, the source said.

Rights groups say thousands of people were killed in a crackdown ⁠on the ⁠protests, the worst domestic unrest in Iran since the era ⁠of ‌its 1979 Islamic Revolution.

(Reuters)

University students have the right to protest but everyone must “understand the red lines,” the Iranian government’s spokeswoman said Tuesday, in the first official reaction to renewed rallies on campuses since the weekend, the Arab News reported.

“Sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or deviate from, even at the height of anger,” Fatemeh MoHajjerani was quoted as saying.

She said Iran’s students “have wounds in their hearts and have seen scenes that may upset and anger them; this anger is understandable.”

University students in Iran started a new semester Saturday with pro- and anti-government rallies, according to local media, reviving slogans from nationwide demonstrations that peaked in January and led to thousands of deaths.

(With inputs from Arab News)

Iranian students have held a third consecutive day of protests at universities, including all-women Al Zahra University in Tehran, where they chanted anti-government slogans and burned an Iranian flag. The protests come amid rising tensions between Iran and the US, with Washington building up military forces in the Middle East and negotiating with Tehran.

The US has warned of “really bad things” if no deal is reached, while Iran’s foreign ministry has threatened to retaliate “ferociously” against any attack.