Hundreds of US troops evacuated from Mideast bases amid Iran tension - NYT
Hundreds of US troops have now been evacuated from Al Udeid base in Qatar, The New York Times reported citing Pentagon officials.
There have also been evacuations at the cluster of US bases in Bahrain that house the Navy’s 5th Fleet, the report added.
Later in the day, Fox News dismissed the New York Times report citing a well-placed US official. "The US has NOT evacuated hundreds of US troops from Al Udeid air base in Qatar, nor has it evacuated bases in Bahrain, home to the US 5th Fleet."
The United States told Iran it expects the country to halt uranium enrichment, limit its missile program, and end support for proxy groups, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told Fox News on Thursday.
On Friday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MSNBC that the US had never demanded zero uranium enrichment from Tehran. In response, Fox News re-aired Waltz’s Thursday remarks to underline that the US position remains unchanged.
Speaking in the broadcast, Waltz said US officials, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Marco Rubio, have repeatedly stressed that there is no reason for Iran to enrich uranium to 60% or 90% unless it intends to develop a nuclear weapon.
“No enrichment capability… zero enrichment,” he urged.
He added that discussions last year included the possibility of a pooled international mechanism with monitoring and oversight by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), alongside addressing Iran’s missile program and its continued support for proxy groups.
"They [Iran leaders] better negotiate a fair deal," US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday.
"The people of Iran are a lot different than the leaders of Iran, and it's very, very, very sad situation. 32,000 people were killed in a relatively short period of time," he added, referring to the massacre of Iranian protesters in January.
Two bipartisan lawmakers announced on Friday they oppose a congressional bid to limit the use of force against Iran, arguing the measure would constrain Washington’s ability to respond to what they described as an evolving threat from Tehran.
In a joint statement, Representatives Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, said they would oppose the bipartisan Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution, which seeks to require explicit congressional authorization for military action against Iran.
The lawmakers framed their stance around security concerns, saying the United States must retain operational flexibility. “This resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”
Two bipartisan lawmakers announced on Friday they oppose a congressional bid to limit the use of force against Iran, arguing the measure would constrain Washington’s ability to respond to what they described as an evolving threat from Tehran.
In a joint statement, Representatives Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, said they would oppose the bipartisan Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution, which seeks to require explicit congressional authorization for military action against Iran.
The lawmakers framed their stance around security concerns, saying the United States must retain operational flexibility. “This resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”
The pushback comes as Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie prepare to force a House vote on their 2025 War Powers Resolution, which would require explicit congressional authorization before President Donald Trump could launch military action against Iran.
Khanna said he plans to use a procedural move to bring the measure to the floor as the US military completes its buildup in preparation for a potential strike on Iran.
Supporters say the measure is intended to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions that could lead to war and to ensure lawmakers debate any move that could put US troops in harm’s way.
Gottheimer and Lawler said they respect congressional oversight but warned against tying the hands of the executive branch.
“We respect and defend Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war. Oversight and debate are absolutely vital,” they said, adding that lawmakers should be fully briefed on any planned military action under the War Powers Act.
In their statement, the two lawmakers also accused Tehran of continuing to pursue a nuclear weapon and rebuild ballistic missile capabilities following recent regional tensions. They described Iran as “the world’s leading state-sponsor of terror” and cited its support for armed groups across the Middle East.
The lawmakers further pointed to Iran’s domestic crackdown following nationwide protests in January when nearly 40,000 people were killed, saying they stand with Iranians “demanding basic rights and dignity.”
The debate is unfolding as the United States has surged military assets closer to Iran while simultaneously pursuing talks aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump recently said that regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” underscoring the heightened stakes surrounding the congressional effort.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, a British couple sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges in Iran, said they would begin a hunger strike on March 4, accusing authorities of violating the country’s constitution.
In a message from Tehran's Evin prison, the couple said they would reach fourteen months in detention on March 4, 2026, and vowed to continue their hunger strike until they are freed.
The Foremans, both in their 50s, were arrested in January 2025 while on a motorcycle trip through Iran. Their family says they had valid visas, a licensed guide and an approved itinerary. They deny the espionage charges.
In their letter, the couple said their detention violates Iran’s own constitution, citing Article 39, which guarantees dignity, and Article 37, which presumes innocence.
They described being summoned on January 24, 2025, for questioning.
“We were then aggressively bundled into the back of an unmarked car… We were blindfolded and aggressively maneuvered to a 2.5-meter square dirty, furniture-less cell, after stripping naked and given prison clothes to wear,” they wrote.
‘No explanation’
They said they received “no explanation, no information” and were held in solitary confinement for 56 days, spending up to nearly 24 hours a day alone.
Within 24 hours, they said, interrogators told them: “We know you are a spy, no one is coming to save you, and we will show you how bad we can be unless you cooperate fully.”
The couple said repeated requests to choose their own lawyer were denied. Their first court-appointed lawyer met them more than three months after their arrest and submitted a defense letter “declaring our innocence."
‘No proof’
Lindsay Foreman said she was repeatedly questioned about her personal beliefs.
“I was told I was a Jew, I was told I was a feminist, I was told I supported Israel, and I was told I thought that Iran was dark,” she wrote.
On July 29, 2025, they said they were informed they had been convicted of espionage “with no accompanying proof and no trial.”
The only evidence presented against her, Lindsay Foreman said, was “a photo of a conference pass for the European Positive Psychology Conference, showing the name of a man who may have been from Israel.”
“For Craig, there is no evidence whatsoever,” they wrote. “We’ve had no justice in the seven months since our first court session.”
Britain’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, called their sentence “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,” pledging to pursue the case “relentlessly” until they are returned to the UK.