The administration of President Donald Trump has turned down attempts by Middle Eastern allies to launch diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
According to three sources, several regional countries had sought to open a channel for ceasefire discussions after the conflict began two weeks ago with a large-scale US-Israeli air campaign against Iranian targets.
Iran, however, has also ruled out the possibility of a ceasefire for now. Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Tehran insists any negotiations can only begin after US and Israeli strikes stop.
Two people have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Masood Masjoody, a former instructor at Simon Fraser University and an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said.
The charges were laid Friday against Mehdi Ahmadzadeh Razavi, 48, of Maple Ridge, and Arezou Soltani, 45, of North Vancouver. Both are accused in the killing of Masjoody, 45, who was reported missing last month.
Masjoody was first reported missing on February 2. According to the Canadian police, Burnaby Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began investigating after neighbors raised concerns about his sudden disappearance. Officers soon determined that the circumstances were unusual and suggested possible criminal activity.
The case was later transferred to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), which worked alongside Burnaby RCMP and several specialized units as the investigation expanded.
On March 6, investigators located Masjoody’s remains in Mission, British Columbia.
Authorities say the victim and the two accused were known to each other, though the motive for the killing has not yet been determined.
Social media posts indicate Masjoody had a history of activism related to events in Iran. IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Freda Fong said last month that investigators were examining whether his disappearance could be connected to that activism.
Masjoody was known for his online presence and commentary on Iranian politics. Members of the Iranian-Canadian community say he had spoken out against individuals he believed were linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Masjoody made allegations about individuals he believed had ties to Iranian security institutions. In online posts, he alleged that Colonel Alireza Soltani — the incumbent IRGC commander in the Maku Free Trade Zone in northwestern Iran — is the uncle of one of the accused, Arezou Soltani.
He also alleged that her father, Ataollah Soltani, is a retired member of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Committees and previously served as commander of a committee outpost in the village of Khalakhaleh in Maku County.
Those claims have not been independently verified by investigators, and police have not indicated whether they are connected to the homicide investigation.
Police say further details about the case will be provided during a media update scheduled for Saturday afternoon in British Columbia.
“We understand this case has impacted the Iranian community and has generated widespread concern and public interest,” Fong said in a news release.
“While the motive is still under investigation, we can say the victim and two accused were known to each other.”
Shortly after his disappearance, Iranian-Canadian activist Nazanin Afshin-Jam posted to X that Masjoody had been “under threat for months” after attempting to expose alleged IRGC affiliates in Canada.
Masjoody was also known in academic circles as a mathematician who had previously worked as an instructor.
Investigators say the approval of first-degree murder charges marks a significant milestone in the case.
Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi on Saturday called on underground resistance groups “Immortal Guard” to intensify efforts against the Islamic Republic’s security apparatus while repeating his call for others to stay home for now.
In a message addressed to the group, Pahlavi praised what he described as the courage of small cells operating across Iran over the past three months and said their actions would be remembered by the Iranian nation.
He urged them to continue weakening the Islamic Republic's repressive forces, which he said were already under “heavy blows from the sky,” while emphasizing that the call was not for street protests.
Pahlavi also advised members to prioritize their safety, saying their role would be crucial in a future phase when millions of Iranians take to the streets.
Israel’s military said on Saturday it carried out a targeted strike in Tehran on Friday that killed two senior intelligence officials from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (KACH), the unified combatant command headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces.
According to the Israeli Air Force, the operation targeted Abdollah Jalali-Nasab and Amir Shariat, described as senior figures in the intelligence organization of the KACH. The military said the two men were “eliminated” in what it called a precise strike inside the Iranian capital.
The two officials had recently been appointed after the killing of Saleh Asadi, the deputy intelligence chief, during the opening phase of Israel’s operation dubbed “Roaring Lion.”
Israeli officials said Jalali-Nasab and Shariat were considered high-ranking intelligence commanders and key figures within Iran’s intelligence community.
US President Donald Trump said multiple countries will deploy warships alongside the United States to keep the Strait of Hormuz open amid Iran's attacks on commercial vessels and neighboring states which have effectively closed the vital shipping route.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said nations affected by disruptions in the strait—including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom—should also send naval forces to the area “in conjunction with the United States” to ensure the waterway remains open and secure.
“Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships… to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote.
Trump said the United States had already destroyed “100% of Iran’s military capability,” but warned that Iran could still attempt limited attacks using drones, mines or short-range missiles along the strategic waterway through which a significant portion of the world’s oil shipments pass.
He said Washington would continue military operations along Iran’s southern coastline to prevent further threats to shipping.
“In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water,” Trump wrote.
"One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"