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Iran closes airspace to all flights as foreign minister denies it plans to execute protesters – live

A little earlier we posted on oil prices dropping 3% after the US president said he would “watch it and see” on possible intervention in Iran. Well, gold and silver prices have also dipped. Reaction across Asian markets has been mixed as trading got under way on Thursday; Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Wellington, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur fell, while Sydney, Seoul, Bangkok and Manila posted minimal gains.

Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy declares energy emergency as cities shiver

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to declare a state of emergency in Ukraine’s energy sector to tackle disrupted power supplies after heavy Russian attacks. Energy imports would also be increased, the Ukrainian president said. Emergency crews in Ukraine have proceeded with round-the-clock efforts to restore power and heating supplies at a time when night-time temperatures are dipping close to -20C (-4F). Zelenskyy said the state of emergency would allow authorities “more options and flexibility”. He called for the establishment of more centres where residents can stay warm and charge electronic devices, and said nightly curfews could be lifted in areas where the security situation permitted it. The president said Kyiv – whose mayor he regularly clashes with – had done considerably less than other major centres, notably Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, to prepare for the hardships inflicted by the attacks. “Even in recent days, I do not see sufficient intensity,” he said. “This must be urgently corrected. Decisions must be made.” The Kyiv mayor, Vitali Klitschko, countered that heating had been restored to all but about 400 of 6,000 affected apartment buildings and support centres were operating 24 hours a day. “Such statements, first of all, undermine the dedicated work of thousands of people, professionals,” Klitschko wrote. “They may not have weapons in their hands, but through their tireless efforts they are also fighting for their country.” Zelenskyy said a permanent coordination headquarters would be set up in Kyiv with Denys Shmyhal, the newly appointed first deputy prime minister and energy minister, overseeing the work. Donald Trump has again claimed Ukraine – not Russia – is holding up a potential peace deal, rhetoric that stands in marked contrast to that of European allies, who have consistently argued Moscow has little interest in ending its war in Ukraine. “I think he’s ready to make a deal,” Trump said of Vladimir Putin, in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday. “I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal.” Moscow and Kyiv remain at odds over the key issue of territory. There are few signs that Putin is prepared to soften his maximalist demands to end the full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy urged the military to hold their positions along the 1,200km (775-mile) frontline and diplomats to keep working on securing peace. “From our side, maximum productivity is required,” he said. “We expect the same level of energetic work from the American side. I personally very much expect this.” Ukraine will be able to buy military equipment from non-European suppliers when it is given access to a €90bn (£78bn) EU loan later this year under a proposal outlined by the EU executive, Jennifer Rankin writes from Brussels. “European preference first, but if not possible then purchase abroad,” said the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, who added that Europe should have a return in jobs and research benefits from the “billions and billions that are being invested”. Her proposal represents a softening of the approach pursued by France that favoured a more restrictive “buy European” clause. The commission said an alternative plan based on using Russia’s frozen assets remained on the table. Desertion by 200,000 troops and another two million people evading conscription are among many challenges facing the military, Ukraine’s new defence minister said on Wednesday. Mykhailo Fedorov told parliament that other problems included excessive bureaucracy, a Soviet-style approach to management, and disruptions in the supply of equipment to troops. “We cannot fight a war with new technologies but an old organisational structure,” Fedorov said. The defence ministry was facing a shortfall of 300bn hryvnia ($6.9bn) in funding, Fedorov said. On the upside he said some sectors had emerged from scratch, including private missile producers, which now number about 20, and more than 100 companies manufacturing ground-based robotic systems. The US treasury department has extended until 28 February a licence for companies to talk with Russian energy company Lukoil about buying its foreign assets. The US imposed sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft, Russia’s two biggest energy companies, on 22 October as part of an effort to pressure Moscow over its war in Ukraine. Lukoil put its $22bn in global assets up for sale shortly after. It has been hard-hit by the US sanctions, with overseas operations disrupted from Iraq to Finland.

