President Donald Trump told reporters that if Iran does not give up its nuclear weapons program, military action led by Israel is a real possibility, adding he has a deadline in mind for when the two countries must come to an agreement.

The U.S. and Iran are expected to hold negotiations Saturday in Oman as the Trump administration continues to try to rein in the country's nuclear program, threatening "great danger" if the two sides fail to come to an agreement. 

Trump told reporters from the Oval Office Wednesday he did have a deadline in mind for when the talks must culminate in an agreed-upon solution, but the president did not go into details about the nature of the timeline.

TIMELINE IS RUNNING OUT TO STOP IRAN FROM MAKING NUCLEAR BOMB: ‘DANGEROUS TERRITORY’

"We have a little time, but we don't have much time, because we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon. We can't let them have a nuclear weapon." Trump said when pressed on details about his potential timeline. "I'm not asking for much. I just — I don't — they can't have a nuclear weapon."

When asked about the potential for military action if Iran does not make a deal on their nuclear weapons, Trump said "Absolutely." 

"If it requires military, we're going to have military," the president told reporters. "Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They'll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us. We do what we want to do."

TRUMP SAYS US WILL DEAL ‘DIRECTLY’ WITH IRAN IN HIGH-LEVEL MEETING ON SATURDAY

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed support for Iran's complete denuclearization. During a visit to the White House, he expressed support for a deal similar to the one Libya sealed with the international community in 2003. The country gave up its entire nuclear arsenal.

"Whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said during the meeting.

The talks with Iran scheduled for Saturday in Oman have been characterized as "direct" talks by Trump, but Iran's foreign leaders have disputed that assertion, describing the talks as "indirect." Iran's leaders have said if the talks go well Saturday, they would be open to further direct negotiations with the U.S. 

• Three US soldiers were killed in a drone attack at a military outpost in Jordan last year.
• BI obtained the investigation into the attack, outlining the failures that preceded the carnage.
• It points to extensive problems among the command and control soldiers who handled base security.

Intelligence had come in before the fatal strike on the US military base that an imminent attack was possible. The base soldiers responsible for tracking threats were monitoring the situation. But they say they never saw the hostile drone coming.

Business Insider obtained the US Army command investigation into the January 28, 2024, attack on Tower 22, a small logistics outpost in northeastern Jordan. An explosive-packed drone launched by an Iranian-aligned militia group killed three American troops and wounded over 100 more.

After the deadly blast, a soldier whose name and position were both redacted in the investigation jumped out of bed and rushed into the Base Defense Operations Center responsible for overseeing the defenses, asking why they didn't catch it.

Another soldier interviewed for the investigation characterized the inquiries at that moment differently, reporting that they were screaming, asking, "How did you guys not see it?"

Everyone in the BDOC said nothing was on any of their systems, aside from a couple of tracks they dismissed as balloons or trash.

"I could've sworn I was looking at the radar 30 seconds before the attack and didn't see anything on it," one soldier recalled, adding that they "don't remember seeing anything that was even close."

Just before the attack, though, the BDOC's focus was on a Scan Eagle recon drone that was landing at the base. That soldier acknowledged that it might have been a distraction.

Finding failures

The Army investigation uncovered extensive problems among the command and control soldiers handling base security.

Threat assessments were conducted regularly at Tower 22, and all of them determined there was a high risk of attack. The investigation indicated that base defenders at the time of the attack, however, were unprepared to meet the threat.

The report identified several failures, including a lack of key leadership presence, "cumulative exhaustion from an insufficient number" of base defense crew shifts, and "inadequate, poorly rehearsed, and overly centralized battle drills."

It also pointed to a failure to recognize the threat of attacks from certain directions. For example, it says personnel at the base erroneously assumed the southern approach to the base was safe. There was some confusion on where the drone came from.

The investigation said all the soldiers working the night shift at the BDOC when the drone attack happened said they saw two tracks south of Tower 22 on radar but didn't look into them.

The soldiers shared that the tracks observed to the south of Tower 22 before the attack were "too far away," were "moving too slowly," or were "possibly birds or trash," the investigation said, noting that this indicated "their negligent departure from their own" standard operating procedure.

The investigation said that "at the time of the attack, the BDOC crew also admitted they were very focused on watching the Scan Eagle recovery and did not interrogate or assess the unknown air tracks to the south of Tower 22 with the Night Hawk camera." A Scan Eagle drone is a low-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft that is made by US aerospace company Boeing.

Soldiers said that the Scan Eagle drone returned to Tower 22 just moments before an explosion rocked the base at around 5:30 a.m.

The reported missteps moments before the attack indicate a command failure for the BDOC crew that was supposed to monitor threats. Soldiers were confused about the leadership roles at the time and felt they couldn't make big decisions, "even when faced with imminent danger to the base," the investigation said.

"We do assess that the BDOC night shift crew was not properly manned with the appropriate rank and experience level required of those positions given the current threat environment at Tower 22 and the important decisions required to protect the personnel on the base," even though senior leaders were available, the report explained.

US Central Command did not respond to Business Insider about any accountability actions taken prior to publication.

One document included in the investigation said there was no advanced warning from any radar or other system at either Tower 22 or the nearby Al-Tanf Garrison, a US military base several miles away in Syria. The bomb-laden enemy drone destroyed a six-person housing unit and damaged surrounding ones, killing three Army National Guard soldiers and wounding 104 others.

The deadly Tower 22 incident came amid a larger campaign of Iran-backed militia attacks on American forces across the Middle East over the US stance in the Israel-Hamas war. The Biden administration responded days later with widespread airstrikes on Tehran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria.

Drone challenges

Crucially, the Tower 22 incident underscores the challenges of detecting small drones packed with explosives and the related readiness requirements. These munitions, increasingly being used in combat, are very different from traditional threats like missiles. They are more easily acquired by threat actors, have small radar signatures that can be mistaken for other things, and demand vigilance to engage. And even then, they can be missed.

The US recognizes that drones are a significant problem, representing a major threat to the force. In December, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that adversary drones "have evolved rapidly" in recent years, adding that "cheap systems are increasingly changing the battlefield, threatening US installations, and wounding or killing our troops."

Toward the end of the Biden administration, the Department of Defense outlined its approach to the drone threat. The US is looking to build up its inventory of counter-drone capabilities. Such systems were in place at Tower 22, but something else went wrong.

In the recommendations in the Tower 22 investigation, it was suggested that US Army Central, tasked with Middle East operations, establish a "comprehensive and standardized" BDOC/counter-drone crew training scheme for all units before deploying to a region where counter-drone capabilities or missions may be needed.

The report recommended that the program "include recent experiences, TTPs [tactics, techniques, and procedures], and lessons learned from across" the Centcom area of responsibility.

As President Donald Trump edges closer to potentially bombing Tehran, Iran, the intelligence community does not yet believe Iran is moving toward a nuclear weapon. 

"If they don’t do a deal, there will be bombing," Trump said Sunday. It was not clear whether that meant Israel or the U.S. would bomb Tehran. "There's a chance that if they don't make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago," he added. 

Secondary "tariffs," or sanctions, would mean slapping financial penalties on any country that does business with Iran. 

TRUMP CAUTIONS 'BAD THINGS' IN STORE IF IRAN WON'T NEGOTIATE AS ISLAMIC REPUBLIC TOUTS 'MISSILE CITY'

However, Trump’s threat of direct war on Tehran comes just after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard insisted last week Iran is not building a nuclear weapon – at least not yet. 

"The IC [intelligence community] continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapon program that he suspended in 2003," Gabbard told a worldwide threat hearing held by the Senate Intelligence Community last week. 

Experts believe Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, which puts it just below the 90% needed for a nuclear weapon, and have said there is no civilian use for 60% enriched uranium. 

"The IC continues to monitor closely if Tehran decides to reauthorize its nuclear weapons program. In the past year we've seen an erosion in the decades-long taboo in Iran of discussing nuclear weapons in public, likely emboldening nuclear weapons advocates within Iran's decision making apparatus," Gabbard said. 

She added that Iran’s uranium enrichment was "at its highest levels" and is "unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons." 

The IC's annual threat assessment, released in conjunction with the hearing, predicted Iran would continue efforts to threaten U.S. citizens and conduct operations inside the U.S. 

"Tehran will try to leverage its robust missile capability and expanded nuclear program, and its diplomatic outreach to regional states and U.S. rivals to bolster its regional influence and ensure regime survival," the report said. "However, regional and domestic challenges, most immediately tensions with Israel, are seriously testing Iran’s ambitions and capabilities."

The report detailed the "lethality" of Iran's missiles and UAV systems but said little else about the threat of Iran's nuclear program. 

