An Iranian diplomatic source told the opposition channel Iran International: “The Geneva talks were suspended for consultations due to the US demand to completely halt enrichment and transfer all enriched uranium held by Iran to Washington.” The Iranian state broadcaster stated: “The United States continues to refuse to lift all sanctions against Iran.”
Iran will not completely cease uranium enrichment and will not export its reserves abroad, Al Alam TV reported, citing an Iranian source. During the Geneva talks, Iran rejected the US demands, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. Washington has demanded the dismantling of Tehran’s three nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan and the handover of its entire enriched uranium stockpile. Tehran has rejected these conditions. On the morning of February 27, the Iranian delegation left Geneva and is returning to Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal: The third round of negotiations between the United States and Iran in Geneva ended without reaching an agreement, and the two sides are still far from reaching agreement on key issues. An Iranian official: “Uranium enrichment is Iran’s right; we have offered the Americans a gradual reduction in enrichment for a limited period.”
Second MS Now channel: Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi plans to meet with US Vice President J.D. Vance and American officials for talks aimed at preventing war with Iran. The Japanese government: Japan supports resolving the Iran issue through dialogue and is closely monitoring the talks between the United States and Iran.
A Greek court has handed down prison sentences for Tal Dilian, a former senior officer of the Israeli military intelligence agency Aman, and his business partner, Sarah Alexander Faisal Hamm, in an espionage case that has rocked the country in recent years. Two Israeli and two Greek businessmen were sentenced to a total of 126 years and eight months, eight of which were to be served in prison. The court found all four defendants guilty of “violation of telephone privacy,” “falsification of a permanent personal data record,” and “illegal access to an information system or data.”
Canada is urging its citizens to leave Iran. So is China. Qatar Airways announced it will extend the cancellation of most flights to Tehran until June 30.
The U.S. State Department authorized the departure of non-emergency government personnel and family members of government employees from the U.S. Embassy in Israel due to security risks likely related to tensions with Iran, stating that “individuals may consider leaving Israel as long as commercial flights are available.” The U.S. Vice President told the Washington Post: “There is no possibility that any attacks on Iran will lead to a war that lasts for years.”
Ali Khamenei stated before the Iranian parliament: “I would like to make one thing clear to the leaders of the United States: the expression ‘Death to America’ means death to Trump and his team, and is not addressed to the American people.”
Finally, the Iranian Foreign Ministry: “We condemn Israel’s continued violations of Lebanon’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity and call on the Security Council to take urgent measures to fulfill its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.”
And now, a look at the ongoing military scenarios in the Middle East and Western Asia, updated at 3:30 PM on February 27. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of the US Navy in the Middle East, briefed Trump on Thursday on possible military options in Iran, according to a person close to the president. The military buildup in the Middle East continues. Several US Air Force military transport aircraft are in the air, including a C-5M Super Galaxy, 13 C-17A Globemaster IIIs, and six KC-46A Pegasus. The aircraft carrier CVN 78 Gerald Ford has arrived in Haifa. At least 14 U.S. Air Force tanker aircraft (KC-135s and KC-46s) arrived at Ben Gurion Airport last week, with the peak arrivals on February 26.
The first U.S. kamikaze drone unit, Task Force Scorpio is now operational in the Middle East and ready to act if President Trump orders attacks on Iran, Bloomberg reports. According to the Pentagon, however, despite this deployment, the US still lacks the forces or munitions necessary for a sustained bombing campaign against Iran. According to a US military official interviewed by the New York Times, US forces stationed in the region could conduct attacks continuously for seven to ten days. The US base at Al-Udeid in Qatar has completely evacuated all refueling aircraft. Around 20 US aircraft were expected to arrive in Israel on the 27th for refueling.
From Yemen, Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras: “The government in Sana’a is closely monitoring Saudi moves to control Yemen’s wealth. The Saudi regime’s belief that by occupying certain provinces and establishing control over them, it can legitimize its actions aimed at plundering the country’s resources is a mistaken belief. Any agreement concluded with mercenaries is null and void and without legal effect. The Yemeni people are the rightful owners of their resources. This Saudi approach is similar to the one the United States is currently implementing, waging wars with the aim of plundering the people’s wealth.
Clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan occurred on February 25, 26, and 27. Both claim that the other initiated the attacks that took place along the Durand Line. Afghan forces destroyed 15 Pakistani border posts during an operation launched in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes, he said. TOLO News reported, citing Afghan security forces sources. Pakistani forces forced Afghan troops to retreat during a counterattack and destroyed three border posts, sources told TASS.
Two powerful explosions were heard in Kabul. Following three airstrikes on Kabul, continuous gunfire is heard in Kabul’s Green Zone. According to Afghan authorities: “Eight soldiers were killed and 11 were wounded. 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed during operations beyond the Durand Line, and we have taken control of two bases and 19 positions.”
According to Pakistan: “Airstrikes were launched against Taliban military targets in Kabul and Kanda provinces. Ghar and Paktia, 72 Afghan soldiers were killed and 120 others wounded in the attack.