Iran crisis explained: what we know so far

Iran closed its airspace to almost all flights early on Thursday, and Lufthansa said its flights would avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace “until further notice”. The group, which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, Swiss and ITA Airways, said in a statement that some flights could be cancelled. In contrast to indications of an imminent US strike on Iran, Donald Trump said he had been told that “the killing in Iran is stopping”. He added: “There’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions – so I’ve been told that on good authority.” Earlier, reports suggested the US president had decided on military action but it was unclear what form it might take. On Wednesday night, Trump said: “We’re going to watch and see what the process is,” adding that he’s been given “a very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on”. Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told Fox News “there is no plan” by Iran to execute people in retaliation for the anti-government protests. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said. The family of Erfan Soltani, the first Iranian protester sentenced to death since the current unrest began, have been told his execution has been postponed. Some US and UK personnel have been evacuated as a precaution from sites in the Middle East. The British embassy in Tehran has also been temporarily closed. Spain, Italy and Poland advised their citizens to leave Iran. It follows a call by the US urging its citizens to leave Iran, suggesting land routes to Turkey or Armenia. Araghchi insisted the situation was “under control,” and urged the US to engage in diplomacy. “Now there’s calm. We have everything under control, and let’s hope that wisdom prevails and we don’t end up in a situation of high tension that would be catastrophic for everyone,” Araghchi said. The death toll in Iran from the regime’s crackdown stands at 2,571 people, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists news agency (HRANA). More than 18,100 have been arrested, it said. Foreign ministers from the G7 group said they were “prepared to impose additional restrictive measures” on Iran over its handling of the protests, and the “deliberate use of violence, the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention and intimidation tactics”.

US and UK military withdraw some personnel from Middle East amid Iranian threats

The US and UK have evacuated some personnel from a military base in Qatar amid concerns Washington might soon launch military action against Iran, although tensions between the two countries appeared to lessen on Wednesday night. A US official told Reuters and the Associated Press on Wednesday that the withdrawal was a precaution, while diplomats said some forces had been advised to leave al-Udeid base in Qatar. The UK is also withdrawing staff from the base, the Guardian understands. In the early hours of Thursday, reports emerged that Iran had closed its airspace to all flights except international flights to and from Iran that had been given permission. The flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said the advisory was valid for a little more than two hours. Hours earlier, Lufthansa said its flights would avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace “until further notice”. The group, which includes Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines, Eurowings, Swiss and ITA Airways, said in a statement that it was bypassing the airspace “due to the current situation in the Middle East” and that some flights could be cancelled. Lufthansa said it would operate its routes to Israel and Jordan as daytime flights from Thursday to Monday next week. In June, Iran struck al-Udeid after the US hit nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran, though the strike was telegraphed and largely symbolic. In contrast to indications of an imminent US strike, however, Donald Trump said he had been told “on good authority” that plans for executions in Iran had stopped, despite evidence to the contrary in Iran. “We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping – it’s stopped – it’s stopping,” said Trump. “And there’s no plan for executions, or an execution, or executions – so I’ve been told that on good authority.” He said military action was still on the table and that he would wait for next steps from Iran. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, insisted the situation in control was “under control,” and urged the US to engage in diplomacy. “Now there’s calm. We have everything under control, and let’s hope that wisdom prevails and we don’t end up in a situation of high tension that would be catastrophic for everyone,” Araghchi told Fox News. Iranian officials previously warned the US not to intervene in nationwide protests as Trump reviews options for a strike on the country. The US president had promised to “rescue protesters” if Iranian authorities carried on killing them. A senior Iranian official said Iran had told regional countries that host US bases, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, that it would attack those bases in the event of a US strike. Israeli assessments, according to Reuters, indicate Trump has decided to intervene in Iran, but it is unclear what form or scale military action could take. Defying Trump’s threat, the Iranian government has signalled that detained protesters will face speedy trials and executions. Iran’s judicial chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, told state media: “If we want to do a job, we should do it now. If we want to do something, we have to do it quickly. If it becomes late, two months, three months later, it doesn’t have the same effect. If we want to do something, we have to do that fast.” Human rights groups have warned that executions of protesters could take place soon. A 26-year-old protester, Erfan Soltani, was slated to face execution on Wednesday, the first anti-government demonstrator to be given a death sentence. Soltani’s family said prison authorities had informed them that his execution had been postponed, without giving any further details. Trump warned on Tuesday that the US would take “very strong action” if executions of protesters began. “If they do such a thing, we will take very strong action,” Trump said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday. Neighbouring countries to Iran, including Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have reportedly discouraged the US from intervening in Iran, warning that doing so could ignite a “full-scale war”. Such a war would “certainly” have severe consequences “not only on the Middle East but on the global economy”, a Cairo-based diplomat told the Associated Press, pointing to a potential response by Iranian-backed militias across the region. A western official also told Reuters that while the unrest in Iran was happening on an unprecedented scale, the government did not seem likely to collapse and Iran’s security apparatus seemed firmly in control. The death toll in Iran has soared as authorities have carried out a brutal crackdown: 2,571 people have been killed and more than 18,100 arrested, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists news agency (HRANA). The death toll from the two-week protest movement dwarfs any other in Iran since its 1979 revolution. Protesters said there was a heavy security force on Wednesday as authorities carried out a mass funeral for 100 security forces killed in demonstrations. Tens of thousands of government supporters attended the funeral near Tehran University carrying pictures of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and waving the Iranian flag. A presenter chanted as mourners gathered by trucks laden with Iranian-flag draped caskets, stacked three rows high. “All of our problems are because of America, today’s economic problems are because of American sanctions. Death to America!” the presenter yelled. Iranian state television has offered the first official acknowledgment of the deaths, quoting an official saying the country had “a lot of martyrs”. On Tuesday evening, the US state department warned American citizens to leave Iran immediately. Other western countries issued similar travel warnings. Earlier, Trump had posted a message of support to protesters on Truth Social. “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING - TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!” he wrote. “Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price. I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS. HELP IS ON ITS WAY.” In response, Iran’s UN mission said Washington’s “playbook” would “fail again”. The statement posted on X said: “US fantasies and policy toward Iran are rooted in regime change, with sanctions, threats, engineered unrest, and chaos serving as the modus operandi to manufacture a pretext for military intervention.” Iranian authorities claimed they had regained control of the country after successive nights of mass protests nationwide since Thursday, relaying messages to foreign counterparts that protests had been quelled. After authorities severed communications during the crackdown, Iranians were on Tuesday able to make phone calls abroad for the first time in days. Security service personnel have apparently been searching for Starlink satellite internet terminals, as people in northern Tehran reported authorities raiding apartment buildings with satellite dishes. While satellite television dishes are illegal, many in the capital have them in homes, and officials had broadly given up on enforcing the law in recent years. Activists said on Wednesday that Starlink was offering free service in Iran. Iranian state media have aired at least 97 confessions from protesters since 28 December, according to HRANA. The group said testimony it had collected from those released showed these confessions were coerced, often after torture. The group says such coerced confessions can lead to severe consequences, including state executions. With Associated Press and Reuters