TRUMP THREATENS TO BOMB IRAN UNLESS THEY END NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM AND BEGIN TALKS ON NEW DEAL

It assessed Iran's capabilities, degraded by Israel, would be able to deter further offensive Israeli actions. 

"The IC assesses Iran’s prospects for reconstituting force losses and posing a credible deterrent, particularly to Israeli actions, are dim in the near-term," the report said.

JINSA President and CEO Michael Makovsky offered a separate assessment, telling Fox News Digital, "Their enrichment program is about as far as you can get, so that part is done. So the question is the weapons part.… the issue today is less weaponization and more about opportunity."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, an analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, added a broader critique. "When the IC, reporters or open-source analysts fail to connect the dots between strategy, capability and intention when looking at Iran's atomic infrastructure … they do a public disservice to the public national debate."

He said that worldwide threat assessments "should but be politicized," but "intelligence officials must be asked, if Iran isn't building a weapon, why has it invested so much time, labor and capital into this quest?"

Tehran's moves toward an atomic weapon is not a dash, but a "slow and steady quest to develop the world's most dangerous weapons as safely as possible," said Taleblu. 

The renewed threat comes as the U.S. is bolstering its forces in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently sent a second aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson, to join the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, whose deployment was also extended. 

The U.S. also recently deployed two B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, a warning to Iran and Yemen's Houthi militia. The planes are capable of carrying 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs and are now situated within range of Iran. 

In his first term, Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal signed by then-President Barack Obama, deeming it a "bad deal" that did not curb Iran’s nuclear program. 

He has already ordered his administration to bring "maximum pressure" back to Tehran, choking them financially from every lever of government. 

• President Donald Trump threatened Iran with bombing like "they have never seen before" over the weekend.
• His threat came amid the unusual deployment of B-2 stealth bombers to the Indian Ocean.
• The bombers arrived amid a larger build-up of US military assets in the Middle East area.

President Donald Trump is threatening Iran with bombing to get to a new nuclear deal.

The threat comes as the US appears to be massing B-2 stealth bombers at a strategic base in the Indian Ocean that has been used to stage strikes in the Middle East.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker over the weekend, adding that "it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before."

Earlier this month, Trump gave Tehran a two-month deadline to agree to a new nuclear deal or face military action. On Sunday, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected direct talks with the US, though he left the door open to indirect negotiations.

Trump withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran during his first term in office.

The president's threat comes as the US has been deploying B-2 Spirit bombers to Diego Garcia, a tiny British island in the Indian Ocean that has served as a joint UK-US military base for decades, in an unusual move. Open-source intelligence analysts began tracking the arrival of multiple aircraft over the past few days.

A spokesperson for Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed that there are B-2s at Diego Garcia, though they would not say how many. Recent satellite imagery indicated that as of last Tuesday, there were at least three of them there, but possibly more.

"Their mission is to deter, detect, and, if necessary, defeat strategic attacks against the United States and its allies," the spokesperson told Business Insider on Monday without elaborating further.

The bombers could be there in relation to developments in the Middle East or Bomber Task Force missions. Either way, it's a lot of firepower readily available.

The B-2 Spirit is a long-range strategic bomber manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The Air Force has just 19 of these stealth aircraft in active service. Built for penetrating strikes against hard-to-reach targets, the bombers are based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

The roughly $2 billion B-2 is capable of delivering both nuclear and conventional strikes and is able to carry up to 40,000 pounds of ordnance, including the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. The MOP is a 30,000-pound bunker buster.

It's been speculated that an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, which are largely underground in hardened bunkers, would require capabilities only that the B-2 can deliver.

The specific purpose of the B-2s on Diego Garcia is unclear, but they have the potential to serve as a show of force for Iran and its proxies. Last fall, the US sent a clear message to Tehran by sending B-2 bombers to strike hardened Houthi facilities. Iranian support for the Houthis has fueled the Red Sea crisis, which has heated up again lately.

The Trump administration has pounded the Iran-backed rebels with airstrikes over the past two weeks in an effort to stop their attacks against military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

However, the Houthis demonstrated as recently as Sunday that they can still fire long-range missiles at Israel, which they continue to do in protest of the Gaza war.

The deployment of the B-2s noticeably comes amid a larger US military build-up in the Middle East. There have been rising tensions and threats between Trump's White House and Iran and the Tehran-backed Houthis.

On Saturday, the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Fighter Wing announced the deployment of more than 300 Airmen and several A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft to the Middle East area of operations. The unit has previously deployed in support of the US-led war against the Islamic State.

The Navy is also sending a second aircraft carrier to the region. USS Carl Vinson will join the USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group, which has been striking the Houthis for weeks. When it arrives, the Vinson would be the fifth US carrier to partake in combat operations against the rebels.

A Yale University Law School associate research scholar was terminated after failing to disclose information about her alleged ties to Samidoun Network, a Canada-based group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

Iranian-born Helyeh Doutaghi was fired Friday, three weeks after being put on administrative leave after allegations were made that she was part of the Samidoun Network, classified as "a sham charity" by the federal government for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S-designated terrorist organization.

"Over the last three weeks, Yale has repeatedly requested to meet with Ms. Doutaghi and her attorney to obtain clarifying information and resolve this matter," Yale spokesperson Alden Ferro said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, she has refused to meet to provide any responses to critical questions, including whether she has ever engaged in prohibited activity with organizations or individuals that were placed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list ('SDN List')."

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY YIELDS TO TRUMP ADMIN DEMANDS OVER REVOKED $400M IN FEDERAL FUNDING

As such, the university terminated Doutaghi, effective immediately, over her "refusal to cooperate" with their investigation. The university, which saw its fair share of anti-Israel protests last year and a large-scale graduation walkout, noted her short-term employment was already set to expire in April. 

Doutaghi was appointed deputy director of the Law and Political Economy (LPE) Project at the unversity in October 2023. According to her bio on the Palestine Center for Public Policy website, her "research explores the intersections of the Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL), encompassing Marxian and postcolonial critiques of law, sanctions, and international political economy."

She is also an incoming post-doctoral fellow at the University of Tehran, according to the website, where her focus will be "completing her manuscript on Iranian sanctions regime and neoliberalism."

HAWLEY BLASTS 'INSANE' LIBERAL ATTORNEY DURING SENATE HEARING ON CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM

The allegations about Doutaghi were first made by Jewish Onliner, a Substack "Empowered by A.I. capabilities," according to its X account.

"Rather than defend me, the Yale Law School moved within less than 24 hours of learning about the report to place me on leave," Doutaghi wrote in a statement on X earlier this month. "I was given only a few hours’ notice by the administration to attend an interrogation based on far-right AI-generated allegations against me, while enduring a flood of online harassment, death threats, and abuse by Zionist trolls, exacerbating ongoing unprecedented distress and complications both at work and at home."

Doutaghi said she was "afforded no due process and no reasonable time to consult" with her attorney.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RESIGNS AFTER MONTHS OF MOUNTING PRESSURE OVER ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS

The termination of Doutaghi comes as the Trump administration has been clamping down on allegations of antisemitism across Ivy League schools. 

Several students holding visas or green cards have since filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, alleging First Amendment violations.

"Immediate action will be taken by the Department of Justice to protect law and order, quell pro-Hamas vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities," a White House fact sheet on the executive order said. 

Trump also vowed to deport Hamas sympathizers and revoke student visas. 

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Columbia University student and anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil was among the first students to face allegations from the Trump administration over his green card application, in which he was accused of omitting details about his employment history.

The administration subsequently pulled $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, citing its handling of anti-Israel protests on campus last year. The Ivy League school announced on Friday it would implement significant policy changes to comply with the administration's demands.

President Donald Trump promised that ‘bad things’ would happen to Iran if the regime does not come to the table for nuclear negotiations. 

"My big preference is that we work it out with Iran, but if we don’t work it out, bad things are gonna happen to Iran," the president said Friday. 

Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, just shy of the 90% weapons-grade. Experts say it could have a nuclear weapon within weeks if it were to take the final steps to building one. 

In response to U.S. sanctions threats, Iran showed off a sprawling underground tunnel system replete with missiles, launchers, engines and other advanced weapons. 

WALTZ TELLS IRAN TO GIVE UP NUCLEAR PROGRAM OR 'THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES'

A video released this week by state media shows two Iranian military leaders, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and IRGC Aerospace Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh, riding in a vehicle through long, weapons-packed tunnels that Tehran has dubbed "Missile City." 

The 85-second clip, which has not been independently verified, is set to menacing music and suggests that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stands ready to respond to threats of an attack from the U.S. and Israel. 

"Iran’s ballistic missile force remains the largest in the Middle East," said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "This is all part of the regime’s deterrent strategy to cement the idea of any conflict with Tehran being a costly and protracted one." 

