The US on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
An Iranian Shahed-139 drone flew towards the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 US fighter jet, the US military said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the drone incident but said that talks with Iran later this week are still scheduled to take place.
The two countries are expected to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, according to an Axios report. The Trump administration reportedly agreed to Tehran’s request to shift the venue from Turkey, while discussions are still ongoing about whether regional Arab and Muslim countries will join the negotiations.
President Donald Trump had warned that with US warships heading toward Iran, “bad things” would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
On Monday, Trump told reporters that the administration had “talks going on with Iran. We’ll see how it all works out”.
Key Points
- Nuclear talks between US and Iran to take place in Oman - report
- Iranian Shahed drone flew towards carrier with 'unclear intent' says military
- Talks with Iran later this week still scheduled despite incident in Arabian Sea
- Drone incident follows Iranian gunboats approaching US tanker in Strait of Hormuz earlier today
Gold jumps over 2% as rising US-Iran tensions boost demand
06:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarGold prices surged more than two per cent as rising US-Iran tensions boosted demand for safe-haven assets after the US shot down an Iranian drone near an aircraft carrier.
Spot gold rose 2.7 per cent to $5,071.79 an ounce by 0353 GMT, following a 5.9 per cent surge on Tuesday – its largest one-day gain since November 2008.
“Gold has climbed back about the key $5,000 level, ... (as) geopolitical tensions have lifted the metal’s safe-haven appeal after US forces downed an Iranian drone,” Jigar Trivedi, a senior research analyst at IndusInd Securities, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The US military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the US military said.
US military shoots down Iranian drone ‘aggressively approaching’ aircraft carrier
05:50 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe US military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday after it “aggressively” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
An F-35C fighter jet from the Abraham Lincoln shot the drone in self-defence, with no American service members harmed or equipment damaged, the US military said.
Read more here:
US military shoots down Iranian drone ‘aggressively approaching’ aircraft carrier
Iran says drone was carrying out ‘routine and lawful’ mission in international waters
05:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe drone that the US forced shot down was on a “routine and lawful” mission in international waters, carrying out reconnaissance and monitoring, according to Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“This drone successfully transmitted its surveillance and reconnaissance images to headquarters, but subsequently lost communication. The reason for this loss of contact is currently under review,” the report said.
Iran has not responded to the US attack on its drone on Tuesday yet.
Ready to negotiate with the US, Iran president says
04:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran is open to negotiations with the United States following encouragement from regional allies, but insisted that talks must happen without threats or excessive demands.
He posted on X that he has “instructed my Minister of Foreign Affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists – one free from threats and unreasonable expectations – to pursue fair and equitable negotiations, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency”.
In light of requests from friendly governments in the region to respond to the proposal by the President of the United States for negotiations:
— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) February 3, 2026
The statement comes amid rising tensions, with Iran’s supreme leader warning of a potential “regional war” if attacked, while US president Donald Trump has increased military pressure and threatened action unless Iran agrees to a nuclear deal and halts violence against protesters.
The talks are still going ahead in Oman – and not Turkey after Tehran reportedly demanded a change of venue, according to an Axios report.
Nuclear talks between US and Iran to take place in Oman - report
03:49 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe United States and Iran are expected to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday, according to an Axios report.
The Trump administration reportedly agreed to Tehran’s request to shift the venue from Turkey, while discussions are still ongoing about whether regional Arab and Muslim countries will join the negotiations, the report said, citing an Arab source.
Watch: Omid Djalili: Iranians will fight to the very end against this regime
03:00 , Bryony GoochTurkey working to ensure talks between US and Iran
02:00 , Bryony GoochTurkey has been working behind the scenes to make the talks happen there later this week as US envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling in the region.
A Turkish official later said the location of talks was uncertain but that Turkey was ready to support the process. Foreign ministers from Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have also been invited to attend the talks, if they happen, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity as they did not have permission to speak to journalists.
But whether Iran and the US. can reach an agreement remains to be seen, particularly as US president Donald Trump now has included Iran's nuclear program in a list of demands from Tehran in any talks. Trump ordered the bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day war Israel launched against Iran in June.
