Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Geneva for a second round of nuclear talks with the United States, aimed at easing tensions and preventing a new military conflict. In a post on social media platform X on Monday, Araghchi stated that Iran will not surrender in the face of threats.

Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any attack on Iran could escalate into a regional conflict. Araghchi said he came to Geneva to achieve a fair and just agreement, emphasizing that surrender to threats is not on the negotiation table. The renewed discussions between Iran and the United States began earlier this month.

Araghchi also mentioned that Iranian nuclear experts would meet with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi on Monday. Iran has repeatedly asserted that it will not accept Washington’s demand to reduce uranium enrichment to zero and that its missile program will not be part of the negotiations.

Eight people were killed and two others injured in an explosion at a fireworks shop in Donghai County, Jiangsu Province, eastern China, on Sunday afternoon. Local sources said several villagers were handling fireworks unsafely, which led to the blast around 2:30 p.m. Authorities quickly arrived at the scene, and the fire was brought under control by 4 p.m. The injured were taken to a local hospital, and families of the deceased were notified.

The incident occurred as China entered the Lunar New Year festive period, during which fireworks are widely used. Authorities had already issued safety warnings regarding the handling of fireworks during the celebrations. The explosion highlights ongoing safety concerns surrounding the use and storage of fireworks in rural areas.

Earlier this month, a biotech factory explosion in Shanxi Province killed eight people, and another blast at a steel plant in a nearby region in late January left at least nine dead, underscoring a series of recent industrial accidents across China.

Ukraine launched a drone attack on Russia’s Taman port along the Black Sea coast, causing extensive damage to the facility. The port, a key hub for Russia’s grain and fuel exports, was hit late at night by multiple drones, triggering a massive fire and thick black smoke over the area. According to reports, the attack left two people injured and forced a temporary shutdown of port operations.

Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev stated on Telegram that the port’s oil storage systems, warehouses, and terminals were almost completely destroyed. Russian authorities said their defense systems managed to shoot down several drones, but some struck critical infrastructure directly. Firefighters worked for hours to bring the blaze under control.

Ukraine also carried out drone strikes on the nearby coastal city of Sochi and the village of Yurovka in Anapa on the same night, though no casualties or damage reports have yet emerged from those areas.

The United States will support Israel in launching a strike on Iran if negotiations with Tehran fail, according to multiple US media reports cited by Anadolu Agency. The reports state that President Donald Trump assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of this position during a meeting in December, specifically regarding Iran’s ballistic missile program.

CBS News reported that discussions in Washington have shifted from whether Israel can carry out such an attack to how the US could assist technically and diplomatically. Sources familiar with the matter said the proposed cooperation includes aerial refueling to extend the range of Israeli aircraft and securing overflight permissions from neighboring sovereign states.

However, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly refused to allow their airspace to be used for any attack on Iran, complicating potential operational plans.

The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as state property, marking the first such decision since Israel’s occupation of the territory in 1967, according to the country’s public broadcaster Kan. The Palestinian Authority has strongly condemned the move, describing it as legally invalid and a violation of international law.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the main objective of Israel’s decision is to annex the West Bank and advance settlement expansion. The ministry declared on social media platform X that it rejects any attempt by the occupiers to convert Palestinian land into state property and denounced efforts to legitimize illegal settlements, land theft, and annexation.

The ministry further stated that the decision contradicts United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which deems Israeli settlements in all occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, illegal under international law.

Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi has warned that any U.S. military action against Tehran would serve as a ‘lesson’ for President Donald Trump. Speaking after Trump’s recent remarks, Mousavi said that if Trump truly seeks war, he should not simultaneously talk about negotiations. His comments were reported by TRT World.

On Friday, President Trump stated that regime change in Iran might be the ‘best solution’ and indicated that if ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran fail, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford would soon be deployed to the region. Mousavi described Trump’s comments as reckless and reiterated that discussions and war threats cannot go hand in hand.

Earlier, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to intensify economic pressure on Iran, particularly targeting its oil sales to China. However, a senior U.S. official noted differences between the two leaders on how to achieve this goal, with Netanyahu doubting the reliability of any deal with Iran while Trump maintained that an agreement remains possible.

The United States carried out airstrikes on more than 30 Islamic State (IS) bases in Syria between February 3 and February 12, according to a statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The strikes targeted IS infrastructure, weapons depots, and communication facilities. CENTCOM said the operations were conducted in response to a December attack by IS that killed two US soldiers and their interpreter. Drones and other advanced weapons were used in the missions.

The December attack had claimed the lives of two Iowa National Guard reservists and injured three members of Syria’s security forces. Following the incident, CENTCOM launched a series of retaliatory operations under “Operation Hawkeye Strike.” In January, CENTCOM forces also killed Bilal Hasan al-Jamis, an al-Qaeda-linked figure. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper stated that those who attack or conspire against US citizens or troops would find no safe haven.

CENTCOM reported that from late January to mid-February, five additional strikes targeted IS weapons and communication centers. Over the past two months, US forces have hit more than 100 IS sites, killing or capturing at least 50 IS fighters.

More than 50,000 members of Israel’s military hold citizenship from other countries, according to official army data published by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth. The figures were released after the transparency organization Hatzlacha filed a request under Israel’s Freedom of Information law. The data show that 50,632 soldiers have dual nationality, including 12,135 with U.S. citizenship, 6,127 with French citizenship, and over 5,000 with Russian citizenship.

