U.S.-Iran Talks Up To A ‘Good Start’

February 6, 2026

The first round of new talks between Iran and the United States in Muscat, Oman, has ended with satisfying results.

U.S. President Donald Trump very much needs the talks to chicken out from his threats to again attack Iran. Any attack on Iran would be retaliated for with missile which would cause massive damage to U.S. and Israeli assets.

There had been a little drama about the location, configuration and content of the meeting.

The U.S. at first insisted on talks in Turkey. It wanted the foreign ministers of other Middle Eastern countries to take part in them. It demanded to negotiate about nuclear issues, ballistic missiles, Iranian support for local militia and about the recognizance of Israel by Iran.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the talks needed to include ballistic missiles, Iran’s aligned militias and its treatment of its own people “in order for talks to actually lead to something meaningful.”

Iran rejected all of the conditions Rubio tried to make.

It wanted to limit the talks to the nuclear issue and sanctions relief. It did not like Turkey, which is neither neutral nor a friend of Iran, as the host of the talks and preferred Oman as it traditionally following a neutral foreign policy. Iran also rejected the participation of other Middle Eastern countries as these would likely be under U.S. pressure to gang up against Iran.

Some Middle East countries, interested in preventing another war in their region, intervened with President Trump:

Fearing that talks about Iran’s missiles and regional proxies could cause an immediate impasse, other countries in the region have been pushing for the session to focus on Iran’s nuclear program, two Middle Eastern diplomats said.

They urged to accept Iran’s conditions and the U.S. conceded to them.

The talks held today were indirect. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi shuffled between the rooms to convey each parties position.

Badr Albusaidi – بدر البوسعيدي @badralbusaidi – 14:15 UTC · Feb 6, 2026

Very serious talks mediating between Iran and the US in Muscat today.
It was useful to clarify both Iranian and American thinking and identify areas for possible progress. We aim to reconvene in due course, with the results to be considered carefully in Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed the Iranian press about the results:

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the new round of indirect nuclear talks with the United States in the Omani capital Muscat was a “good start” and can be continued.

“The decision on how to proceed with the negotiations will be made after consultations with the capitals,” he told IRIB following the conclusion of the Omani-mediated talks on Friday.
…
During some six hours of talks, several indirect meetings and rounds of consultations were held and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi played an “active” role in hosting and conveying the messages and viewpoints of both sides, said Araghchi.

“During these talks, [which took place] after a long period of interruption, Iran’s positions and concerns were fully conveyed and our interests, the rights of the Iranian people, and all matters that needed to be stated were conveyed in a very positive atmosphere, and the views of the other side were also heard,” he explained.

Other Iranian media report that Araghchi during the talks insisted on continued enrichment in Iran and that neither side budged on their previously stated positions.

After consultations with the capitals a new round is likely to take place in a week or so.

For some intriguing (or stupid) reason the U.S. delegation, led by Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, included Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East. The Iranian delegation was purely civilian and certainly not impressed by some uniformed man sitting in a room away from theirs.

I have yet to see ‘leaks’ or rumors from the U.S. side of the negotiations.

There are many people around the White House, i.e. Marco Rubio, and in Israel who do want the talks to fail. They will do their best to portrait the Iranian position as unreasonable and to press for and immediate end of the negotiations.

But Trump needs a way out. Any new conflagration in Middle East could easily turn into a months long disaster with significant U.S. casualties. The political aftermath of such a fight would likely ruin his presidency.

Posted by b on February 6, 2026 at 15:59 UTC | Permalink

Comments

I have no confidence that I have any understanding of what is going on among Iran, China, Russia, Israel, and the U.S. I find the commenters here who make grand pronouncements of what Trump or Putin or Xi are doing to be buffoons. Things are happening, but so little information comes to us there is no way we can make confident conclusions.

Here are a few developments that hint about behind the scenes moves:

1. China arrest two top generals, and their families (January 25)
2. There is wild speculation, but no real information.
3. Within the last day or two:
a. China bans all investment in Israel.
b. China bans all cryptocurrency.
c. China labels cryptocurrency use by companies in China a financial crime.
d. China makes pedophilia a crime punished by a execution.
—–
What do you make of this and what is its relevance to Iran, Israel, and the U.S.?
—–
Here’s more information. China allowed Jews to settle in Shanghai. Wikipedia has a decent article on the Shanghai ghetto and a list of Jews who lived there. Shanghai was also the home for the most powerful political group in China. Wikipedia has a decent article on them, called the Shanghai clique. The Shanghai clique is notable for massive real estate fraud and stealing from the national human services funds. Around 2010 to 2013, various western rabbis and other Jewish leaders began telling Jews in the U.S. to prepare to liquidate their assets and prepare to move to China. People in the alternate news began calling this “The jump to China.” It was speculated that Jews, through their control of U.S. politicians, had moved the entire U.S. heavy industry and electronic manufacturing industry to China, beginning in the early 1990s, as a prelude to their moving to China and taking the country over using their control of Shanghai Chinese political leaders.

