Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:28pm on 17 Feb 2026,Tuesday International
As US-Iran indirect nuclear talks opened in Geneva on Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a direct challenge to President Donald Trump warning that even "the strongest military force in the world" could be struck so hard it "cannot get up again." Khamenei openly dared Washington to eliminate the Islamic Republic, calling 47 years of failed attempts "a good confession." Meanwhile, Trump signalled indirect involvement in negotiations mediated by Oman, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region as military pressure. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Geneva seeking a "fair deal" firmly ruling out zero enrichment, missile programme discussions, or any submission under threat. Parts of the Strait of Hormuz were simultaneously closed for IRGC military drills.