The report further notes that more than 3,000 soldiers hold German citizenship and a similar number hold Ukrainian citizenship. Over 1,000 soldiers have British nationality, while 1,686 are Romanian, 1,387 Polish, and 185 Canadian citizens. A smaller number hold citizenship from Arab countries such as Yemen, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria, and Algeria. Additionally, 4,440 soldiers possess two foreign citizenships besides Israeli, and 162 hold three.

The army did not clarify whether the data include active-duty or reserve members. Israeli media estimate about 170,000 active soldiers and between 400,000 and 460,000 reservists. The statistics were requested in March 2025 and are considered the first detailed public disclosure on foreign citizenship among Israeli military personnel.

Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss regional and global security, as well as mutual counterterrorism cooperation. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday. According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two sides exchanged views on security conditions and measures against terrorism.

During his visit to Germany from February 12 to 14, Asim Munir also held meetings with German officials, including Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the Chancellor’s foreign and security policy adviser Gunter Sauter, and Defense Chief General Carsten Breuer. Discussions focused on bilateral defense cooperation and advancing global peace through dialogue.

Munir additionally met with Brazil’s Chief of the Joint Staff Admiral Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire and Lebanon’s Armed Forces Commander General Rodolf Heikal. These meetings emphasized strengthening bilateral and multilateral defense ties to promote international stability and security.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that he will travel to Washington next week to attend the first meeting of the 'Board of Peace' led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Rama made the announcement during an interview on the Albanian podcast Flasim, stating that he would participate in the board’s formal establishment and the inauguration of its activities.

According to the source, Trump created the 'Board of Peace' to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip two years after the Israel-Hamas war. The board’s charter reportedly suggests that its scope of work could extend beyond the Palestinian territories, though no further details were provided.

The upcoming meeting marks the official launch of the board’s operations, signaling a new phase in post-conflict reconstruction efforts under Trump’s leadership.

At least four people were killed early Monday when Israel carried out an airstrike on a vehicle near the Lebanon-Syria border, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, which occurred in the Majdal Anjar area of Lebanon. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that one of the victims was a Syrian national named Khaled Mohammad al-Ahmad.

In a post on social media platform X, Israel stated that the strike targeted members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Lebanon, though it did not provide evidence to support the claim. The PIJ has not issued an immediate response. The group is an armed faction based in the occupied Palestinian territories and allied with Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, Israeli forces have continued near-daily strikes inside Lebanon, reflecting ongoing regional tensions since the 2023 Gaza conflict.

China’s efforts to expand its influence in South Asia through major infrastructure projects are facing growing challenges. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), once a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, has been slowed by political instability, security threats, and incomplete projects in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. In Afghanistan, Chinese investments exceeding $10 billion, including copper, oil, and lithium ventures, have been repeatedly delayed by insecurity and fragile governance. These setbacks have raised doubts about China’s ability to convert economic power into sustained regional leadership.

Analysts note that China’s limited crisis management capacity and lack of experience in external security operations have exposed weaknesses in its regional strategy. Attacks on Chinese nationals and projects, coupled with stalled Taliban-Pakistan talks, highlight Beijing’s constrained influence. Institutions such as SIPRI and Brookings have observed that instability and negative narratives are undermining China’s credibility and strategic image.

The outcome of these projects will likely shape China’s future role in South Asia. Without effective policy and security management, its ambition to act as a stabilizing power may remain unfulfilled.

The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register extensive areas of the occupied West Bank as state property, marking the first such decision since Israel’s 1967 occupation of the territory, according to the country’s public broadcaster Kan, as reported by Anadolu Agency. The proposal was introduced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz. If implemented, the lands in question will be formally recorded as Israeli state-owned property.

The move is expected to accelerate settlement expansion in the West Bank and further complicate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian groups and human rights organizations have long opposed such initiatives, viewing them as violations of international law and obstacles to peace.

Many countries in the international community consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Observers suggest that this decision could trigger renewed diplomatic backlash against Israel’s policies in the occupied territories.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on Muslims across the country to observe the new moon of Ramadan on Tuesday evening, February 17. According to the official Umm al-Qura Hijri calendar, that date corresponds to the 29th of Sha’ban. The court’s statement instructed anyone who sights the crescent, either with the naked eye or through binoculars, to report their testimony to the nearest court or relevant observation center. It also encouraged capable observers to join regional committees formed for this purpose.

The court described the moon-sighting effort as a virtuous act of religious significance that benefits the entire Muslim community. Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, the International Astronomical Center issued a warning to residents awaiting Ramadan, cautioning that attempting to view the moon on February 17 could be “dangerous for the eyes.”

An official from the center explained that the moon will be positioned very close to the sun that day, coinciding with a solar eclipse. Viewing the sun through telescopes or binoculars without proper protection could cause temporary or permanent vision damage.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded to recent US criticism of Europe during the final day of the Munich Security Conference. She stated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war requires forcing Moscow to make concessions at the negotiation table. Rejecting claims of a declining Europe, Kallas asserted that European civilization is not facing extinction.

Her remarks followed comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reassured allies that the United States and Europe remain united but urged Europe to strengthen defenses against mass migration to protect its civilization. Kallas acknowledged that while transatlantic unity remains important, the two sides may not always agree on every issue.

European leaders at the conference emphasized the need for Europe to take charge of its own defense amid Russia’s aggression and policy shifts under President Donald Trump. Kallas called for restoring European capabilities, stressing that Europe’s security begins with Ukraine. She described Russia as fragile rather than a superpower and warned that Moscow must not gain more at the negotiating table than on the battlefield.