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Russia is not pushing to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States despite what it describes as an increasingly dangerous situation, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
“The situation is explosive,” Lavrov said on Thursday in an interview with RT, adding that Moscow was “not imposing ourselves as mediators to Iran, Israel, or the United States,” but was closely following developments because they affect “not only Iran itself, but the entire Middle East.”
Lavrov warned that “there are too many time bombs waiting to be triggered by a clumsy foot,” while stressing that Russia remains ready to help enforce any agreements if they are reached. He said both Iran and Israel were aware that Moscow was prepared to assist in implementing deals, should negotiations succeed.
Former US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said on Thursday he saw little chance the next round of Iran-US talks would produce an agreement, as negotiators prepare to meet on Friday.
In an interview with Israel’s military radio Galei Zahal, Shapiro said the prospects were low given the negotiating format and Washington’s position, according to a transcript published by Israel National News.
“I don't see a path to a deal - Trump will not have the patience for long and complicated negotiations,” Shapiro said.
“He has no choice - there will be military action, he won’t be able to overthrow the regime without it,” he added.
The talks are expected to be held in Muscat, Oman, after a venue dispute in recent days, and are set to focus on Iran’s nuclear program
US Representative Claudia Tenney said on Wednesday that she had introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at expanding access to open internet for people in Iran, as authorities continue to restrict communications during protests.
“The Iranian people have shown extraordinary courage in demanding basic freedoms from a regime that fears open communication,” the Republican lawmaker wrote on X.
She said the proposed legislation, titled the IRAN Act, would require the US government to develop a clear strategy to support open and secure internet access inside Iran.
The bill would focus on protecting essential communication tools, countering bans on virtual private networks, and responding more directly to nationwide internet blackouts, according to her statement.
Tenney said the measure was intended to confront those restrictions “head-on” and ensure US policy more effectively supports free communication for Iranians.
A day of confusion, warnings and behind-the-scenes maneuvering ended with a fresh announcement that US–Iran talks were back on track, underscoring how fragile and contested the diplomatic process remains on the eve of a possible meeting.
Throughout the day, senior officials on both sides issued sharply conflicting messages about whether talks would happen at all, where they might be held and what they would cover.
Reports citing Iranian and Western officials alternated between suggesting the process had collapsed and hinting that negotiations were imminent, reflecting what one diplomat described as “negotiations about negotiations.”
In Washington, Marco Rubio sought to project readiness while acknowledging deep skepticism.
“I think in order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they will have to include certain things,” Rubio said, casting doubt on whether diplomacy would succeed at all.
“I’m not sure you can reach a deal with these guys,” he added. “But we’re going to try to find out.”
Rubio’s Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran was “fully ready” for talks, but only within a narrow framework focused on Iran’s nuclear program.
As officials sparred in public, reports surfaced of intense behind-the-scenes haggling over venue and format.
Turkey was first cited as a possible location, then ruled out, before Oman re-emerged — with Araghchi posting on X that talks would be held in Muscat on Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
Hovering over the diplomatic back-and-forth were stark warnings from President Donald Trump, who adopted an increasingly explicit tone in remarks to NBC News.
Asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, should be concerned, Trump replied: “I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be.”
Trump also claimed that the United States had uncovered plans for a new Iranian nuclear facility and had issued a direct threat in response.
Iran was “thinking about starting a new site in a different part of the country,” he said. “We found out about it. I said, you do that, we’re gonna do really bad things to you.”
A coalition of human rights organizations and civil society groups has called on member states of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to take collective action over Iran’s alleged use of prohibited chemical substances against civilians.
In a statement dated February 4, the groups said eyewitness testimony, medical evaluations and independent reporting indicate that Iranian security forces deployed non-standard chemical agents during protest crackdowns.
“Victims report symptoms far exceeding ordinary tear gas exposure, including respiratory distress, neurological impairment, cardiovascular instability, persistent headaches, dizziness, and long-term systemic dysfunction,” the statement said.
The coalition said Iranian medical professionals who treated the affected individuals observed consistent clinical patterns that they described as indicative of exposure to unlawful chemical substances.
The statement did not identify the specific agents involved.
The appeal comes after an unprecedentedly violent crackdown on protests across Iran on January 8 and 9, in which thousands were killed and many more wounded.
The signatories—including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi—urged OPCW member states to invoke mechanisms under Article IX of the Chemical Weapons Convention, beginning with a formal request for clarification from Tehran.
They called for authorizing a challenge inspection and the deployment of an independent expert mission to conduct on-site inspections if Iran’s response were deemed inadequate.
The groups also urged the publication of a public factual report detailing findings and levels of cooperation, and coordinated diplomatic, legal and financial consequences including referral to United Nations bodies should Tehran deny or obstruct the process.
“Continued delay enables further harm, the destruction of evidence, and impunity,” the signatories warned, adding that any use of chemical agents against civilians would constitute “a grave violation of international law.”
Iranian authorities have previously denied using prohibited chemical substances against civilians.
The OPCW has not publicly commented on the latest claims.