The move comes as U.S. is bolstering its forces in the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently sent a second aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy’s USS Carl Vinson, to join the USS Harry S. Truman‘s carrier strike group, whose deployment was also extended. 

The U.S. also recently deployed two B-2 stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, a warning to Iran and Yemen's Houthi militia. The planes are capable of carrying 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs and are now situated within range of Iran. 

Weeks ago, Trump wrote a letter to Iran urging the regime to engage in talks on its nuclear program. 

Kamal Kharazi, the top foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on Thursday that the regime would engage in "indirect" talks, according to local news reports.

IRAN'S LEADER WARNS US COULD RECEIVE ‘SEVERE SLAPS’ FOLLOWING TRUMP'S THREATS TO HOUTHIS

"The Islamic Republic has not closed all the doors and is willing to begin indirect negotiations with the United States." 

"Our policy is to not negotiate directly while there is maximum pressure policy and threats of military strikes," foreign minister Abbas Aragchi explained. "But indirect negotiations can take place as they have in the past."

If talks falter, the U.S. and Israel have floated the possibility of targeted strikes on underground nuclear facilities. 

In recent weeks, the Trump administration launched a series of offensive attacks on the Houthis in Yemen to send a message to Tehran, which supports them. 

"Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN," Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. 

"Iran has played 'the innocent victim' of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control," he continued. "They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, "Intelligence.'" 

The Trump administration is calling on Iran to give up its entire nuclear program or face the consequences, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Sunday.

Waltz said it was time for Iran to "walk away completely" from its pursuit of nuclear weapons, pushing for a "full dismantlement" during an appearance on CBS’ "Face the Nation."

"This isn't some kind of, you know, kind of tit-for-tat that we had under the Obama administration or Biden," Waltz said. "This is the full program. Give it up or there will be consequences."

Waltz did not specify what kind of consequences Iran could face, though he said President Donald Trump is keeping "all options on the table," including diplomacy.

IRAN'S LEADER WARNS US COULD RECEIVE ‘SEVERE SLAPS’ FOLLOWING TRUMP'S THREATS TO HOUTHIS

Waltz said the Trump administration wants Iran to give up its nuclear program "in a way that the entire world can see."

"If [Iran] had nuclear weapons, the entire Middle East would explode in an arms race," he said. "That is completely unacceptable to our national security. I won't get into what the back-and-forth has been, but Iran is in the worst place it has been from its own national security since 1979."

Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been high since Iran’s proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, launched attacks on Israel in the past few years. Iran directly traded fire with Israel twice last year.

Trump has threatened U.S. military action if Iran doesn't negotiate a new agreement on its nuclear program.

TRUMP VINDICATED AS EXPLOSIVE REPORT CONFIRMS IRAN SUPERVISES HOUTHI ‘POLITICAL AND MILITARY AFFAIRS’

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he isn’t interested in talks with a "bullying government," though Iranian diplomats, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, previously suggested that talks could be possible. Araghchi later toughened his stance, following Khamenei’s lead.

The original 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama allowed Iran to enrich uranium up to only 3.67% purity and to maintain a uranium stockpile of 661 pounds. The International Atomic Energy Agency's last report on Iran’s program put its stockpile at 18,286 pounds as it enriches a fraction of it to 60% purity.

U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Iran has yet to begin a weapons program, but has "undertaken activities that better position it to produce a nuclear device, if it chooses to do so."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

• Tourists love visiting spots with unique architecture or natural beauty, but it's not always safe.
• Currently, there are 21 countries on the US government's "do-not-travel" list.
• The State Department considers travel risky there due to terrorism, kidnapping, and other threats.

Accidents and injuries can happen anywhere, but the US government warns that the risk of terrorism, kidnapping, and other dangers is higher in some countries than others. That's why it lists some as level-four, advising that Americans should not travel to them.

"All countries will rank destinations slightly different," Alan Fyall, a professor of tourism at the University of Central Florida, told Business Insider. While they frequently overlap, the US and the UK don't have identical lists, for example. Historical and cultural ties, proximity, and level of familiarity may all play a role in shaping these lists, he said.

For some of these countries, the US has suspended embassy operations. That makes it difficult for it to assist travelers when they're in trouble, and that's part of the reason the warnings can be stringent, said Fyall.

"Do you really want to go and rescue your citizens from a country that, really, they're not that advised to go to in the first place?" he said.

The US and UK governments also issue warnings for specific areas of some countries, such as near the Thailand-Malaysia border or the Western Desert in Egypt. The US and UK also caution against travel to Gaza and Northern Israel.

While some risk-takers travel to these countries for a thrill, others visit for family or business. "Some people think the perceived risk is overstated," Edward Dramberger, a University of South Carolina tourism and hospitality professor, told BI.

Nations and regions can move up and down the US' list, but here are the 21 countries the State Department considers "do-not-travel" zones as of March 2025.

Afghanistan

Sitting between Iran and Pakistan, mountainous Afghanistan has rugged terrain and an arid climate.

"People perceive Afghanistan as just a desolate, mountain desert country with no attributes, no culture, which is wrong," Dramberger said. Decades of coups, civil wars, and invasions have made the country difficult for travelers to get to know, except via the news.

The US State Department lists civil unrest, terrorism, and kidnapping among the safety concerns when traveling to Afghanistan. In 2021, the US Embassy in Kabul closed.

Medical care may be more difficult to obtain in rural areas.

For those who travel to level-four countries, the State Department often offers routine advice, including staying aware of your surroundings, keeping your travel documents on hand, drafting a will before travel, creating a plan to leave the country without the aid of the US government, and monitoring local news for emergency situations.

For Afghanistan, the agency also recommends that American visitors keep a low profile while in Afghanistan.

Belarus

Once a part of the Soviet Union, Belarus retains close ties to its neighbor Russia. From Gothic architecture to a refuge for the near-threatened European bison, Belarus has attractions for castle seekers and nature enthusiasts.

In recent years, Belarus has allowed Russia to use some of its territory to invade Ukraine. The risk of civil unrest and the past detention of US citizens makes visits to Belarus unwise, according to the State Department. The US Embassy suspended operations there in 2022.

Americans who go to Belarus should exercise the usual precautions for traveling to high-risk countries and also consider leaving phones, computers, and other electronic devices behind. The State Department also recommends not accessing social media accounts while in Belarus because they may be monitored.

Burkina Faso

Columns of sandstone, known as the Pics de Sindou, jut out from the ground, creating a unique landscape in the southwest of Burkina Faso. The West African country also has an incredible wildlife refuge, Réserve de Nazinga, near its border with Ghana.

The country's government has declared a state of emergency for several regions. Terrorism and other threats have displaced over 2 million residents, according to the United Nations. Since 2015, several Westerners have been kidnapped in Burkina Faso, according to the US' Overseas Security Advisory Council.

While the US Embassy still operates in Ouagadougou, the capital, government employees are unable to travel to many parts of the country due to safety concerns.

Recommendations for lowering risk while traveling in Burkina Faso include avoiding areas where Westerners typically travel and not resisting if someone attempts to rob you, the State Department says.

Central African Republic

The Central African Republic touches several other level-four countries, including Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's home to incredibly rich biodiversity in its national parks, including Dzanga-Sangha National Park and Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park.

Many of the country's species are endangered, and its citizens have faced decades of instability, according to the United Nations. Recently, armed groups have targeted Muslims and refugees.

The US State Department also considers CAR a dangerous travel destination due to threats of crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping. US citizens can expect limited help from the government's embassy in Bangui, CAR's capital.

Due to the threat of kidnapping, the US' travel advisory website suggests travelers leave DNA samples with their doctor and establish proof-of-life protocols with family or friends so they can assist you if you're abducted.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Located south of the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo is enormous, encompassing savannas, grasslands, and the Congo rainforest.

While tourists may long to bask in the vibrancy of its capital, Kinshasa, or attempt to catch a glimpse of its various gorilla species, the US State Department advises against it. Conditions in the Eastern DRC are especially fraught due to armed conflict, according to the United Nations.

Locals are the ones most affected by the violence, but US citizens and other foreign visitors have been kidnapped, according to the OSAC. In January 2025, the US State Department pulled out its non-emergency employees.

The US' travel advisory site suggests carrying a copy of your passport and visa and keeping the originals in a safe location, except when crossing provincial borders by air.

Haiti

The Caribbean country of Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Its Citadelle Laferrière remains a monument to Haitian independence, which it won from France in 1804.

More recently, the country has fallen under a state of emergency. In 2025, the US government extended a ban on flights to Port-au-Prince, its capital, due to gang violence. There's a curfew and prohibition on walking around the city in place.

