Rubio says Iran weaker than ever, protests will resume

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Wednesday said there must be no impunity for those responsible for the crackdown in Iran and voiced support for new sanctions targeting those chiefly responsible.

"This repression has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries and the arbitrary arrest of tens of thousands of people," Barrot said.

"It is essential to fight impunity for the perpetrators of this bloody repression," he added.

Egypt said on Wednesday it is seeking the release of four of its citizens detained by Iran after Tehran seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf last month on charges of carrying smuggled fuel.

Four Egyptian crew members are currently on board the vessel Reem alKhaleej at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, Egypt’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Iran said last month it had seized a foreign oil tanker near the Iranian island of Qeshm carrying four million litres of smuggled fuel. It did not name the vessel or disclose its nationality, but said 16 foreign crew members had been detained on criminal charges.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday that Tehran was ready for dialogue based on mutual respect but would defend itself if pushed, responding to a social media post by US President Donald Trump about a US naval armada heading toward Iran.

“In the last time the US blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives,” the mission said in a post on X.

“Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests,” it said. “But if pushed, it will defend itself and respond like never before.”

The comments came after Trump wrote on Truth Social that a “massive armada” led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln was heading toward Iran and warned of a far worse attack if Tehran did not agree to a deal on nuclear weapons.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said negotiations with the United States are not Tehran’s priority at present, while confirming that messages are being exchanged between the two sides.

Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran’s priority is “200 percent readiness to defend” the country and warned that any limited US attack would be met with “an appropriate response.”

He said no talks are currently underway, adding that even if Tehran and Washington were to sit at the negotiating table, Iran would not reduce its readiness for a possible war.

“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial on Wednesday, saying the fleet, led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, was “ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary.”

He added that the force was larger than one previously sent to Venezuela and said he hoped Iran would “quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS — one that is good for all parties.”

Trump referenced the June military action “Operation Midnight Hammer,” saying it had inflicted “major destruction of Iran” and warning that “the next attack will be far worse” if Tehran did not reach an agreement.