China, Russia, Iran, and Hamas have called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to halt the fighting. India, Israel, and the United States remain silent. Afghanistan declared the operation over on the morning of February 27. It should be remembered that Afghanistan has sided with Iran in the event of a conflict with Israel.
Iranian media reported a fire at an industrial plant in the southwestern city of Abadan. All Persian-language news and political channels on Yahsat, a UAE-based communications satellite widely used throughout the Middle East, were reportedly unavailable. The exact cause has not yet been determined.
NOTAM issued near the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran issued a NOTAM yesterday on the northwestern shores of the Caspian Sea, near the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to this NOTAM, Iranian drone and aircraft operations will take place in this area from February 25 to March 20, from ground level to an altitude of 10,000 feet (about 3 kilometers). This warning was most likely issued in connection with a military exercise or related operational activities, amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States.
Iran successfully tests a hypersonic missile capable of reaching US bases in 7 minutes. Trump denied this, stating: “This report that Iran will soon acquire a missile capable of striking the United States is not supported by US intelligence reports.”
A group calling itself Harakat Radd al-Ihtilal (Occupation Deterrence Movement) announced its formation in Syria through an official statement. The group stated that its primary mission is to counter the Israeli occupation of southern Syria. Following the announcement, Slogans attributed to the movement reportedly appeared on walls in various areas of Damascus and its suburbs. The movement claimed it would oppose Israeli actions in southern Syria and work to end the injustice against the population of the Hauran region, as well as to reclaim the territories occupied by Israel. Notably, unlike other anti-Israel factions in Syria, the group identifies itself as a Sunni resistance movement operating under the banner of the “new Syria.” It has also explicitly stated that it opposes the formation of the so-called “Corridor of David” and what it describes as Israel’s vision “from the Nile to the Euphrates.”
The Israeli website Channel 12 reported a “wave” of Iranian cyber attacks against strategic Israeli sites, predicting further such attacks in the coming days. The site stated: “Against the backdrop of security tensions, there has been a sharp increase in phishing attacks and Iranian attempts to target strategic sites within Israel. Two days ago, an attempt to hack the data of the Clalit healthcare fund was reported. Gil Messing, chief of staff at Check Point, stated: “The Tehran regime has diverted approximately two-thirds of its total cyber capabilities and resources to carry out attacks against Israel.”
He continued: “Iranian attack groups, which are under the control of the regime and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, are working on two main tracks: the first targets physical infrastructure and organizations that store citizens’ personal data, and the second focuses on psychological warfare by sending text messages and posting content on social media aimed at instilling a sense of vulnerability and fragility.”
Warning from Kata’ib Hezbollah of Iraq to Washington and the Kurdistan Region. The Kata’ib Operations Command Hezbollah: “Amid US threats and intense military preparations, we emphasize the need for all combatants to be prepared to engage in a war of attrition that could be protracted and exceed American expectations.” “If the United States were to commit aggression and ignite the flames of war in the region, it would face heavy losses that cannot be contained or compensated.” “We warn the Kurdistan Region government of the consequences of collaborating with the enemy, as such actions would impose additional burdens that could threaten its security and future.”
The Israel Defense Forces launched airstrikes on the outskirts of Beirut. American source for Al Jazeera: We believe the possibility of Hezbollah entering the conflict depends on the scale of a possible attack against Iran.
Settler attacks continue in the West Bank: an armed settler raids the home of Palestinian Mohammed Jabarin in the eastern Shab al-Batim area of Masfer Yatta, south of Hebron. Settlers attack foreign solidarity activists in the Ras al-Ain area, in the town of Qasra, south of Nablus in the West Bank. The IDF storms the archaeological site in the town of Tqouq, southeast of Bethlehem. Settlers attack the village of Jalud, south of Nablus, vandalizing homes. Gangs of settlers attack Palestinian villages with stones. Clashes erupt in the town of “Burqa,” northwest of Nablus, and occupation forces launch stun grenades before retreating.
A Palestinian police station was targeted, killing three officers. The Resistance Committees in Palestine: “The attack on Palestinian police checkpoints aims to spread chaos and mayhem, and there is a systematic plan to undermine the state of security and stability that has begun to take root in the Gaza Strip.”
Today, hundreds of reserve soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel have been recalled to serve in the Air Defense Command. Over the past 12 months, numerous disruptions have occurred in Israel’s critical infrastructure, impacting sectors such as the power grid and transformers, rail systems, oil and gas refineries and industrial plants, as well as water supply and wastewater treatment networks. Cybersecurity experts, based on the pattern of these incidents, believe cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are a likely explanation. These disruptions have caused widespread hardship for the Zionist regime and increased pressure on its government institutions.
Several cities across the country have opened shelters, including the following cities, in addition to Beersheba: Tel Aviv and Ra’anana. Intense security activity has also been observed near the US Embassy in Jerusalem.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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