The State Department has warned that armed robberies, sexual assaults, and kidnappings are among the reasons to reconsider travel to Haiti. Anyone who does go should avoid walking when possible, travel in groups, and keep vehicle doors and windows locked when driving, it advises.

Iran

One way to see over 800 miles of this Middle Eastern country is the Trans-Iranian Railway, which runs from the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. Tehran, the capital, lies along the route.

Some of the country's natural wonders include dormant volcanoes and the stunning limestone formations of Badab-e Surt. Right now, it's not safe for US citizens to make the trip, according to the State Department.

Following protests in 2022, thousands of people were arrested and tortured by Iranian authorities, according to Amnesty International. These were mostly locals, but the US government has cautioned that Iranian officials may detain or imprison US nationals and other foreigners.

The situation between Iran and Israel is volatile right now as well.

The US doesn't have a physical embassy in Iran. The American government's travel advisory site states that visitors should have a means of leaving Iran that doesn't depend on its assistance.

Iraq

From the Tigris and Euphrates to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Iraq holds sites that many remember from their ancient history textbooks. Sadly, some of its artifacts were lost to looting during the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Since the US invasion and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Iraq has faced threats from terrorist groups such as ISIS. Terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest are enough of a risk that the State Department considers Iraq a level-four country.

In 2024, ISIS was still active in parts of Iraq, according to OSAC. Armed conflict and terrorist threats are dangerous at the northern borders, per the State Department. It advises US travelers to consider making arrangements with a professional security organization for any visits.

Lebanon

At just over 4,000 square miles, Lebanon is just a bit bigger than Puerto Rico. It has snowy mountains that attract skiers every winter.

A lengthy civil war from 1975 to 1990 left scars in Beirut and beyond. In recent years, an economic crisis has taken a toll. Meanwhile, conflicts in neighboring Israel and Syria have affected Lebanon.

The US government has said that terrorist groups operating in Lebanon put travelers at risk. There have been suicide bombings, and a gunman opened fire at the embassy in Beirut in June 2024.

Visitors should take the advised security measures for high-risk countries and also be on the lookout for unexploded land mines near the Syrian border, per the State Department.

Libya

Situated between Egypt and Algeria, Libya has a coast that runs along the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea. Roman emperor Septimius Severus was born in Leptis Magna, and a UNESCO World Heritage site with striking ruins of large, impressive buildings.

Violence, including two recent civil wars, has marred the country. Armed groups have attacked hotels and airports in Tripoli, Sruman, and other cities, according to the State Department. The US Embassy hasn't been active in Tripoli since 2014.

The US warns of unexploded landmines and suggests consulting with a professional security organization.

Mali

Centuries-old mosques can be found in Mali's Timbuktu, symbols of its history as a seat of Islamic culture and learning. Its marketplace drew travelers and traders during the 15th and 16th centuries.

To the southwest of Timbuktu is Bamako, Mali's capital. Outside the city and in other parts of the country, terrorists and kidnappers target foreign visitors in the hopes of getting ransom, according to OSAC. US personnel aren't allowed to visit nightclubs or attend concerts for safety reasons.

Some of the advice for traveling in Mali includes avoiding walking around deserted streets at night, carrying minimal cash, not leaving valuables in your hotel, and looking for a well-lit area when stopped by police.

Myanmar (Burma)

Located on the Bay of Bengal in Southeast Asia, Myanmar boasts a fascinating mix of architecture, from pagodas and palaces to colonial hotels and government offices. One stupa, or pagoda, the Shwedagon, is the country's most sacred Buddhist site.

A coup in 2021 sparked demonstrations. The military detained protestors and used force against them and bystanders, according to the State Department. The risk of continued civil unrest and arbitrary arrests makes it unwise to travel to the country, according to US travel advisories.

Some armed groups have used improvised explosive devices in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, while NGOs have reported land mines in Shan State, Chin State, and Kachin State.

North Korea

One of the world's most mysterious and isolated countries, North Korea shares borders with South Korea, China, and Russia. Kim Jong-Un took over the presidency in 2011, continuing a family dynasty that's been in power since the 1950s.

In 2025, North Korea reopened to Western tourists for the first time since the pandemic. The State Department cautions that US nationals might be arrested and held for long periods of time. It warns that it's unable to provide emergency service for its citizens who are detained.

An American student, Otto Warmbier, was arrested in North Korea in 2016. While detained, he fell into a coma. He died six days after he was returned to his family in Ohio in 2017.

Russia

Russia's cities contain dazzling buildings, and its landscape is breathtaking. Siberia's Lake Baikal is the planet's oldest and deepest. The world's last woolly mammoths lived and died out on Wrangel Island, where polar bears, musk oxen, and walruses now congregate.

Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US State Department has declared it unsafe for US citizens, who may face harassment or detention. It said authorities might not inform the US if an American is arrested.

The US' travel advisory also cited drone attacks and explosions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, locations near the Ukrainian border, and other areas.

The State Department notes there may be risks for those with dual US-Russian nationality. Because the situation is volatile, travelers should stay aware of the latest local news when visiting.

Somalia

Located in the Horn of Africa, Somalia's lengthy coastline borders the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Somali archaeologist Sada Mire has called the capital Mogadishu an "unbreakable pearl," tracing its history as a center for trade back to the first century CE.

During the 1990s, Somalia experienced famine and civil war. Instability continued in the form of terror attacks, including a suicide bombing on a popular beach in 2024. Due to the possibility of kidnapping and terrorism, the US has issued a do-not-travel advisory.

The State Department also advised against sailing near Somalia's coast due to piracy.

South Sudan

It was only during the 21st century that South Sudan declared its independence and was recognized as a sovereign state. Its neighbors include Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Its short history was dominated by a civil war, and a new conflict is brewing between the military and an opposition force, which clashed near the Ethiopian border. NGOs, the UN, and others have found it difficult to accurately assess crime levels, but firearms easily cross the border from Sudan, according to OSAC.

Due to recent political instability, the US pulled its non-emergency employees in March. Anyone traveling in South Sudan should avoid its border areas and adhere to restrictions around public photography and videography, the State Department says.

Sudan

Khartoum, Sudan, is where the Blue and White Niles meet. Meroë is further north, where ancient Kushite rulers lived and were buried in pyramids. Some date back to the third century BCE; several have collapsed but others retain decorative carvings.

Civil war threatens not only the archaeological history but locals and travelers. Officials at the US Embassy hastily evacuated Khartoum in 2023, soon after the conflict broke out. Various groups frequently engage in violent fighting, the State Department says.

The Darfur, Khartoum, and Kordofan regions have all been sites for kidnappings, according to OSAC. The Khartoum International Airport is closed.

The US' travel advisory suggests travelers be aware of their surroundings, especially in locations where Westerners typically visit.

Syria

Not only is Damascus the capital of Syria, it's the seat of cultural history. Established over 2,000 years ago, it's one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. Evidence of its Roman and Byzantine past exists alongside important Islamic monuments such as the Umayyad Mosque.

Despite the allure of these ancient sites, the US doesn't recommend travel to Syria. A lengthy civil war broke out in 2011, with efforts to oust Bashar Assad from power. Since Assad resigned at the end of 2024, violence has continued to erupt in parts of western Syria, Reuters reported in March.

The State Department has also warned terrorism, kidnapping and hostage-taking, and unjust detention are risks in Syria. It recommends visitors set up proof-of-life protocols with loved ones, among other precautions before and during travel.

Ukraine

Much like Istanbul's Hagia Sofia, for which it was named, the Saint Sophia Cathedral serves as an eye-catching landmark in Kyiv. It's just one of the Ukrainian capital's architectural treasures.

Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and years of fighting have ensued, mainly in the east, where the border lies. Belarusian troops are also present along its border with Ukraine.

The ongoing conflict is the principal reason the US government cautions against visiting. Areas that aren't on the frontline of fighting could still experience drone and missile attacks, the State Department notes.

Drafting a will, coordinating a security plan, and creating a communication protocol with loved ones are just a few of the steps suggested on the travel advisory website.

Venezuela

With its dizzying height of over 3,000 feet, the Salto Ángel waterfall has drawn tourists for decades, though it's notoriously tricky to access. It's found in the southeast of Venezuela, in the Canaima National Park near where the country borders Brazil and Guyana.

The country is in the midst of an economic and political crisis. Heavily reliant on oil for income, it suffered years of recession. In 2024, the US and several other countries refused to recognize the results of its presidential election, calling it fraudulent, BBC News reported at the time.

The US Embassy ceased operations in Caracas in 2019. The State Department has issued warnings about arbitrary detentions and unpredictable enforcement of local laws. In 2023 and 2025, Venezuela released several Americans, some of whom were "wrongfully detained," according to the US government.

Travelers may want to hire a professional security team during their stay, according to the US' travel advisory site.

