The European Union’s 27 member states have designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, prompting strong condemnation from Tehran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the move illegal, politically motivated, and a violation of international law, describing it as interference in the country’s internal affairs. The announcement was made by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in a post on social media platform X.

According to the EU, the decision follows Iran’s violent suppression of recent anti-government protests, during which demonstrators were reportedly killed and subjected to widespread repression. The EU Council stated that targeted individuals include Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad.

Iran warned that it reserves the right to take appropriate measures within international law to protect its sovereignty and national interests, holding the EU and its member states responsible for any consequences of the decision.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth stated that the US military is prepared to implement any decision by President Donald Trump to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Speaking at a White House cabinet meeting on Thursday, Hegseth emphasized that it would be wrong for Iran to pursue nuclear power and that the Defense Department stands ready to fulfill the president’s expectations.

According to the report, the United States has already deployed significant military strength in the Middle East. US officials said Trump is reviewing his options but has not decided to launch an attack on Iran. The statement comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following Iran’s recent crackdown on anti-government protests, which resulted in numerous casualties.

The developments underscore growing regional instability as both nations maintain a cautious stance. The Pentagon’s readiness signals that the situation could escalate further if diplomatic efforts fail to ease tensions.

The European Union’s 27 member states have unanimously designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. The decision was announced on Thursday by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas through a post on social media platform X, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. The move serves as a punitive response to Tehran’s violent suppression of recent anti-government protests and the killing of demonstrators.

Kallas stated that the EU cannot tolerate any form of repression, adding that a government that kills its own citizens to maintain power is undermining itself. France and Italy had supported the proposal earlier, while Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel said the decision was taken in protest against the bloodshed in Iran. Israel, a long-time adversary of Iran, welcomed the EU’s move, with its Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar calling it historic.

According to an unnamed senior Israeli official, the EU’s sanctions will make it easier to bring IRGC members to justice.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran that time is running out to reach an agreement over its nuclear program. He threatened that if talks fail to progress, the United States could launch a more severe attack than before. Iran has rejected the threat outright. A BBC analysis outlined several possible outcomes if Trump orders a military strike on Iran.

The report suggests that U.S. forces could carry out limited, precise strikes targeting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Basij bases, and nuclear facilities, potentially leading to democratic transition. Another scenario envisions Iran’s current regime surviving but forced to alter its policies, including reducing support for regional armed groups and easing domestic repression. Other possibilities include the regime’s collapse leading to military rule, retaliatory Iranian attacks on U.S. bases and allies in the Gulf, or even the sinking of U.S. warships.

The analysis also warns of potential nationwide chaos in Iran, with risks of civil war and ethnic conflict that could destabilize neighboring countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour has called for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Gaza and an end to any attempts to control the enclave’s future. Speaking at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, he said that achieving a permanent ceasefire requires Israel’s full departure. Mansour emphasized that resolving the Palestinian issue is as urgent as addressing other global conflicts.

Welcoming the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025, Mansour said the plan could end killings, famine, and the unprecedented humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians. He questioned the lack of accountability for victims, citing families still searching for loved ones killed or missing under rubble. Mansour also condemned Israeli actions against humanitarian organizations, including the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and NGOs, saying repeated attacks on UN facilities have weakened their operations.

He reiterated that Israel has no sovereignty over Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, and described the occupation as illegal and without any legitimate right.

US Senator Marco Rubio commented on the uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership if Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were to lose power. Speaking in the Senate shortly after President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Tehran, Rubio said it was unclear who would lead Iran in such a scenario. He cautioned that any forced regime change in Iran would be far more complex than the situation in Venezuela and noted that the aftermath of a government collapse would not have simple answers.

Rubio also mentioned that the United States might take preemptive defensive measures to protect its troops and allied facilities in the region if necessary, though he expressed hope that such a situation could be avoided. Meanwhile, Trump announced on social media that a large naval fleet was moving toward Iran and urged Tehran to return to negotiations to halt nuclear weapons development.

