EconoTicker

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday evening (13 Bahman), President Trump said the U.S. has sent the “best” and “biggest” ships toward Iran while negotiations with Tehran are also ongoing, adding, “We’ll see how it all works out.” Asked whether he could describe his military plans regarding Iran, he said he could not, citing a major force “going there,” and compared it to Venezuela—“even bigger.” Trump also said he would like a negotiated deal but is unsure it will happen.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said the U.S. approach on Iran’s nuclear file amounts to an “ultimatum” to Tehran, without providing details of Washington’s proposal. He added that, in his view, the concept of compromise has effectively been removed from Washington’s foreign-policy vocabulary. The remarks come after Donald Trump confirmed on 10 Bahman that a deadline has been set for Iran’s government, saying, “Only they know exactly what that deadline is.”

According to The Wall Street Journal, several Iranian-linked armed speedboats approached a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday and ordered it to stop, amid heightened regional tensions and a reinforced U.S. military presence. A maritime security firm said six heavily armed speedboats closed in as the tanker entered the strategic waterway, demanding engines be shut down for inspection. The tanker instead increased speed, withdrew from the area, and was later escorted by a U.S. warship. U.S. officials confirmed the attempted stop and said the vessel was ultimately guided safely to secure waters.

Iran has reportedly asked to move the planned Friday negotiations from Istanbul to Oman and to hold them bilaterally with the United States only, instead of a broader format that previously included Arab and Islamic representatives as observers, according to Axios citing informed sources. In parallel, a regional diplomat told Reuters that Tehran wants the agenda restricted to the nuclear file and does not want regional countries participating directly. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held phone calls with counterparts in Qatar, Türkiye, Oman, and Kuwait to discuss the latest regional developments and bilateral ties.

U.S. forces shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in the Arabian Sea on February 3, 2026, after it “aggressively” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln with “unclear intent,” according to U.S. officials. The drone was reportedly intercepted by a Navy F-35C fighter jet operating from the carrier, with no reported U.S. casualties or damage; the incident comes amid elevated Iran–United States tensions and renewed focus on Gulf shipping security.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday night, Trump declined to give an update on any “final decision” regarding Iran, but said the U.S. has “very big, powerful ships” heading “in that direction” and added he hopes Tehran negotiates “something acceptable.” Asked whether Iran would be emboldened if Washington backs off, he replied that “some people think that and some people don’t,” while pointing again to the possibility of a negotiated deal eliminating nuclear weapons and saying Iran is “seriously talking” to the U.S. Separately, reports cited Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman warning in Washington that failing to act militarily after weeks of threats would embolden Tehran’s leadership. Trump also claimed India would buy Venezuelan oil “as opposed to” Iranian oil, and encouraged China to pursue a similar arrangement.

Israeli outlet Ynet News reports an assessment in Israel that Donald Trump is effectively “building political legitimacy” for possible military action against Iran—by pushing the negotiation channel as far as it can go, and then arguing Tehran stayed intransigent if no deal emerges. The article cites the scale and cost of the U.S. regional buildup (including a carrier and multiple destroyers) as evidence of intent.

Separately, Reuters reports that Steve Witkoff and Abbas Araghchi plan to meet Friday in **Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal.

With the United States and Iran expected to hold nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 (17 Bahman 1404), Western commentary is increasingly pointing to a peak U.S. military posture as leverage going into the meeting. Recent reporting by Reuters describes a widened U.S. military footprint in the region—including a carrier and additional warships—while Pentagon messaging has emphasized readiness to execute military options if diplomacy fails.

Pete Hegseth warned that if Iran refuses nuclear negotiations with the United States, the United States Department of Defense is “more than prepared” for confrontation and military action. He made the remarks in brief comments to reporters after speaking at Blue Origin in Florida, as officials expect nuclear talks to resume Friday in Istanbul, with Donald Trump maintaining that Iran must not regain a nuclear weapons capability.

The Israeli daily Maariv reported that while the United States and Iran are expected to hold talks in Istanbul in the coming days, Washington could resort to military action if Tehran does not accept what it described as “complete surrender.” The report portrays Donald Trump as negotiating with a “big stick” amid a visible U.S. regional military buildup, and lists sweeping demands attributed to Washington: handing over enriched uranium, dismantling the nuclear program, halting ballistic missiles, and ending support to proxy forces in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza. This is an Israeli media characterization; separate reporting indicates the Istanbul track is being set up primarily to restart the nuclear channel amid heightened tensions and military signaling.

Polls show Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party on track for a landslide in this weekend’s Japan election—spooking bond markets and the yen on expectations the result would strengthen her mandate for fiscal loosening. Separately, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama moved to play down Takaichi’s weekend comments highlighting the benefits of a weaker yen, which traders saw as clashing with officials’ push to support the currency.

Israel’s security signalling is hardening: the Israel Defense Forces chief Eyal Zamir said the military has entered a period of improved war readiness, including multi-front contingencies. Politically, Benjamin Netanyahu met opposition leader Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid, after which Lapid said Israel is united against Iran and that Tehran should internalize that message.