Yemen

Beautiful gypsum patterns adorn red fired-brick buildings in the Old City of Sana'a. People have lived in this area of Yemen for over 2,500 years. The country is located on the Arabian Peninsula next to Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Yemen's civil war started over a decade ago and continues today. The threat of armed conflict continues, according to OSAC. Detained US citizens have not been allowed to contact their families or the embassy, which isn't operating at the moment.

The State Department warns against visiting the Yemeni island of Socotra. Some travel companies have offered trips there with unofficial visas, which puts travelers at risk, according to the travel advisory website.

• Israel would need US help if it set out to destroy Iran's underground nuclear sites.
• The operation would require repeated cruise missile strikes and heavy, bunker-busting bombs.
• There are limits to what the US and Israel could accomplish in a short air campaign.

Iran can enrich enough uranium for a nuclear weapon within weeks. The options to stop Iran from getting a bomb, if it so chooses, are through a nuclear deal like the one President Donald Trump withdrew from in 2018 or with overwhelming military force.

"There are two ways Iran can be handled, militarily or you can make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal," Trump said in a March 6 interview with Fox News. The US, he said, has "a situation with Iran that's going to happen very soon, very, very soon."

Early signs of a deal were inauspicious. Trump dialed up the pressure on Iran after US strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen over the weekend, warning in a Monday Truth Social post that "every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN."

Israel could attempt pre-emptive strikes, but they would likely need US airpower in what would be a major escalation if they aimed to demolish Iran's underground facilities for weapons-grade uranium, according to military analysts.

To wipe out Iran's nuclear facilities, US and Israel would need to carry out repeated strikes with stand-off weapons like cruise missiles, Ryan Bohl, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at the risk intelligence company RANE, told Business Insider.

Such strikes could also require the Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The B-2 is the only aircraft that can carry the US's 15-ton GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the largest US bunker buster, and one of the most powerful non-nuclear bombs. A B-2 notably bombed hardened underground weapon sites belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in October.

"It would be a major milestone in the history of warfare should we see a joint Israeli-US strike on Iran," Bohl said. "It would give us insight into how such (American-made) systems might also perform against, say, Russia and China, whose systems are in some ways similar to that of Iran's."

The United Nations Security Council discussed Iran's enrichment of uranium near weapons-grade level in a closed meeting on Wednesday. The US accused Iran of "flagrantly" defying the council over its rapid uranium enrichment.

Amid the back and forth between the Trump administration and Iran, a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortess bomber drilled with Israeli Air Force F-35 stealth jets and F-15 fighters. Both air forces have drilled on numerous occasions in recent years in preparation for a possible attack against Iran.

The largest-ever exercise was Juniper Oak in January 2023, when American and Israeli F-35 stealth jets, drones, and US strategic bombers dropped over 180,000 pounds of live munitions.

"Juniper Oak gave us insight into how a maximum escalation scenario might play out with joint Israel-US operations," Bohl said.

Why Israel would likely need US bombers

Israel's fighter fleet consists of fourth-generation American-made F-15 and F-16 jets and more advanced fifth-generation F-35s made by Lockheed Martin. Israel doesn't have heavy bombers capable of carrying large bunker-buster munitions.

The two primary targets of any strikes would be the Natanz and Fordow underground enrichment facilities. Natanz is deep underground and shielded by reinforced concrete in the central Isfahan province. Satellite imagery taken in 2023 indicated Iran has dug tunnels near the site too deep for even the GBU-57 to damage effectively. Fordow is the country's second uranium enrichment facility, which Iran dug inside a mountain to build near the holy city of Qom.

US-Israeli airstrikes would have to be part of a larger, complex campaign that also targets Iranian air defenses and ballistic missiles with air and ship-launched munitions, drones, cyberattacks, and possibly limited special operations raids, according to Nicholas Heras, senior director of strategy and innovation at the New Lines Institute.

Israel already inflicted widespread damage on Iran's Russian-made S-300 air defenses during its October 26 airstrikes. Another round of strikes, especially with American participation, could prove much more devastating.

"Iran is on the back foot defending its airspace," RANE's Bohl said.

While Iran's antiquated air force is outclassed and outgunned by the USAF and IAF, there are still limits to what the latter's cutting-edge airpower can achieve, especially if America and Israel are reluctant to conduct a long campaign. And if a US-Israeli campaign does not broadly target Iran's military arsenal, Tehran could mount substantial retaliation.

For years, the country has possessed the largest arsenal of ballistic missiles in the region. While these missiles failed to inflict significant damage during Iran's April and October 2024 attacks against Israel, they could still menace US bases in the Middle East or force Israel to expend more of its expensive and finite high-altitude Arrow anti-ballistic missile interceptors in order to fend them off.

Iran has had decades to prepare for such an attack.

It's possible "Iran is able to weather the worst of it and rebuild," since bombs and missiles can fail to destroy all of the Iranian centrifuges used to enrich uranium, Bohl said.

Either way, a joint air assault against Iran could prove unprecedented.

"Without a doubt, a joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran's nuclear program would be one of the largest, and certainly the most technologically advanced, in human history," New Lines Institute's Heras said.

Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history. His articles have appeared in a variety of publications focused on the region.

U.S. airstrikes over the weekend took out Houthi drone, missile and air defense systems, but it remains to be seen whether they struck a lethal blow at their main target: the Iranian regime’s resolve. 

Joint Staff Director for Operations Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told reporters "dozens of military casualties" had so far been counted, and that he had seen "no credible indications of any civilian casualties." 

He added that an initial wave of strikes "hit over 30 targets at multiple locations, degrading a variety of Houthi capabilities." 

"These included terrorist training sites, unmanned aerial vehicle infrastructure, weapons manufacturing capabilities, and weapons storage facilities." 

US MILITARY SHOOTS DOWN HOUTHI DRONES AS TRUMP'S STRIKES AGAINST TERRORIST GROUP CONTINUE

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed 53 people had been killed, including five children. Attacks began Saturday and continued into Monday. 

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said the message in the strikes was, "If you shoot at American troops there will be consequences." 

At the same time, he emphasized, "this is also not an endless offensive. This is not about regime change in the Middle East, this is about putting American interests first."

But President Donald Trump had been clear that while the Houthis were the target of the attacks, Iran would be held responsible for any retaliation. 

"Any further attack or retaliation by the ‘Houthis’ will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there. Iran has played ‘the innocent victim’ of rogue terrorists from which they’ve lost control, but they haven’t lost control," he wrote on Truth Social. 

"They’re dictating every move, giving them the weapons, supplying them with money and highly sophisticated Military equipment, and even, so-called, ‘Intelligence.’ Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!"

IRANIAN GENERAL RESPONDS TO TRUMP THREATS AGAINST HOUTHI REBELS

The Houthis announced last week they would ramp up attacks on the Red Sea once more, claiming they were doing so to pressure Israel to allow humanitarian aid to flow back into Gaza. 

The group had halted strikes in January when the Gaza ceasefire was first announced. 

Trump last week tried the diplomatic route with Iran, writing a letter to its supreme leader asking for engagement in nuclear talks. But Iran, enraged by Trump’s stated intentions to return to a "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign, said it would not engage with the U.S.

Trump has said its strikes will continue "with overwhelming lethal force" until the Houthis are eliminated as a threat. 

But what elimination would look like – especially if the Houthi attacks persisted – was vague. 

US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN

Parnell refused to say whether U.S. troops could be deployed to Yemen. "It's very difficult, if not impossible, for us to talk about force, posture from this podium," he said. "It's very important to keep the enemy guessing."

Zineb Riboua, research fellow and program manager of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, explained that the U.S. strikes aimed to destroy missile and launch sites used to target Red Sea shipping and disrupt supply chains that feed Iranian weaponry to the Houthis.

"However, the effectiveness of these operations depends on two key factors: Did they cripple Houthi capabilities? The group has proven resilient, especially if Iran continues to funnel weapons and intelligence support," Riboua said. 

The Houthis responded with unsuccessful strikes on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed Sunday that over the past 18 months, Houthi fighters had attacked the U.S. Navy "directly" 174 times and had targeted commercial shipping 145 times using "guided precision anti-ship weaponry."

The Houthis in recent years have attacked unarmed Western ships carrying goods through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden – and the U.S. military has responded with strikes that were seemingly limited in scope, not a full-scale declaration of war.

The attacks have led to perilous waters along a trade route that typically sees some $1 trillion in goods pass through it, as well as shipments of aid to war-torn Sudan and the Yemeni people.  

"We are already on day 3 of the military campaign and it has been unrelenting. This is much different than the smaller and more limited strikes during the Biden administration," said Hudson fellow Rebecca Heinrichs.