Iran rejected the US warnings, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that no talks could occur under threats and warning of an immediate and strong response to any military action. Both sides have maintained their positions, with Washington seeking a nuclear deal and Tehran insisting on continuing peaceful nuclear activities.

Three people were killed and one injured in a Russian drone attack in southern Ukraine early Thursday, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. The governor of Zaporizhzhia said in a Telegram post that two women and one man died, while another man was wounded. He added that several houses were destroyed and fires broke out in multiple locations.

The attack occurred as Ukraine faces a series of deadly strikes across the country during harsh winter conditions, disrupting electricity supplies. The conflict, now nearing four years, has prompted renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a resolution. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the next round of talks could take place on Sunday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that another meeting may happen this week, possibly with U.S. participation. Ukrainian authorities reported that at least 16 people were killed nationwide between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in Russian attacks.

Protesters injured during Iran’s ongoing anti-government demonstrations are reportedly avoiding hospitals out of fear of arrest, instead seeking treatment secretly in private homes. Accounts from cities including Isfahan, Tehran, and Arak describe wounded demonstrators relying on sympathetic doctors, nurses, and volunteers for covert medical help. Health workers told the BBC that security forces are stationed in hospitals, prompting many to hide their injuries and avoid official medical records.

The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) reported confirming 6,301 deaths linked to the unrest, including 5,925 protesters and 112 children, while Iranian authorities claim over 3,100 deaths, mostly among security personnel and bystanders. The semi-official Tasnim agency cited the Health Ministry saying 13,000 surgeries have been performed during the protests and that about 3,000 people who initially avoided hospitals later sought treatment.

Human rights groups said doctors treating injured protesters have themselves become targets, with Iran Human Rights reporting at least five doctors and one volunteer arrested. Reports from Tehran and smaller towns indicate worsening conditions, shortages of medical supplies, and growing fear among both patients and healthcare workers.

The United States has urged its citizens to reconsider travel plans to Pakistan due to heightened security concerns. On January 26, the US Department of State updated its travel advisory, placing Pakistan under Level 3, or “Reconsider Travel,” citing risks of crime, violence, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. The advisory was reported by Pakistani daily Dawn.

According to the statement, terrorist attacks in Pakistan may occur without warning, with potential targets including transport hubs, hotels, markets, shopping malls, military and security installations, airports, trains, educational institutions, hospitals, places of worship, tourist areas, and government buildings. Certain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have been classified as Level 4, or “Do Not Travel,” due to frequent incidents of targeted killings and kidnappings affecting both officials and civilians.

The advisory also warned that participating in unauthorized demonstrations in Pakistan is a punishable offense, noting that some US citizens have previously been detained for such activities. The Level 3 alert indicates serious security risks, while Level 4 represents the highest level of caution, advising against all travel.

China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, has warned that Beijing will take measures to protect its companies’ interests if Australia forcibly reclaims control of the strategically important northern Darwin Port. The warning came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated his government’s intention to bring the port back under national control, calling the 2015 lease to China’s Landbridge Group a short-sighted decision in terms of economic and national security.

The Darwin Port was leased to Landbridge for 99 years in 2015, a move that sparked intense domestic debate in Australia and led to stricter oversight of foreign ownership of critical infrastructure. Xiao Qian told Australian media that if Landbridge is forced to relinquish the lease, Beijing will act to safeguard the legitimate interests of Chinese companies. He cautioned that such a move could harm Chinese investment, cooperation, and trade in the region, ultimately affecting Australia’s own interests.

Darwin is one of Australia’s closest cities to its Asian neighbors and hosts a U.S. Marine base. The port lease had previously drawn criticism from Washington for lack of prior consultation.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has called on the United Nations to ensure Palestine’s full membership and to take urgent measures to uphold international law and accountability amid ongoing ceasefire violations in Gaza. The appeal was made in a statement to the UN Security Council, as reported by TRT World.

