Iran orders early military drills amid nuclear standoff tensions
Iran’s top military commander has issued an early order to initiate the country’s annual military exercises, state media reported Thursday, as tensions rise over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The directive, signed by Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, shifts the usual defense calendar to focus more closely on monitoring “enemy movements.”
“The purpose of these exercises is to strengthen the defensive power and assess the readiness of the armed forces,” Bagheri said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry criticized International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi on Thursday, accusing him of a biased and politically motivated approach to Iran’s nuclear program.
“Grossi bears direct responsibility for weakening the professional credibility of the Agency,” Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said.
He also condemned the resolution passed by the IAEA Board of Governors at the urging of the US, France, Germany, and the UK.
The Islamic Republic would adopt necessary countermeasures to protect national interests, he said.
A senior Israeli official has warned that Israel is ready to launch a military strike on Iran if the next round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, set for Sunday in Oman, fail to yield results.
The official, speaking to Iran International, said Israel is closely monitoring developments and could act unilaterally if necessary.
“The United States would require approximately three days to evacuate non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families from the region,” the source said. “That evacuation process reportedly began on Wednesday and is expected to be completed by Sunday, aligning with the timeline for the talks.”
According to multiple sources, the United States has already begun evacuating non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families from the region.
Israeli media reported Thursday that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad Director David Barnea are set to meet US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of the talks in Oman.
Witkoff, speaking at an event for the Israeli medical charity United Hatzalah in New York on Wednesday, stressed that Iran must be permanently denied the ability to develop nuclear or missile capabilities.
“We must stand resolute and united against this danger and ensure that Iran never obtains the means to achieve its deadly ambitions no matter what the cost,” he said.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that a regional ally had informed Tehran of the potential for an Israeli strike. "The tensions are intended to influence Tehran to change its position about its nuclear rights," the official said, but emphasized that Iran would not compromise on its right to uranium enrichment.
US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that American personnel were being withdrawn due to increasing threats in what he described as a “dangerous place.” He added that Washington remains committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a warning Thursday. “If our hands are untied, we will win victories that will make the enemy regret its actions,” IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami said, signaling Iran’s readiness for any military confrontation.
An IRGC-affiliated outlet, Javan, warned that Tehran was prepared to walk away from negotiations if its national demands were not met, saying that Iran was negotiating “from a position of strength” and possessed sufficient nuclear expertise to act as a deterrent.
The New York Times, citing a senior Iranian official, reported Wednesday that Iranian military and government leaders had already held high-level meetings to discuss their response to any possible Israeli military strike.
Attacking Iran without US help
NBC News reported Thursday that while Israel would prefer to coordinate with the US, including intelligence or logistical support for strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, it is prepared to act alone.
“While Israel would most likely prefer US military and intelligence support... it showed in October that it can do a lot alone,” the report said.
The same report cited five sources saying that Israel’s considerations of unilateral military action have intensified as the US inches closer to a preliminary deal with Tehran—one that reportedly includes provisions on uranium enrichment that Israel finds unacceptable.
US evacuating Baghdad embassy
Tensions have also led to regional security measures with the US embassy in Baghdad set to be evacuated partially.
Iraq’s state news agency also reported that steps to evacuate US personnel were underway not only in Iraq but across several Middle Eastern countries.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a security advisory on Wednesday, warning that increased regional tensions could impact maritime safety.
“UKMTO has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners,” the alert read.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the nuclear talks might not proceed as planned, citing two US officials who described the diplomatic environment as rapidly deteriorating.
Iran’s Defense Minister Aziz Nassirzadeh warned on Wednesday that Tehran would target American bases in the region if negotiations collapse and hostilities break out. “If a conflict is imposed on us... all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” he said.
Despite the rising tensions, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed Thursday that the sixth round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations will proceed as scheduled on June 15.
Iran will establish a third uranium enrichment facility and upgrade centrifuges to advanced IR-6 models in response to the IAEA Board of Governors' resolution, Atomic Energy Organization spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said Thursday.
“Their strategic mistake is believing political pressure can force Iran to retreat from its rightful positions,” Kamalvandi told state TV.
“We had warned that our actions would be adjusted accordingly.”
Enrichment “will significantly increase,” he added, as part of Iran’s response to what Tehran calls a politically motivated move by Western powers at the nuclear watchdog.
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad Director David Barnea will meet US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff ahead of the US-Iran nuclear negotiations in Oman, Israeli media reported Thursday.
The meeting comes as tensions rise ahead of Sunday’s scheduled talks in Muscat.
Iran has begun equipping a third secure uranium enrichment facility and fully upgrading its Fordow site with advanced centrifuges, senior officials said Thursday, following the International Atomic Energy Agency finding Tehran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations.
Atomic Energy Organization spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi said the newly authorized site will be designed with “very high security standards” and become Iran’s third enrichment complex.
He said that first-generation centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment plant will be completely replaced with IR-6 machines, a move expected to “significantly increase Iran’s enriched uranium production capacity.”
“These steps carry both technical and strategic weight and send a clear message: the more pressure is applied, the stronger Iran’s response will be,” Kamalvandi said during a visit to the Tehran Research Reactor.
He described the IAEA's non-compliance resolution—backed by the US, UK, France, and Germany—as “coercive and unjust,” and warned Western powers against repeating failed pressure tactics.
Kamalvandi also noted that Iran’s 60% enrichment capacity has already increased sevenfold compared to previous cycles and that more capacity is now being added.
Separately, Atomic Energy Organization head Mohammad Eslami said that the location for the third enrichment facility has already been built and prepared, describing it as “a secure site from a security standpoint.” He added that with a formal letter sent to the IAEA on Thursday, “the operation to equip and install machines has now begun.”
“The enrichment industry is part of the Iranian people’s spirit and will not disappear,” Eslami said.
First resolution against Iran in 20 years
The announcement came after the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board passed a resolution declaring Iran in non-compliance with its safeguards obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—the first such move in nearly two decades.
The resolution text, seen by Reuters, cited “many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019” and Tehran’s lack of cooperation “regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations.”
The resolution was adopted with 19 votes in favor, 3 against, from Iran's allies in Russia, China and Burkina Faso, and 11 abstentions.
In a joint statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization condemned the resolution, calling it a “politically motivated” move lacking legal and technical basis.
The statement added that Iran had consistently honored its safeguards obligations and that no evidence of diversion had been found in IAEA reports.
“This action is a repeated instrumental use of the Board, based on political motives and lacking technical and legal foundation,” the statement said.
It added, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always remained committed to its safeguards obligations, and so far none of the Agency’s reports have referred to non-compliance or diversion in Iran’s nuclear materials or activities.”
Later Thursday, a senior IAEA official told Reuters that Iran has informed the agency of its intention to establish a new enrichment site but has not yet provided further technical details.
