Netanyahu says Trump terms could secure 'good deal' with Iran

Eiltay Akhoundi was detained on Friday, January 9, 2026, in Gonbad-e Kavus. After being held for three days in a detention facility run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence unit, he was transferred to the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Gorgan.

Akhoundi, who suffers from asthma, has not had consistent and full access to his prescribed medication while in custody, raising concerns about his health condition, according to the sources.

Family sources said the teenager has been subjected to repeated interrogations during his detention and has faced both psychological and physical pressure.

They added that at the time of his arrest and during questioning, he was denied access to a lawyer or any form of legal representation.

The Trump administration covertly sent thousands of Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran following a deadly crackdown on demonstrations and sweeping internet shutdowns, The Wall Street Journal reported citing US officials.

Roughly 6,000 terminals were smuggled into the country after Iranian authorities suppressed unrest in January by killing thousands of protesters and restricting connectivity, marking the first time Washington has directly sent Starlink kits into Iran, the report said.

The State Department had purchased nearly 7,000 terminals in prior months — most in January — to help anti-government activists bypass internet blackouts, officials said, adding that some funding was redirected from other internet freedom programs to finance the purchases.

President Donald Trump was aware of the deliveries, officials said, though it was unclear whether he or another official directly approved the operation.

Eiltay Akhoundi was detained on Friday, January 9, 2026, in Gonbad-e Kavus. After being held for three days in a detention facility run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence unit, he was transferred to the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Gorgan.

Akhoundi, who suffers from asthma, has not had consistent and full access to his prescribed medication while in custody, raising concerns about his health condition, according to the sources.

Family sources said the teenager has been subjected to repeated interrogations during his detention and has faced both psychological and physical pressure.

They added that at the time of his arrest and during questioning, he was denied access to a lawyer or any form of legal representation.

Spain’s football (soccer) federation has withdrawn from a planned friendly with Iran’s national team, Tehran-based football outlet Football 360 reported, one month after Iranian authorities quashed nationwide protests with deadly force.

“Officials from the Spanish Football Federation have backed down and, at the current stage, have no decision to hold a friendly match with Iran’s national team,” the report said.

A new US military operation against Iran cannot be ruled out, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said, warning that the Middle East situation remains alarming amid Washington’s military deployments, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

“The situation in the Middle East, where the Americans have deployed huge numbers of attack systems, increasing pressure by the day and threatening to use force … raises some alarms. Another military operation there cannot be ruled out,” Sergei Ryabkov said at the Zhirinovsky Readings international scientific and expert forum in Moscow.

"The Americans and their allies in China’s geopolitical circle are simultaneously ramping up their military buildup in the Asia Pacific which poses risks not only to the PRC (People’s Republic of China) but also to Russia," he added.