Execution of condemned Iranian protester postponed, family told

The family of Erfan Soltani, the first Iranian protester sentenced to death since the current unrest began, have been told his execution has been postponed. Soltani, a 26-year-old clothing shop employee, was arrested in Karaj, a city north-west of Tehran, last Thursday after participating in protests and was due to be executed on Wednesday, according to rights groups. Since his arrest, his family had received little news about his condition besides a brief, scheduled visit before his expected execution. On Wednesday, hours after his scheduled execution, prison authorities called them and said the execution had been postponed, without offering further details. Speaking before the postponement of the execution, Somayeh, a 45-year-old close relative of Soltani’s who lives abroad, said: “I spoke to his [nuclear] family yesterday and all I know is that they were trying to visit him in prison. I haven’t slept in two days.” Somayeh and other members of the family anxiously stayed up until dawn waiting to hear news, knowing that Iranian authorities typically carry out executions around the morning call to prayers. “I can’t stop thinking about Erfan. The uncertainty is killing me,” Somayeh said through tears. “How can anyone have the heart to put a rope round the neck of such a kind child and send him to die?” Soltani has become a symbol of defiance for Iranian activists as authorities intensify their crackdown on a nationwide protest movement. Rights groups say they fear there are many other cases like Soltani’s that are unknown due to an internet blackout in Iran, but that his case highlights the speed at which authorities are sentencing protesters. Soltani was denied access to a lawyer and legal defence, the Norway-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said. More than 18,000 people have been arrested and at least 2,571 killed over the last two weeks, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists news agency. Protests started on 28 December after a sudden slide in the value of the country’s currency and have since spread nationwide and expanded to demands for political reforms. Rights groups have urged Iran to halt the execution of Soltani and other protesters arrested, with Amnesty International expressing fears that Iranian authorities could “once again resort to swift trials and arbitrary executions to crush and deter dissent”. Rights monitors have said Iran often sentences protesters in trials that last minutes. Soltani was given the death penalty four days after his arrest – a time period that Iranian human rights activists say deprived him of due process. Iran’s chief justice signalled on Wednesday that trials and executions would be swift, telling state media “we should do it now” to have an effect on protesters. Other judicial officials said protesters would be charged as “enemies of God”, a crime that can be met with the death penalty. Last year, Iran hanged at least 1,500 people, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights. Soltani told his family that he had received a call from Iranian intelligence a few hours before his arrest, which he ignored. Despite threats from security services, he continued to join protests. Somayeh said: “Our Erfan is a kid who is innocent and peacefully wants to exercise his rights. That’s all he did. Joined his compatriots to peacefully protest.” Soltani works in a clothing shop and is passionate about fashion, fitness and Persepolis FC, a Tehran football club. His family described him as “the most loving brother” and his “mother’s best friend”. Somayeh said: “He is someone so dear to my heart, a brave child, a child who would never resort to violence, an incredibly calm and wonderful soul who means more to me than I can put into words. Please, world, help save our child.”