Turkey’s UN envoy Ahmet Yildiz, speaking on behalf of the OIC, said the October 2025 ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas marked a significant step toward peace but warned that its implementation remains at risk. He noted that while the truce has reduced violence and increased humanitarian aid, repeated Israeli attacks and continued blockades are obstructing the delivery of life-saving supplies to Palestinians.

Yildiz praised international efforts to maintain the ceasefire, including those of U.S. President Trump, but stressed that Israeli actions continue to hinder peace progress in Gaza. He also drew attention to Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including violations of the historical and legal status of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that any potential US attack on Iran would be a major mistake. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, he called on both Washington and Tehran to resolve their differences through dialogue rather than military action. His remarks come amid reports of increased US military presence in the Middle East.

Fidan emphasized the importance of strengthening regional cooperation at a time of heightened tension. He stated that starting another war would be wrong and stressed that there is still an opportunity for a diplomatic solution between the two countries. According to him, Iran remains ready to resume discussions on its nuclear program.

The Turkish minister also urged Iran to build trust with its neighboring countries, saying that Tehran must work to foster confidence across the region.

After successful negotiations with Syria’s new government, President Donald Trump reversed long-standing US policy toward the country by lifting several sanctions and ending Washington’s cooperation with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The move left the SDF without protection and effectively ended hopes for Kurdish autonomy in northeastern Syria under American backing. Following the shift, Syrian government forces captured large territories from SDF control on January 20, prompting the group to renew a ceasefire with Damascus that includes integrating SDF fighters into the national army.

The policy change marks a major geopolitical turn in Syria’s prolonged civil conflict, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi Arabia reportedly playing key roles. The SDF, once a key US partner in the fight against the Islamic State, now faces isolation as Washington aligns with Damascus in the anti-IS coalition. US envoy Tom Barrack stated that the SDF’s original mission had effectively ended, angering Kurdish leaders who had relied on earlier US assurances.

Analysts suggest the withdrawal of US support signals the end of over a decade of Kurdish self-rule in Syria’s northeast, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharar’s control over the country’s largest territory since the war began in 2012.

The United States has decided to return a recently seized oil tanker to Venezuela, according to two unnamed U.S. officials who confirmed the decision on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters. The vessel, identified as MT Sophia, is a Panama-flagged supertanker. No official explanation has yet been provided for why the U.S. is returning the ship.

Over the past several months, the United States has conducted operations targeting oil tankers linked to Venezuela. Since late last year, at least seven such vessels have been seized. MT Sophia was captured on January 7 this year during a joint operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and military while it was carrying oil. At that time, U.S. authorities described it as a “stateless and sanctioned dark fleet tanker.” It remains unclear whether the tanker currently contains oil.

Neither the U.S. Coast Guard nor Venezuela’s communications ministry has issued any immediate comment regarding the decision or the vessel’s current status.

A passenger plane operated by Colombia’s state-owned airline Satena crashed in the country’s northern region on Wednesday, January 28, killing all 15 people on board. The victims included 13 passengers and two crew members. The Beechcraft 1900 twin-propeller aircraft went down in a mountainous area near the Venezuelan border while en route from Cúcuta to Ocaña. The flight, designated NSE 8849, lost contact with air traffic control about 11 minutes before its scheduled landing at 12:05 p.m. local time.

Rescue teams later located the wreckage in a remote mountain zone. Authorities confirmed that among the dead were lawmaker Diogenes Quintero Amaya and congressional candidate Carlos Salcedo. Satena described the incident as a “serious accident” but did not provide details on the cause. Following the loss of contact, search and rescue operations began immediately, supported by Colombia’s armed forces, and a hotline was opened for relatives of the passengers.

The Cúcuta region is known for its rapidly changing weather and partial control by the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group, factors that may complicate rescue and investigation efforts.