US Navy chief warns as USS Gerald R. Ford heads to Middle East - report

The Pentagon is deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East as Washington steps up pressure on Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing US officials.

The carrier strike group will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships already in the region, significantly boosting US naval firepower.

The move comes as President Donald Trump presses Tehran to make concessions over its nuclear program while warning of “very steep” consequences if talks fail.

Binance appears to have violated US sanctions by facilitating more than $1 billion in transactions tied to Iran from March 2024 to August 2025, according to internal documents and sources cited by Fortune.

Investigators on Binance’s compliance team uncovered evidence of the flows, routed through the exchange using Tether (USDT) on the Tron blockchain.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that regime change in Iran would be ideal after 47 years of fruitless talks, amid escalating tensions.

“Regime change in Iran would be the best thing that could happen. For 47 years, they've been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we've lost a lot of lives while they talk. Legs blown off, arms blown off, faces blown off. We've been going on for a long time so let's see what happens,” Trump told reporters.

"If they give us the right deal, we won't do that — but, you know, historically, they haven't done that. I will say they want to talk — but so far, they do a lot of talking and no action," he added. "If we could get it settle for once and for all, that would be good."

Asked who you want to take over? Trump said: “I do not want to talk about that, there are people.”

Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi is scheduled to address a UN Human Rights Council on February 24, according to the list of speakers published by the Council.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was scheduled to speak at the Council but his name was removed following a pressure campaign by activists.

The UN's move to add Gharibabadi to the list has prompted renewed calls for diplomats to walk out in protest.

“As expected, an Islamic Republic official is back on the UN schedule,” human rights advocate Gissou Nia wrote on X on Friday. “This is why we need to tell diplomats to WALK OUT.”

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola on Friday called for stronger support for Iranians protesting for freedom, saying the Islamic Republic shows no willingness to compromise and that the EU must stand firmly with those risking their lives every day.

"That’s what must unite all of us - not letting down the thousands who have been in the streets since the beginning of the year, saying they have finally had enough. We let the people who protested in 2022 and 2023 down. We could have given many speeches, but we did not go as far as we needed to," Metsola said during a panel at the Munich Security Conference.

"We must send a message to those protesting every day - those risking their lives and ready to die for their country - that we stand with them. That is the only way to preserve our credibility," she added.

Metsola also referred to US Senator Lindsey Graham during the panel, saying there is no turning back after the latest protests in Iran.

"Senator Graham said this is the red line we cannot cross. That’s the line we cannot go back on. Returning would only embolden forces like Hezbollah or Hamas — and that would be a serious challenge for the European Union as well, because we are already very close to that."