Iran-Trump latest: Two explosions leave five dead as regime denies military leader targeted

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Iran-Trump latest: Two explosions leave five dead as regime denies military leader targeted

Two explosions have been reported in Iran as US military assets gather in the Middle East ahead of a possible strike

Alex Croft, Vishwam Sankaran & James C. ReynoldsSunday 01 February 2026 01:00 GMT

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Iran was rocked by two explosions on Saturday as officials rushed to deny that an assassination attempt had taken place.

Four people were killed in a gas explosion at a residential building in Ahvaz, in the west of the country, according to the state-run Tehran Times. It was unclear what had caused the blast.

A 4 year old girl was killed and 14 were injured as a second detonation shook the southern port of Bandar Abbas.

Initial reports claiming the Revolutionary Guard navy commander was targeted in the explosion were "completely false", the semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

Two unnamed Israeli officials told Reuters that Israel was not involved in either blast, at a time of heightened tension between Iran, the US and Israel.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier on Saturday that Israel, the US and European leaders had incited recent unrest in Iran and provided people with the means to "tear the nation apart”.

Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi nonetheless said Iran was open to talks with the US, provided they were “fair and equitable”, after Donald Trump told them to make a deal or face the consequences, as he moved a “massive armada” to the region.

Recommended

• Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back
• What is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard? The force labelled a ‘terrorist group’ by the EU
• Regime change, all-out war or a nuclear deal: What could happen if Trump strikes Iran?
• Is Iran heading for its ‘Venezuela moment’?

Key Points

• Four killed in gas explosion in western Iran: state media
• Explosion reported at Iranian port
• US warns Iran as Tehran announces naval exercise in Strait of Hormuz
• Iran open for talks with US but they must be 'fair and equitable', says foreign minister
• Iranian official says work on framework for negotiations with US is underway

Qatari PM met Iranian security official to discuss easing tensions in region

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met with top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in Tehran on Saturday to discuss easing regional tensions.

In a statment, Qatar's foreign ministry said: “During the meeting, they reviewed ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region.

“He also stressed the need for concerted efforts to spare the peoples of the region the consequence of escalation and to continue coordination with brotherly and friendly countries to address differences through diplomatic means.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-ThaniHarriette Boucher1 February 2026 01:00

US talking to Iran as Trump weighs strikes

Donald Trump said the US was talking to Iran and suggested the two countries were trying to negotiate a deal.

Speaking to Fox News on Saturday, President Trump said the US could not share its military plans with Gulf allies due to security reasons.

Trump said: ‘‘Well, we can’t tell them the plan. If I told them the plan, it would be almost as bad as telling you the plan — it could be worse, actually.

‘‘But look, the plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something, otherwise we’ll see what happens… We have a big fleet heading out there, bigger than we had — and still have, actually — in Venezuela.’’

(AP)Harriette Boucher1 February 2026 00:02

Girl, 4, dies in Iran explosion a day before Strait of Hormuz naval drill

An explosion ripped through an apartment building in Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, claiming the life of a four-year-old girl.

Local media footage reportedly showed a member of the security forces being carried out by rescuers in the aftermath of the blast.

The incident occurred just a day before Iran’s planned naval drill in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes.

Girl, 4, dies in Iran explosion a day before Strait of Hormuz naval drill

At least 14 other people were injured in the blastHarriette Boucher31 January 2026 23:01

Watch: Hegseth warns Iran against developing nuclear weapons, saying US military 'prepared to deliver'

Hegseth warns Iran against developing nuclear weapons, saying US military 'prepared to deliver'Harriette Boucher31 January 2026 22:01

What is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard? The force labelled a ‘terrorist group’ by the EU

Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has become a formidable entity within the nation's theocracy.

The force oversees the country's ballistic missile arsenal and has been linked to attacks overseas.

This week, the European Union moved to declare the Guard a terrorist organisation. The designation comes in response to its role in the brutal crackdown on nationwide protests across Iran earlier this month.

Here's what to know about the Guard:

What is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard? The force labelled a ‘terrorist group’ by EU

The Guard rose out of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and has been pivotal in quashing recent protests across IranJames Reynolds31 January 2026 21:00

Recap: Israel denies involvement in two blasts across Iran

A gas leak caused an explosion at a building in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported, citing the local fire department chief.

At least one person was killed and 14 injured in the explosion in the blast. It came as four people were killed in a gas explosion at a residential building in Ahvaz, in the west of the country, according to the state-run Tehran Times.

It was unclear what had caused the blast. Two Israeli sources promptly told Reuters that Israel was not involved, amid heightened tensions between Iran, the US and Israel.

Damage after an explosion in a building in Bandar Abbas, a port in southern Iran (UGC/AFP via Getty Images)James Reynolds31 January 2026 20:00

Analysis: Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back

Trump may be very proud of his ‘armada’ off the coast of Iran but the US president could look good, back a winner, and support his allies by leaving Tehran alone and helping Ukraine win instead, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley:

Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back

Trump may be very proud of his ‘armada’ off the coast of Iran but the US president could look good, back a winner, and support his allies by leaving Tehran alone and helping Ukraine win instead, writes world affairs editor Sam KileyJames Reynolds31 January 2026 19:00

Iranian official says work on framework for negotiations with US is underway

A top Iranian security official has said that work on a framework for negotiations with the United States was progressing.

In a post on social media on Saturday, Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said: "Contrary to the atmosphere being created by artificial media warfare, the formation of a structure for #negotiations is underway.”

It follows comments from Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, who said the country was ready for “fair and equitable” talks.

“Iran has no problem with negotiations, but negotiations cannot take place under the shadow of threats,” he said.

Harriette Boucher31 January 2026 18:25

Recap: US warns Iran as Tehran announces naval exercise in Strait of Hormuz

The US warned Iran that it “will not tolerate unsafe” actions in the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran announced a two-day live-fire naval exercise there.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) urged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to conduct its naval exercise "in a manner that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk to freedom of navigation for international maritime traffic".

"Any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near US forces, regional partners or commercial vessels increases risks of collision, escalation, and destabilisation," CENTCOM said in a statement.

"We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions, including overflight of US military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of US military assets when intentions are unclear, high-speed boat approaches on a collision course with US military vessels, or weapons trained at US forces," it said.

James Reynolds31 January 2026 18:00

The potential outcomes if Trump strikes Iran

Donald Trump has renewed his threat of military action against Iran, urging the Islamic Republic to make a ‘deal’ or face the consequences with a “massive armada” already en route to the region.

Here are the potential outcomes if Trump does strike Iran:

The potential outcomes if Trump strikes Iran

The US president has renewed threats against Iran, weeks after promising to come to the aid of anti-government protestersJames Reynolds31 January 2026 17:00Newer1 / 7Older

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IranDonald TrumpPete HegsethUSTehranEuropean Union

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