On Tuesday, Araghchi spoke by phone with his counterparts from Oman, Qatar, Turkey and Kuwait, but did not mention a possible venue.
Karoline Leavitt says Iran talks are still on
01:30 , Graig GraziosiOn Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, despite events in the Gulf, talks with Iran were still scheduled for later in the week.
"I just spoke with special envoy [Steve] Witkoff, and these talks as of right now are still scheduled," she told reporters.
She said that President Trump is “always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango."
Iran's foreign minister instructed to pursue 'fair and equitable negotations'
01:00 , Bryony GoochIran's president said Tuesday he instructed the country's foreign minister to "pursue fair and equitable negotiations" with the United States, the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate as tensions remain high with Washington after the Mideast country's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month.
The announcement came as a US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching an American aircraft carrier early Tuesday morning. The Iranian Mission to the UN did not immediately comment on the incident. The US military announced the downing of the drone on Tuesday evening.
Iran says 'media games' should stop around meeting with US
00:45 , Bryony GoochIran has said the location and timing of talks with the US are not complicated issues and shouldn’t be used as a “pretext for media games”.
The country said that Turkey, Oman and other countries in the region have all expressed readiness to host the talks.
Iran has said it appreciates all friendly countries making an effort to help create the conditions for the formation of a diplomatic process.
Watch: Silenced by shutdown: Iranians abroad wait in fear after protests turn deadly
00:01 , Bryony GoochThe Independent View: America must proceed with caution on Iran
Tuesday 3 February 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Iran says 'media games' should stop around meeting with US
Tuesday 3 February 2026 22:30 , Bryony GoochIran has said the location and timing of talks with the US are not complicated issues and shouldn’t be used as a “pretext for media games”.
The country said that Turkey, Oman and other countries in the region have all expressed readiness to host the talks.
Iran has said it appreciates all friendly countries making an effort to help create the conditions for the formation of a diplomatic process.
Iranian drone completed surveillance mission in international waters, Iranian media say
Tuesday 3 February 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochAn Iranian drone completed a "surveillance mission in international waters," Iranian media including the semi-official Fars news agency said on Tuesday.
The US military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that "aggressively" approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the US military said earlier.
Watch: Omid Djalili: Iranians will fight to the very end against this regime
Tuesday 3 February 2026 21:30 , Bryony GoochIran's foreign ministry says consultations for venue of talks with US are underway
Tuesday 3 February 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochIran's foreign ministry spokesperson said consultations for the venue of talks with the United States were underway, Iranian Nour News reported on Tuesday.
The spokesperson said planning has been carried out to hold the negotiations with the US in the coming days.
The potential outcomes if Trump strikes Iran
Tuesday 3 February 2026 20:52 , Daniel KeaneThe US president has renewed threats against Iran, weeks after promising to come to the aid of anti-government protesters.
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Netanyahu tells Witkoff that Tehran 'won't honour nuclear agreement'
Tuesday 3 February 2026 20:22 , Daniel KeaneIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday amid efforts to revive diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme that Tehran was unlikely to honour any potential agreement.
In a meeting with the US envoy, Netanyahu "made clear his position that Iran has repeatedly proven that its promises cannot be trusted," a statement from his office said.
Two Israeli officials said the meeting was also attended by Israel's spy agency head David Barnea, Defence Minister Israel Katz and military commander Eyal Zamir.
Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back
Tuesday 3 February 2026 20:05 , Daniel KeaneTrump 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.
Who else is invited to US-Iran talks?
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:48 , Bryony GoochSeveral foreign ministers from nearby countries have been invited to this week’s talks, including from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Watch: Trump fires back at Iranian supreme leader’s ‘regional war’ warning
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:43 , Bryony Gooch'It takes two to tango' with diplomacy, says White House press secretary
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:37 , Bryony GoochWhite House press secretary has affirmed intentions to continue talks with Iran but said “it takes two to tango”.
