Iran declares peak battle readiness, multiple countries urge citizens to leave

HotTV

Iran declares peak battle readiness, multiple countries urge citizens to leave

2026-01-15 09:26 Last Updated At：17:00

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared peak battle readiness on Wednesday, and more countries urged their citizens in Iran to leave the country.

The IRGC's Chief Commander Mohammad Pakpour warned in a statement on Wednesday that any miscalculation by the United States and Israel will be met with a decisive and crushing response.

The IRGC's Aerospace Force Commander Majid Mousavi said on the same day that the Aerospace Force is at the pinnacle of battle readiness, noting that Iran's stockpile of missiles has increased since a 12-day war with Israel last year. He said the wartime damages had been repaired and the Aerospace Force's output in various areas had surpassed the level in June 2025.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday afternoon that Iran will not underestimate situation changes and is closely monitoring the U.S.'s deployments of personnel and weapons at military bases in the Middle East.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday that the U.S. military and its regional partners had opened a new air defense operations cell at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to enhance integrated air and missile defense.

The Al Udeid Air Base was previously targeted by Iranian missiles in a retaliatory attack last June following U.S. strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities. The base is the largest military installation of the United States in the Middle East.

A U.S. carrier strike group is moving from the South China Sea to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran, multiple sources reported on Wednesday.

The United States is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S. official was quoted as saying by Reuters on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbors it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration has been informed that the killing has stopped in Iran.

When asked if U.S. military intervention was off the table against Iran, Trump told reporters at the White House that he is "going to watch and see what the process is."

Iran's parliament on Wednesday approved the general outline of a bill aimed at regulating public protests and rallies, state media reported.

Morteza Mahmoudi, a Tehran lawmaker and spokesman for the parliament's internal affairs committee, said the bill was intended to create a legal framework for demonstrations and distinguish lawful protests from unrest.

The Iranian parliament's internal affairs committee head Mohammad Saleh Jokar said the bill would allow protests to be held in designated locations, making it easier for security forces to separate lawful demonstrations from violence.

The British government updated its Foreign Travel Advice for Iran on Wednesday, announcing the temporary withdrawal of staff from its embassy in Tehran due to security concerns.

In a precautionary move, the British government said it had temporarily withdrawn British personnel from its embassy there, adding that "the embassy continues to operate remotely."

The updated advisory warns that "the situation could escalate quickly and poses significant risks," reiterating its advice against all travel to Iran.

Governments of Poland, Italy and Spain on Wednesday urged their citizens in Iran to leave the country.

Iran issued a Notice to Airmen alert late on Wednesday night, closing its airspace to all flights except international flights with prior permission from the country, media reported.

The notice said that the prohibition will remain in effect for more than two hours until 04:00 local time (0030 GMT), but could be extended.

According to media reports, Lufthansa said on Wednesday that it would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice, and that it would only operate day flights to Tel Aviv and Amman from Wednesday until Monday next week so that crew would not have to stay overnight.

Mohammed Al-Farah, a member of the Political Bureau of Houthis in Yemen, said on Wednesday that the Houthi forces have been on high alert to deal with any contingency or military operation that affects Yemen.

EU, France reaffirm support for Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland

The European Union（EU）and France have reaffirmed their support for Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland as concerns are growing over security in the Arctic following the recent statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the strategically important island.

Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "Greenland belongs to its people, so it's up to Denmark and Greenland, and only to them, to decide on matters that are concerning Denmark and Greenland."

Noting that the EU is in contact with the Danish government, Von der Leyen stressed that security in the Arctic region is a key issue of concern to the EU.

Also on Wednesday, the European Parliament's political group leaders issued a statement, condemning the remarks made by the Trump administration regarding Greenland and terming them as a "blatant" challenge to international law and to the sovereignty of NATO member Denmark.

They urged the EU institutions to define "concrete and tangible" support for Denmark and Greenland, and stressed that decisions concerning Greenland belong to Denmark and Greenland alone.

"External attempts to alter the status quo are unacceptable," the leaders said.

In a related development, a group of 23 lawmakers sent a letter to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Wednesday, emphasizing that if the United States continues to threaten Denmark's autonomous territory, the European Parliament should suspend debates and votes on trade agreements with the United States.

Currently, the European Parliament is deliberating on removing most U.S. import tariffs and maintaining zero-tariff policies on U.S. lobster, with a vote scheduled for January 26 and 27.

Meanwhile, French government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon, citing President Emmanuel Macron, warned on Wednesday that any infringement on Danish sovereignty over Greenland would trigger "unprecedented" consequences.

"If the sovereignty of a European ally were affected, the cascading consequences would be unprecedented," said Bregeon.

"we are closely monitoring the situation and will stand firmly with Denmark to defend its sovereignty," the spokeswoman said.

On the same day, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu noted the need for serious consideration of recent U.S. signals concerning Greenland.

Lecornu reaffirmed France's "full solidarity with Denmark and the legitimate authorities of Greenland," adding that safeguarding the sovereignty of other countries is an important foundation for safeguarding one's own sovereignty.

Furthermore, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced on Wednesday that France will open a consulate in Greenland on February 6, calling the move a "political signal" over the strategic Danish territory.

The foreign minister said that the U.S. plan of buying Greenland is "absurd" and that this "blackmail" should stop.

He reiterated that France and Europe will continue to support Denmark.

Greenland, the world's largest island, is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, while Denmark retains authority over defense and foreign policy. The United States maintains a military base on the island.

Since his first term, Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to acquire Greenland. Both Greenland and Denmark have made clear that the island is not for sale. The White House said last week that Trump will not rule out the use of force.