Trump insists Greenland is crucial for national security after Denmark talks

Donald Trump reiterated on Wednesday that the US needs Greenland and that Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect the island, even as he said that “something will work out” with respect to the future governance of the Danish overseas territory. The remarks, which came after a high-stakes meeting between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, indicate that fundamental differences remain between how Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk see the political future of the island. “Greenland is very important for the national security, including of Denmark,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “And the problem is there’s not a thing that Denmark can do about it if Russia or China wants to occupy Greenland, but there’s everything we can do. You found that out last week with Venezuela,” he added. The Danish foreign minster said earlier on Wednesday that Trump remains intent on “conquering” Greenland as the talks with US officials failed to solve a “fundamental disagreement” that has led to unprecedented tensions between Washington and a Nato ally. It was “absolutely not necessary” for the US to seize Greenland, a largely self-governing part of the Danish kingdom, the Danish foreign minster, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said late on Wednesday. “We didn’t manage to change the American position. It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland. And we made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of the kingdom.” Rasmussen urged Washington to engage in “respectful” cooperation over the Arctic island that is controlled by Copenhagen. In a signal of European support, France, Germany and Norway have all said they would contribute troops to a multinational force led by Denmark that would lead to “an increased military presence in and around Greenland, comprising aircraft, vessels and soldiers, including from Nato allies”, the Danish defence ministry has said in a statement. The two sides did agree to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the American security concerns, while at the same time respecting the red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen told reporters after joining Greenland’s foreign minister, Vivian Motzfeldt, for the talks. The closely watched talks on Trump’s demands to take over Greenland ended in Washington after nearly an hour. The vice-president, JD Vance, and secretary of state, Marco Rubio, hosted the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday in what observers worried could be an ambush meant to pressure the Danes into ceding the territory under US economic and military pressure. Earlier, Trump said it would be “unacceptable” for Greenland to be “in the hands” of any country other than the US, reiterating his demand to take over the island hours before the high-stakes talks on its future. “The US needs Greenland for the purpose of national security. Nato should be leading the way for us to get it,” the US president said on social media. The alliance would become “far more formidable and effective” with the territory under US control, he claimed. “It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building,” he said, referring to a proposed missile defence system. Expert reports suggested it could cost the US as much as $700bn (£520bn) to take over the territory, according to US media, and European officials have played down the likelihood of a direct American attack to take control of the island. As the two sides met, the Danish defence minister, Troels Lund Poulsen, said the country would establish a “more permanent” and larger military presence in Greenland and that it was “highly hypothetical” the US would launch an attack to take the territory. During the talks, the White House continued its social media offensive against its Nato ally, depicting two dogsleds headed toward either the US or Russia and China, with the caption: “Which way, Greenland man?” Trump had previously said Denmark’s defence of the territory was composed of “two dogsleds”. Trump first raised the idea of a takeover of Greenland in 2019, during his first term, but has ramped up his rhetoric significantly since returning to the White House last year, saying the US would take it “one way or the other”. He has jolted the EU and Nato by refusing to rule out military force to seize the strategically important, mineral-rich island, which is covered by many of the protections offered by the two organisations because Denmark belongs to both. Rasmussen and Motzfeldt initially sought the talks with Rubio but the meeting took place at the White House after Vance asked to attend and then to host the talks. Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly pointed out that a 1951 bilateral agreement already allowed the US to vastly expand its military presence on the island. Several EU leaders have backed Denmark, pledging their support for its territorial integrity and right to self-determination. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Wednesday that the island “belongs to its people”. “For me, it’s important that the Greenlanders know and they know this by the deeds, not only by the words, that we respect the wishes of the Greenlanders and their interests and that they can count on us,” she said in Brussels. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, said that if “the sovereignty of an EU country and ally were to be affected, the knock-on effects would be unprecedented”. France would “act in full solidarity with Denmark and its sovereignty”, he said. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, told a joint press conference with his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, on Tuesday that the island would not be owned or governed by Washington. “If we have to choose between the US and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark, Nato and the EU,” Nielsen said, adding that Greenland’s “goal and desire is peaceful dialogue, with a focus on cooperation”. Frederiksen said it had not been easy for Denmark to “stand up to completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally” but the fact was that “borders cannot be changed by force, and that small countries should not fear large countries”. A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Wednesday found just 17% of Americans approved of Trump’s efforts to take over Greenland and that substantial majorities of both Democrats and Republicans opposed using military force to annex the island. Only 4%, including just one in 10 Republicans and almost no Democrats, said military force would be a “good idea”.