"The days of pinprick responses where we allow that to occur is over. That's, I think, a pretty clear statement from the administration as a whole as well," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters Monday of the renewed offensive. 

Iran sought to distance itself from its proxy forces. Pamilitary Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Salami said Iran "plays no role in setting the national or operational policies" of the groups it allies itself with. 

But some restraint-minded voices don’t believe the U.S. should be spending its resources to fight the Houthis, who haven't publicly attacked maritime positions since November. 

"The people affected, I think, are more European and Chinese than American," said Ben Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities. "So it’s not clear to me why the U.S. should be doing this. If the Europeans want to deal with it, fine, but I don’t think everything needs to be our responsibility, especially when they’re not doing much damage [to us]."

"He’s doing what should have been done under the Biden administration," said Gene Moran, former Navy captain and former advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. But at the same time, "We shouldn’t be fooled into thinking we can knock down an ideology with kinetic weapons. We’ve made that mistake time over time, something needs to be done with Iran. 

"Trump has proven with his relationship with Russia, he can flip the table over a weekend, change the whole conversation. So I would think that Trump would do something very decisive with Iran. He may find he doesn’t have to do that with kinetic power." 

Iran’s uranium enrichment has breached 60%, dangerously close to the 90% enrichment needed to make a bomb. 

Tehran still denies it is pursuing a nuclear weapon, but experts have said there is no civilian use for 60% enriched uranium. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s airstrikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, arguing that the U.S. is "doing the world a favor" by targeting the militant group.

"We're doing the entire world a favor by getting rid of these guys and their ability to strike global shipping. That's the mission here, and it will continue until that's carried out," Rubio said during an appearance on CBS’ "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

The comments come after Trump announced on social media Saturday that he had ordered "decisive and powerful" airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, arguing that that terrorist group has "waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones."

HOUTHIS POST CRYPTIC VIDEO OF AMERICAN FLAG-DRAPED COFFINS

"It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," Trump said in the post. "The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times…. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk."

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!"

The strikes come in response to the Houthis' continued disruption of transit in the Red Sea, something Rubio said Sunday would come to an end with the strikes.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'DECISIVE AND POWERFUL' AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI TERRORISTS IN YEMEN

"This is not a message," Rubio said. "This is an effort to deny them the ability to continue to constrict and control shipping."

Rubio noted that the militant group, which is backed by Iran, had "struck or attacked 174 Naval vessels of the United States" over the last year, a time period that also saw the group launch 145 attacks on commercial shipping vessels.

"So we basically have a band of pirates, you know, with guided precision anti-ship weaponry and exacting a toll system in one of the most important shipping lanes in the world," Rubio said. "That's just not sustainable."

The secretary of state said the strikes would continue until the Houthis "no longer have the capability" to continue to carry out such attacks.

"We're not going to have people sitting around with the missiles attacking the U.S. Navy," Rubio said. "It's not going to happen. Not under President Trump."

Houthi rebels in Yemen posted an animation online that depicted American flag-draped coffins floating near destroyed Navy ships.

"These terrorists really cannot tell the difference between delusions and reality," Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said in a post on X along with the Houthi animation.

The animation starts out with somber music and depicts a coffin draped in an American flag floating in water, then slowly zooms out to reveal dozens of similar flag-draped coffins floating away from destroyed warships.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'DECISIVE AND POWERFUL' AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI TERRORISTS IN YEMEN

The animation comes after President Donald Trump ordered "decisive and powerful" airstrikes against Houthi terrorists in Yemen on Saturday, arguing on Truth Social that the group has "waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones."

"It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden," Trump said in the post. "The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times…. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk."

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" 

The White House on Sunday released photos of Trump watching the strikes on the Iran-backed terrorist group along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz.

TRUMP WATCHES STRIKE ON IRAN-BACKED HOUTHIS IN YEMEN IN NEW WHITE HOUSE PICS AS LARGE-SCALE OP CONTINUES

"President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats," the White House wrote in a post on X. "For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency."

U.S. Central Command said in a statement Saturday that it "initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation."

Meanwhile, the Houthi-run Health Ministry in Yemen told the Associated Press that the strikes killed at least 31 people.

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

The White House released photos of President Donald Trump watching strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen on Saturday, as the large-scale U.S. operation against the terrorist group continues. 

"President Trump is taking action against the Houthis to defend US shipping assets and deter terrorist threats," the White House wrote on X, sharing photos of Trump, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. "For too long American economic & national threats have been under assault by the Houthis. Not under this presidency." 

Trump appeared to be dressed in golf attire and was wearing his signature red baseball cap with his name emblazoned on the back while watching video of the strikes on a television screen. 

Another photo showed the president from the front with a black headset on. 

US NAVY SHIPS REPEL ATTACK FROM HOUTHIS IN GULF OF ADEN

Trump wrote in a Saturday TRUTHSocial post that he had "ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen." 

"Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom," Trump said. "No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World." 

U.S. Central Command said Saturday it "initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation." 

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement that Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday.  

"The Secretary informed Russia of U.S. military deterrence operations against the Iran-backed Houthis and emphasized that continued Houthi attacks on U.S. military and commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea will not be tolerated," Bruce wrote. "Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia and agreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia." 

The Houthi-run Health Ministry in Yemen said the strikes killed at least 31 people, according to the Associated Press. 

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea and launched missiles and drones at Israel in what the terrorist group said were acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war with Hamas, another Iranian ally. The attacks stopped when a fragile Israel-Hamas cease-fire took hold in Gaza in January. The Houthis then threatened to renew them after Israel cut off the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza this month following the Hamas rejection of a U.S. framework for continuing the cease-fire and hostage releases.

The U.S. and others have long accused Iran of providing military aid to the Houthis, and the U.S. Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry it said were bound for the terrorist group, which controls Yemen's capital of Sanaa and the country's north. Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, denied his country was involved in the Houthis' attacks. 

TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'DECISIVE AND POWERFUL' AIRSTRIKES AGAINST HOUTHI TERRORISTS IN YEMEN

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X, urged the U.S. to halt the strikes and said Washington cannot dictate Iran's foreign policy.

Trump said, "The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World, grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce depends." 

Trump charged that the Houthis "have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones." 

"Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just kept going," he wrote on TRUTHSocial. 

Trump said it has been more than a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. 

"The last American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same time, putting innocent lives at risk," Trump wrote. 

"To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE!" Trump said. 

The president added, "To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do, BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice about it!" 

The Houthis have targeted over 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two and killing four sailors, during their campaign targeting military and civilian ships between the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 and January of this year, when the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, according to the AP. 

The U.S., Israel and Britain have previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen, but Saturday’s operation was conducted solely by the U.S. It was the first strike on the Houthis under the second Trump administration.

It comes two weeks after Trump sent a letter to Iranian leaders offering a path to restarting bilateral talks between the countries on Iran’s advancing nuclear program. Trump has said he will not allow it to become operational.

The Trump administration re-designated the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this month, after the Biden administration had lifted the group's designation in 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Trump administration unveiled new sanctions on Wednesday against an Iranian-linked Swedish gang that coordinated an attack on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm in January 2024, according to the Treasury Department. 

The sanctions freeze assets for members and those affiliated with the Foxtrot Network, a transnational criminal organization that the Treasury Department said is one of the most "prominent" drug trafficking organizations in the region. The sanctions also single out and target the group’s fugitive leader, Rawa Majid. 

"Iran’s brazen use of transnational criminal organizations and narcotics traffickers underscores the regime’s attempts to achieve its aims through any means, with no regard for the cost to communities across Europe," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said in a Wednesday statement. "Treasury, alongside our U.S. government and international partners, will continue to hold accountable those who seek to further Iran’s thuggish and destabilizing agenda."

TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN 

In addition to trafficking drugs, the Foxtrot Network is a criminal organization that conducts violent acts, including shootings, contract killings and assaults, and is responsible for increased violence in Sweden. It is notorious for employing teenagers to conduct these violent acts, according to the Treasury Department. 

Iran has increasingly utilized criminal networks to conduct attacks targeting the U.S. as well as attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe, the Treasury Department said. 

For example, the agency accused Iran of colluding with the Foxtrot Network to conduct an attack on the Israeli Embassy in 2024 after Swedish officials identified a "dangerous object" believed to be an explosive device at the embassy. While security forces neutralized the device, Sweden’s security police moved to investigate the attack as a "terrorist crime," according to Reuters. 

The Treasury Department also said on Wednesday that Majid has coordinated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security, which is already under U.S. sanctions, and faces charges in Sweden pertaining to narcotics and firearms trafficking. 

The White House referred Fox News Digital to the Treasury and State Department's statements on the sanctions. 