"President Trump is always wanting to pursue diplomacy first, but obviously it takes two to tango," said Karoline Leavitt. "You need a willing partner to achieve diplomacy, and that's something that special envoy Witkoff is intent on exploring and discussing."
Leavitt's comments came soon after US Central Command announced that a US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
Leavitt added, "As always, though, of course, the president has a range of options on the table with respect to Iran."
US president's three conditions for resuming talks with Iran
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:32 , Bryony GoochThe US president has demanded three conditions for resuming talks, according to Iranian sources. These include zero enrichment of uranium in Iran, limits on Tehran's ballistic missile programme and ending its support for regional proxies.
Tehran has previously rejected these demands as unacceptable impediments on its sovereignty, but Iranian officials have suggested that the regime’s clerical rulers see limits on the ballistic missile programme, rather than uranium enrichment, as a bigger obstacle.
Pictured: Oil futures prices rose more than $1 per barrel after drone shot down
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:22 , Bryony Gooch
Pictured: The Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:18 , Bryony Gooch
Iran demands location change for talks with US
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:15 , Bryony GoochIran is demanding that talks with the US this week be held in Oman not Turkey, and that the scope be narrowed to two-way talks on nuclear issues only, a regional source said on Tuesday, casting doubt on whether the meeting will go ahead as planned.
Iran's effort to change the venue and agenda for the talks, currently scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, came amid heightened tensions as the US builds up forces in the Middle East.
Regional players have pushed for resolution of a standoff that has led to mutual threats of air strikes.
Related: Iran gives go-ahead for US talks but warns Trump against ‘threats’
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:11 , Bryony GoochIranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has given the go-ahead for talks with the US in Turkey this week, but warned against any further threats by the Trump administration.
Turkey will host the discussions, aimed at de-escalating tensions following Washington’s threats of military action in response to Tehran’s bloody crackdown of nationwide protests early this year.
Alex Croft reports:
Iran warns Trump against ‘threats and unreasonable expectations’ after agreeing talks
US military continues to move assets into Middle East as tensions with Tehran rise
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:08 , Bryony GoochThe US military has been moving a growing number of assets into the region over the past several weeks, including the Lincoln and several destroyers, which arrived last week.
The carrier strike group, which brought roughly 5,700 additional service members, joined three destroyers and three littoral combat ships that were already in the region.
Analysts of flight-tracking data also have noticed dozens of US military cargo planes heading to the region.The activity is similar to last year when the US moved in air defence hardware, like a Patriot missile system, in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack following the US bombing three key nuclear sites. Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar days after the strikes.
The US has several bases in the Middle East, including Al Udeid, which hosts thousands of American troops and is the forward headquarters for US Central Command.
Drone incident follows Iranian gunboats approaching US tanker in Strait of Hormuz earlier today
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:05 , Bryony GoochThree pairs of Iranian gunboats approached a US -flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz north of Oman, maritime sources and a security consultancy said on Tuesday.
The tanker, the Stena Imperative, "did not enter Iranian internal territorial waters" and was escorted by a US warship, maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
Captain Hawkins said: "Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker.
"The situation de-escalated as a result, and the US-flagged tanker is proceeding safely," Hawkins added.
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Watch: ‘If we can’t talk to Iran, bad things could happen’ says Trump in latest threat
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:02 , Bryony GoochTalks with Iran later this week still scheduled despite incident in Arabian Sea
Tuesday 3 February 2026 19:01 , Bryony GoochWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that talks with Iran later this week are still scheduled to take place.
It comes diplomats are hoping to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
President Donald Trump has already warned that with US warships heading toward Iran, "bad things" would probably happen if a deal could not be reached.
Iranian Shahed drone flew towards carrier with 'unclear intent' says military
Tuesday 3 February 2026 18:59 , Bryony GoochAn Iranian Shahed-139 drone flew towards the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, stationed in the Arabian Sea, “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 US fighter jet, the US military said.
"An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board," said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the US military's Central Command.
The US has shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea
Tuesday 3 February 2026 18:58 , Bryony GoochThe Independent has heard that the US has shot down an Iranian drone over the Arabian Sea.
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