US acquisition of Greenland ‘absolutely not necessary,’ Danish foreign minister says after ‘frank’ talks with JD Vance – as it happened

Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s foreign minister Vivian Motzfeldt met the US vice-president JD Vance for talks in Washington. Following the meeting, Rasmussen told a news conference: “I know very well that the future is not about the past, but I think it is important to have the past in mind. We are eager to fulfil our promises. Even though our view on the situation right now around Greenland differs from public statements in the US, we want to work closely with the US, but it must be of course a respectful kind of cooperation.” Rasmussen said the two ministers told their US counterparts that “it is not easy to think innovative[ly] about solutions when you wake up every morning to different threats.” Rasmussen said it was a constructive meeting with the US, but admitted “we didn’t manage to change the US position” so far. “It’s clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland, and we made it very, very clear that this is not in the interest of the Kingdom [of Denmark].” France is expected to join the new European military mission to Greenland, Agence France-Presse reported. Germany said it would deploy a 13-strong Bunderwehr reconnaissance team to “explore the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region”, the German defence ministry said, quoted by AFP. The European parliament leaders issued a statement declaring their “firm” support for Denmark, Greenland and the rules-based international as they “unequivocally” condemned the US ambition to control the semi-autonomous territory. They stressed that “any attempt to undermine the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland, violates international law and the United Nations Charter.” They added that “the security of the Arctic is a strategic priority for the European Union, and we are firmly committed to safeguarding it,” calling for “reinforcing European defence capabilities” to ensure security in the Arctic region.

US announces start of second phase of Gaza ceasefire

The US has announced the start of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, including the creation of a committee of Palestinian technocrats who are supposed to take over the day-to-day running of the territory for a transition period. The announcement was made on social media by Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, but it lacked any detail or names of potential members of the proposed “national committee for the administration of Gaza”. The committee is not expected to begin work until mandated by a “peace board” chaired by Trump, which has yet to be created. Witkoff said the second phase would begin the “full demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza, primarily the disarmament of all unauthorised personnel”. The first phase of the ceasefire plan began on 10 October, with the exchange of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and its allies for Palestinian detainees held by Israel. Israeli forces withdrew to a yellow truce line that left them in control of most of the territory. The Israeli bombardment of Gaza diminished but has not ceased. About 450 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began. No agreement has been reached on disarming Hamas. Two groups representing Israeli former hostages and their families had urged the US not to declare the start of the second phase of the ceasefire until the remains of the last hostage yet to be accounted for, Ran Gvili, had been returned by Hamas. Hamas has said it has so far been unable to find Gvili’s body. “The US expects Hamas to comply fully with its obligations, including the immediate return of the final deceased hostage,” Witkoff said. “Failure to do so will bring serious consequences.” Though Witkoff did not provide any details of the proposed Palestinian interim committee, the Egyptian foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, announced a few hours earlier that an agreement had been reached on all of its 15 members. Abdelatty said the committee would be “deployed to the Gaza Strip to manage daily life and essential services”. The members are expected to be technocrats rather than politicians, but some are believed to have affiliation with the Fatah party, which is dominant in the Palestinian Authority. Two candidates touted as potential heads are Ali Shaath, a former deputy minister of planning in the Palestinian Authority, and Majed Abu Ramadan, the PA health minister. According to diplomats in the region, the work of the Palestinian transitional committee will be overseen by Nickolay Mladenov, a veteran Bulgarian and UN diplomat who has been touring the region holding talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials. Mladenov served as the UN envoy for the Middle East peace process from early 2015 until the end of 2020 and is widely respected across the region. Mladenov in turn would report to Trump’s peace board, which is expected to comprise a group of world leaders. US officials said its membership would be announced in the next few days. Discussions in Cairo on the second phase are said to have also focused on the further withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the reopening of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza and the entry of aid stockpiled on the Egyptian side of the border – as well as a general increase in the flow of goods and aid entering Gaza.