Iran not to submit to threats: FM

HotTV

Iran not to submit to threats: FM

2026-02-17 09:59 Last Updated At：14:03

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that Iran will not submit to threats, as an Iranian delegation has arrived in Geneva, Switzerland for a new round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States.

In a post on X, Araghchi stated, "I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal. What is not on the table: submission before threats."

The Iranian delegation, led by Araghchi, arrived in Geneva on Monday for the talks with the United States, with Oman serving as the mediator.

The same day, U.S. media reported that 18 F-35A fighter jets, accompanied by a fleet of tanker aircraft, had departed for the Middle East, marking one of the largest single deployments of F-35A jets by the U.S. military in recent months.

Iranian and U.S. delegations held the first round of indirect talks in Muscat, Oman, on February 6, following the United States' bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, and agreed to continue negotiations. However, public statements indicate little progress on core disputes.

British PM pledges to boost defense spending to 3 percent of GDP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to accelerate defense spending increase to three percent of national economic output by 2029, meeting an existing target earlier than planned.

Starmer said the UK's defense spending plans depend on coordination and cooperation with "like-minded countries, particularly in Europe."

The Labor Party leader has sought to improve ties with the European Union since taking office in 2024 as Brexit has strained relations with European allies.

At the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Starmer urged Europe to "be ready to fight". He emphasized that "we are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore," adding that "there is no British security without Europe, and no European security without Britain."

Last year, the UK announced to lift annual defense expenditure to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3 percent by 2029.