The sanctions against Majid and the Foxtrot Network align with President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, which he reinstated in February through a series of sanctions aimed at sinking Iran’s oil exports.

TRUMP SAYS ‘SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN VERY SOON' WITH IRAN AS HE PUSHES TO NEGOTIATE NUCLEAR DEAL 

Trump signaled Friday a nuclear deal with Iran could emerge shortly, and he revealed that he sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to push for Tehran to agree to a nuclear agreement. Otherwise, he said Tehran could count on facing military consequences. 

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"I would rather negotiate a deal," Trump told Fox Business in an interview Sunday. "I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily." 

"But the time is happening now, the time is coming up," he said. "Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I've written them a letter saying I hope you're going to negotiate, because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing for them."

Iran, Russia and China are set to hold high-level talks in Beijing Friday to discuss Tehran's near-nuclear capabilities. 

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, informed reporters about the meeting on Wednesday. The trio of nations has friendly relations, and all are parties to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal. 

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the talks will be on "developments related to the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions."

The Friday meeting will follow a closed-door meeting of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Iran’s uranium enrichment that has breached 60%, dangerously close to the 90% enrichment needed to make a bomb. 

RUSSIA WAITING FOR US-UKRAINE CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL DETAILS, KREMLIN SAYS

That meeting, which was requested by the U.S. and its allies, could discuss the triggering of so-called snapback sanctions – sanctions that were lifted under the JCPOA. 

The U.S. left the Iran nuclear deal during President Donald Trump’s first administration. But the other parties to the agreement – Britain, Iran, China, Russia, Germany and France – could decide to call back the international sanctions before the Security Council resolution behind the deal expires in October. 

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will preside over the meeting, with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi in attendance. 

Tehran has provided Moscow with drones and missiles for its offensive in Ukraine. And China, Iran and Russia conducted joint naval drills on Monday. 

The meetings follow an unsuccessful attempt by Trump to restart talks on a new nuclear deal. Iran recently rebuffed a letter Trump sent on the matter and said it would not negotiate with "bullying" countries. 

RUSSIAN MISSILE EXPERTS VISITED IRAN AMID GROWING MILITARY TIES

"It is unacceptable for us that they give orders and make threats. I won't even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want," said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Trump has insisted he'd prefer diplomacy, but will not rule out military tactics to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. 

"If we have to go to the military option, it will be very, very bad for [Iran]," he said. 

Tehran still denies it is pursuing a nuclear weapon, but experts have said there is no civilian use for 60% enriched uranium. 

Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had agreed to assist the U.S. in communicating with Iran on its nuclear program.

"It is clear that Iran is seeking negotiations based on mutual respect, constructive negotiations," Peskov said of possible nuclear talks. 

The Trump administration ended a waiver that allowed the Iraqi government to buy Iranian electricity in a renewed effort to choke off Iran's profits.

National security advisor Mike Waltz told Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani that the end of the waiver was consistent with President Donald Trump’s "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran as the administration goes all-in on trying to prevent the regime from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

"Waltz welcomed the Iraqi Prime Minister’s efforts to achieve energy independence for Iraq, and encouraged the Iraqi government to welcome more western and U.S. energy companies into Iraq’s oil and gas sectors." 

Waltz also urged the Iraqi government to resolve its dispute with the Kurdistan Regional Government, where Iraq has been choking off the flow of oil from the Kurdistan region in Iraq to Turkey for years, allowing the region’s continued dependence on Iranian oil. 

It is part of a global push to boost oil supply and keep prices in check, in an effort that would starve Iran and Russia of fuel profits. 

"The National Security Advisor urged the Iraqi government to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government to address remaining contract disputes and pay arrears owed to U.S. energy companies, and also requested that the Iraqi government retain an investment coordinator to work with U.S. companies seeking to invest and operate in Iraq," according to a readout of Waltz’s call with the prime minister. 

IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER REJECTS NUCLEAR TALKS WITH US AFTER TRUMP'S OVERTURES

Trump first issued the sanctions waiver for Iraq when he began applying "maximum pressure" on Iran during his first administration.

The waiver only applied to electricity, where Iraqi reliance on Iran has precipitously fallen to just 4%. If the new move expanded to include gas used for power plants, however, it "would cause Iraq to lose more than 30% of its electricity energy," according to a spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity, Ahmad Moussa, who said the nation is searching for alternatives. 

Former President Joe Biden continuously renewed the waiver until its expiration on Saturday. 

The U.S. has significant leverage over Iraq – $100 billion of its reserves are held in the U.S., and Washington could wield that leverage amidst Iran’s increasingly firm grip over Iraqi leadership. The U.S. still has a military presence of about 2,500 personnel stationed in Iraq to help fight ISIS. 

IRAN CAN MANUFACTURE 6 NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITH NEWLY ENRICHED URANIUM, UN ATOMIC AGENCY REPORT SAYS

Trump revealed he sent a letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pushing for Tehran to agree to a nuclear agreement — or face military consequences.

"I've written them a letter, saying I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it's going to be a terrible thing for them," Trump told FOX Business on Friday. "There are two ways Iran can be handled - militarily, or you make a deal," Trump said. "I would prefer to make a deal, because I am not looking to hurt Iran."

According to nuclear experts, Iran is already enriching uranium to 60%, putting it mere days or weeks away from 90% weapons-grade supply.

On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran would not negotiate with "bullying countries." 

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Iran currently exports an average of 1.5 million barrels of oil per day, but under Trump's Feb. 6 executive order, the secretaries of State and Treasury are to work to "implement a campaign aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero." 

The U.S. is also working to end a sanctions waiver for the Chabahar port in Iran, where India has poured in $370 million to build a trading gateway to the Middle East. 

Next, the U.S. could set its sights on China, which buys up 90% of Iran's oil outflow. 

President Donald Trump signaled that a nuclear deal with Iran could emerge in the near future, just over a month after his administration reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran. 

Trump told reporters Friday that the U.S. is "down to the final moments" negotiating with Iran, and that he hoped military intervention would prove unnecessary. 

"It’s an interesting time in the history of the world. But we have a situation with Iran that something is going to happen very soon, very, very soon," Trump told reporters Friday in the Oval Office. "You’ll be talking about that pretty soon, I guess. Hopefully, we can have a peace deal. I’m not speaking out of strength or weakness, I’m just saying I’d rather see a peace deal than the other. But the other will solve the problem." 

Trump revealed he sent a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pushing for Tehran to agree to a nuclear agreement — or face military consequences, according to a clip released Friday from an interview with Fox Business that is set to air Sunday. 

TRUMP REINSTATES ‘MAXIMUM PRESSURE’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN 

"I would rather negotiate a deal," Trump told Fox Business. "I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily." 

"But the time is happening now, the time is coming up," he said. "Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I've written them a letter, saying I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it's going to be a terrible thing for them."

Behnam Ben Taleblu, director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Iran program, said that it seemed Trump was "putting all options on the table, from good to bad." 

"But the President should be careful," Ben Taleblu said in a statement. "Tehran has set a trap for him, hoping to lure him into endless diplomacy that is used to blunt maximum pressure and dampen the credibility of an American or Israeli military option while buying time to creep towards a nuclear weapon."

Trump’s remarks also come days before the 18th anniversary of the abduction of retired FBI Special Agent Robert "Bob" Levinson from Kish Island, Iran, on Sunday, which also marks National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. 

TRUMP'S LATEST HIRES AND FIRES RANKLE IRAN HAWKS AS NEW PRESIDENT SUGGESTS NUCLEAR DEAL 

The FBI has continued to offer up to a $5 million reward for information that leads to Levinson’s recovery, while the State Department has offered $20 million for such information, as well as details on those who are wanted for their alleged involvement in his disappearance. 

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Trump told reporters in February he believes Iran is "close" to developing a nuclear weapon, but that the U.S. would stop a "strong" Tehran from obtaining one. He also signed an executive order instructing the Treasury Department to execute "maximum economic pressure" upon Iran through a series of sanctions aimed at sinking Iran’s oil exports. 

"They're very strong right now, and we're not going to let them get a nuclear weapon," Trump said Feb. 4. 

Trump’s first administration also adopted a "maximum pressure" initiative against Tehran, issuing greater sanctions and harsher enforcement for violations.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, shared a message on X in which he declared, "Make Iraq Great Again!"

His post included a graphic featuring the Iraqi flag along with the letters "MIGA," and the phrase "MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN." 

An X user wrote in response to Wilson's post, "American first huh?"

"Forget Iraq and worry about Americans," another account wrote when replying to the congressman.

Wilson has been speaking out on social media about various foreign countries, including Iraq and Iran.

REPUBLICAN REP. JOE WILSON ANNOUNCES PLAN TO PROPOSE $250 BILL FEATURING TRUMP

Wilson asserts that Iran controls Iraq.

