AfriPulse
Trump says Iran wants deal as US armada approaches
Steve Yates, who previously served as a security advisor to Vice President Cheney, appeared on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s strategic military and naval maneuvers aimed at pressuring Iran, as negotiations over nuclear weapons continue.
On Saturday, Iran’s president leveled accusations against President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and European leaders, claiming they are inciting turmoil and attempting to destabilize Iran, according to reports.
Masoud Pezeshkian, speaking on state television, alleged that Trump, Netanyahu, and leaders from Europe “took advantage of our issues, agitated the public, and still aim to splinter society,” as reported by Reuters.
Pezeshkian further commented on the recent anti-government demonstrations and the severe crackdown that followed across Iran, saying, “They incited people to the streets with the intention of, as they claimed, tearing this nation apart, sowing discord and hatred among citizens, and fostering division.” He emphasized that the unrest was not purely about social protests.
As of Saturday, the White House had not returned a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, left, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Getty Images)
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency recently reported that the violence in Iran has killed at least 6,479 people in recent weeks, with many more feared dead. Its count included at least 6,092 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 118 children and 55 civilians who were not demonstrating. More than 47,200 have been arrested, it added.
As of Jan. 21, Iran’s government put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces and labeling the rest “terrorists.”
Pezeshkian’s comments come after Trump said Friday that the United States has directly communicated expectations to Iran as pressure mounts for Tehran to accept a nuclear deal.
Buses burned during Iran’s protests, in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 21, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters)
Asked whether Iran faces a deadline to make a deal, Trump suggested in the Oval Office Friday the timeline had been conveyed privately.
“Only they know for sure,” he said when pressed about whether the message had been delivered directly to Iranian leaders.
Cars burn in a street during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stringer/WANA via Reuters)
As Trump weighs his options on a possible military strike on Iran, a senior Gulf official also told Fox News Saudi Arabia will not allow the U.S. to use its airspace or bases for such an attack.
Greg Norman is a reporter at Fox News Digital.
Source: NewsFinale | Read the Full Story…
