Demonstrators rally in solidarity with the Iranian protest movement in Los Angeles. File
| Photo Credit: AFP
Tensions remained high in West Asia on Thursday (February 19, 2026) as the U.S. continued to bolster its military presence in the region, Iran conducted naval drills along with Russia in the Persian Gulf and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei indirectly urged Iranians to resist any external aggression.
“There are many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in Washington, adding that “Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump.”
U.S. media reported on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) that President Donald Trump would decide whether to strike Iran or not as soon as this weekend. The U.S. has deployed one aircraft carrier and dozens of fighter jets, warships, guided destroyers, fuel tankers and missile defence systems to the region. A second aircraft carrier is expected to reach the Mediterranean Sea next week.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted a verse from Quran in social media on Wednesday (February 18, 2026), indicating that an attack could be imminent and urging Iranians to resist. “So should anyone aggress against you, assail him in the manner he assailed you,” it read.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) that Iranian and Russian forces have successfully carried out a mock operation to rescue a hijacked vessel during combat naval drills near the Bandar Abbas port in the Persian Gulf. This is the second live-fire drill IRGC is carrying out since tensions between the U.S. and Iran spiked last month.
Iran and the U.S. held a second round of talks on February 17, 2026 in Geneva under Oman’s mediation. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi had said both sides had made “progress” in talks and agreed on “guiding principles” for future talks. But the Americans were less optimistic. Vice-President J.D. Vance said in an interview that “gaps remain” between the two sides.
Iran has said it would negotiate only about its nuclear programme, while the U.S., according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, wants to put Iran’s missile programme and its support for regional non-state allies also on the agenda. The U.S. also wants Iran to end uranium enrichment completely.
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, said on Wednesday (February 18, 2026) that Iran would not abandon its right to nuclear enrichment. ”Iran’s nuclear programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to peacefully benefit from this technology,” Mr. Eslami said at an event in Tehran, according to state media.
In June, the U.S. joined Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Mr. Trump then claimed that the U.S. “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. Mr. Trump last month threatened to use force amid protests in the country. He later asked Iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme or face “profound consequences”.
Iran has said it was not seeking to build a bomb, but has ruled out giving up its nuclear programme entirely.
“The complexity of nuclear technologies is extremely high, and their equipment and infrastructure are not easily obtainable, particularly under conditions where supply routes are tainted by Zionist infiltration and sabotage,” Mr. Eslami noted. “For this reason, Iran was compelled to create the entire chain of research, design, construction, testing, and technological maturation internally; a path that has now borne fruit,” he added.
Published – February 19, 2026 09:20 pm IST