He has been using the phrase "Free Iraq from Iran."

"Iran runs Iraq's government," as well as its "military,"  "judiciary," "police," and "banks," the U.S. lawmaker declared in a post. 

OVER 150 LAWMAKERS LEND SUPPORT TO RESISTANCE MOVEMENT INSIDE IRAN AS REGIME'S PROXIES FALL

"The great people of Iraq of all religions and ethnicities are the inheritors of an amazing civilization," he said in another post. "They deserve more than to be ruled by the terrorist regime in Iran. Biden abandoned the nonsectarian protest movement in Iraq. We must empower the Iraqi people to Make Iraq Great Again and Free Iraq from Iran."

"Defund Iraq," he declared in another post.

In another post Wilson advocated several policies, one of which is to "Cut all aid to Iraq as long as Iran runs Iraq."

IRAN CAN MANUFACTURE 6 NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITH NEWLY ENRICHED URANIUM, UN ATOMIC AGENCY REPORT SAYS

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Wilson and some other GOP lawmakers are pushing a proposal for the creation of a $250 bill featuring President Donald Trump.

FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan group of 151 lawmakers is rallying around a resolution to support the Iranian resistance movement ahead of a hearing with an opposition leader. 

The resolution, led by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., expresses support for the Iranian people and their stated desire for a "democratic, secular and non-nuclear" Iran through regime change. 

"The developments of the past year have left no doubt that the source of terrorism and warmongering in the Middle East region is the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran," the resolution reads. 

It calls out the Iranian regime’s oppressive practices, voices support for the opposition and calls on global leaders to continue imposing sanctions. 

WORLD BRACES FOR IMPACT OF TRUMP'S 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' SANCTIONS TARGETING IRAN

"The efforts of Western countries over the past 45 years to change the behavior of this regime have failed, and the ultimate solution to ending the Iranian regime’s threats is the establishment of a secular, democratic, and pluralistic republic by the Iranian people and resistance."

President Donald Trump has been hesitant to throw U.S. efforts into regime change in Iran. "We can't get totally involved in all that. We can't run ourselves, let's face it," he told Iranian-American producer Patrick Bet-David in October. 

The resolution also claimed that in the first four months of Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidency, beginning July 28, 2024, some 500 prisoners, including political prisoners and at least 17 women, were executed, and hand amputations increased. 

The resolution also expressed support for Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a leading resistance group known as MEK to Iranians, and her 10-point plan to bring democracy, secular government and human rights to Iran. The plan, which has the support of 4,000 parliamentarians across the globe, calls for installing NCRI as a provisional government for six months to set up elections and a constituent assembly. 

It was introduced Wednesday ahead of a 2 p.m. hearing entitled "The Future of Iran" with the Congressional Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus, where Rajavi – a top target of Iran’s terror plots and demonization – will give testimony. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN STOP IRAN'S MARCH TO NUCLEAR WEAPONS: 'RE-ESTABLISH CREDIBLE MILITARY THREAT', REPORT SAYS

The first Trump administration imposed harsh sanctions to bankrupt Iran but stayed away from messaging campaigns aimed at encouraging Iranian resistance. This time around, opposition supporters say the situation on the ground has changed – the regime is far weaker after Bashar al-Assad was forced out of power in Syria and Israel has decimated its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Protests have again kicked up across the nation and threaten to spread if the financial crisis does not improve. 

Rajavi, in her opening remarks, will say that the Iranian regime is at its weakest point in decades. 

"​​The situation of the Iranian society is explosive. During its 46-year rule, the religious fascism has never been so weak and fragile," Rajavi is expected to say, according to remarks obtained by Fox News Digital. 

STATE, TREASURY DEPARTMENTS REIMPOSES 'MAXIMUM PRESSURE' SANCTIONS ON IRAN’S OIL TRADE

"The mullahs are surrounded from all sides: by a society that is filled with anger and rebellion, by Resistance Units, and by selfless and rebellious youth, because of its bankrupt economy and corruption in the government, particularly after the overthrow of the brutal dictatorship of Assad and the collapse of the regime’s "strategic depth" in the region."

The resolution is sure to rankle Ayatollah Ali Khameni, leader of the current Iranian regime, and supporters of Reza Pahlavi II, whose father ruled Iran in the 1970s, who want to see the younger Pahlavi cede power in Iran and deeply oppose the NCRI. 

Rajavi will call for the implementation of United Nations snapback sanctions that were eased under the 2015 nuclear deal, putting the regime under the Chapter VII charter of the U.N. as a threat to peace and formally recognizing the resistance's movement for regime change.

She will also pay tribute to two resistance leaders, Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani, who have been sentenced to death on charges of "rebellion" and for being members of the MEK. The U.N. has called on Iran to halt their executions. The regime has executed 120,000 on political grounds over the past four decades, according to Rajavi.

The hearings come after the Trump administration pushed forward with its promise to return the U.S. to "maximum pressure" sanctions with new crackdowns on Iranian oil tankers. 

Trump has said he would "love to make a deal" with the nation’s clerical leaders, but Iran has insisted it will not engage in nuclear negotiations while the U.S. is imposing maximum pressure. 

"Iran's position regarding nuclear talks is clear, and we will not negotiate under pressure and sanctions," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said during a televised joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

"There is no possibility of direct negotiations with the U.S. as long as maximum pressure is being applied in this way."

FIRST ON FOX: Senate Republican conference Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., is set to meet with an embattled Trump nominee for a key position in the Department of Defense (DOD) after Cotton faced backlash from some MAGA-aligned figures over the weekend.

Cotton will meet with President Donald Trump's nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge "Bridge" Colby, in the coming days, a source familiar shared with Fox News Digital. 

According to the source, senators on the Senate Committee on Armed Services (SASC) had come to Cotton with concerns regarding some of Colby's stances, particularly past comments on Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon. 

BATTLE OF THE CHAMBERS: TRUMP BUDGET TEST VOTE CLEARED IN SENATE AS HOUSE GOP LAGS BEHIND

Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement, "I'm very happy to hear that Sen. Cotton is willing to meet with Bridge," touting the nominee's accomplishments and "thoughtful" approach.

Whether his own public pressure on the senator via X played a part in the meeting, he said, "Both public and private pressure are important. Ideally, these debates don't play out in public, but sometimes it's necessary."

"What has become very clear to me in recent days is that the base is paying close attention to this confirmation, and there will be political consequences for any senator who stands in the way of the personnel President Trump wants," Kirk continued, adding that he hopes Cotton will ultimately back Colby. 

The source told Fox News Digital that issues with Colby's positions on the war between Russia and Ukraine had surfaced from some members. But what was ultimately fostering hesitance was his previously stated stance on Iran's nuclear capabilities and whether the U.S. should contain a nuclear Iran.

As for Cotton, a source familiar explained that the GOP Conference and Intel Committee chairman is "comfortable" with nominees who say they support Trump's position in preventing Iran from accessing nuclear weapons. 

The anticipated meeting between the top Republican and Colby comes after Cotton was the target of "MAGA" ire over the weekend for his hesitance to get behind the nominee. 

MCCONNELL'S MENTAL ACUITY TARGETED BY TRUMP AFTER EX-SENATE LEADER JOINS DEMS AGAINST CABINET NOMINEES

Figures such as billionaire White House advisor Elon Musk and Kirk, a fierce MAGA ally, took to X to discuss Colby's nomination and Cotton's purported hesitance. 

DEMS TORCHED OVER DOGE SECURITY CLAIMS AFTER ALLOWING 'WIDE-OPEN' BORDER, 'EMPOWERING IRAN'

"The effort to undermine President Trump continues in the US Senate," Kirk wrote. 

He further claimed Cotton "is working behind the scenes to stop Trump’s pick, Elbridge Colby, from getting confirmed at DOD."

"Colby is one of the most important pieces to stop the Bush/Cheney cabal at DOD. Why is Tom Cotton doing this? Comment below your theories," he added. 

TRUMP AGRICULTURE PICK CONFIRMED AS PRESIDENT RACKS UP CABINET WINS

X owner Musk replied, "Why the opposition to Bridge? What does he think Bridge will do?"

"Senator Cotton is focused on ensuring all defense nominees commit to supporting President Trump’s position that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon, and Cotton will be addressing this in meetings and hearings with the nominees," a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital earlier this week as they awaited Colby's paperwork to proceed with the nomination process.

The White House did not provide comment when asked by Fox News Digital whether Colby's stance on a nuclear Iran had changed. 

Colby had written in an op-ed in 2010 that "[c]ontaining a nuclear Iran is an eminently plausible and practical objective."

He did, however, cede that "preventing an Iranian nuclear capability should be the objective of Washington and the international community."