When Xi became president, he began a mass anti-corruption campaign. This gutted the Shanghai clique and led to many wealthy Jews in China declaring aliyah and fleeing to Israel. Xi also blocked the Jewish Jump to China.

The speculation is Israel compromised many up and coming junior Chinese military officers back in the 1990s. Most likely they used their standard playbook we see in the west with Epstein. These compromised junior officer eventually attained high rank.

Here is where Iran and Israel come in. There is more speculation that in January Israel attempted to activate their agents to depose Xi and install a pro-Israel leadership . This would have knocked out one of Iran’s powerful allies. It appears the government of China was ahead of Israel, knew who the main conspirators were, arrested them – and their families, and may have extracted enough information to determine the outlines of Israel’s plans to take over China. This may have been the standard two prong Jewish attack. Take control of the country’s financial system, and use sex to compromise and blackmail political elites. That is why you see the sudden moves to ban investments in Israel, bans on cryptocurrency, and the imposition of the death penalty for crimes against children.
—–
This is all speculation, but it points out that there is so much going on behind the scenes, there is no way for any of us to know which players in the U.S., China, Russia, Israel, and Iran are loyal to Israel or maybe loyal to their local power faction or loyal to the people of their countries.

Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 201

Regarding (US) societal attitudes, I’m reminded of this:
During his 1983 gubernatorial campaign against the incumbent Dave Treen, Edwards famously boasted to reporters:

“The only way I can lose this election is if I’m caught in bed with either a dead girl or a live boy.”

Posted by: Billb | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 202

I hope the Iranians are very careful going to and fro the site of the talks as I think the “west” would assassinate them as soon as not.

Posted by: a lurking reader | Feb 7 2026 14:39 utc | 203

@ Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 201

Excellent work, pithy post. Thank you. And don’t be a stranger, for God’s sake.

Pepe Escobar is reporting from China, last I heard — it would be nice to hear more from him on the recent purges of Chinese military officers.

Posted by: Aleph_Null | Feb 7 2026 15:01 utc | 204

#201 Nobody Special..Thanks it’s real eyes opener…Xi is smart and very proactive..it make all sense what you wrote..

Posted by: sejmon | Feb 7 2026 15:08 utc | 205

In response to
”
But your point about Iran being the first ‘under the umbrella’ is very interesting. I hadn’t thought of it like that. Care to expand?
Posted by: Artem | Feb 7 2026 11:03 utc | 187
”

Recently, Xi has been quoted from something like a 2 year old document stating that China’s financial system needs to achieve the “status” of Reserve Currency.

I guess my initial thought about Iran getting some protection from sanctions and currency manipulation might be to peg their Rial to the China Yuan and settle all their international trade transactions in Yuan which will be harder for empire to manipulate the Foreign Exchange Reserves of.

Iran would hold Yuan as its Foreign Exchange Reserves instead of US dollars and thus not effected by sanctions as long as China says NO…..included with this would be using the CIPS replacement for SWIFT and the new mBridge or whatever it is called now for the Central Bank Clearing process.

Over time more countries could peg their currencies to the Yuan and move their Foreign Exchange Reserves to the Yuan.

That is as far out over my skis I want to take this but I like the idea.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 15:30 utc | 206

Ok, out over my skis some more….

This arrangement might/should be interim until a real “bancor” is created like the BRICS+ are discussing which would not just be the Yuan but lots of currencies , raw/precious metals, potable water, FOOD and maybe other commodities thrown in.

Is now the time and do the various actors have the will?
That is more the question than the details of the financial plumbing

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 7 2026 15:50 utc | 207

@Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 201
The corruption of the chinese generals makes one think of western culprits no doubt.

Posted by: petergrfstrm | Feb 7 2026 15:50 utc | 208

@ GeorgeWendell | Feb 7 2026 4:41 utc | 166 // @ 174

thanks for the music george.. i have never heard of this group! people love them!

regarding 174… exactly right… thanks…

Posted by: james | Feb 7 2026 15:52 utc | 209

psychohistorian 205 I for one strongly agree with your idea. Nobody special’s analysis was also worthy of note. Naturaly, I believe this because it’s in line with my own thoughts, I must confess. I live in a country that’s backing the wrong horses at present, but as domestic conditions worsen, previous enthusiasm for the present government may wane. Trouble is, the old political establishment is discredited beyond salvation as and yet there’s no politically viable other option.

Posted by: Montefrío | Feb 7 2026 15:57 utc | 210

So what you’re saying in essence is that God is pretty much pro Israel and US.

That’s one hell of an uphill battle for Iran.

Posted by: robin | Feb 7 2026 11:29 utc | 188

######

I have no idea how you reached that conclusion, but whatever floats your boat.

If you can’t imagine God being beyond all human values, then you will struggle to understand God as practicing Muslims do.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 16:12 utc | 211

The Duran: ‘Regime Change Goal Remains’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGF1R6wz5ZU

“US-Iran talks, objective remains regime change.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Feb 7 2026 16:24 utc | 212

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 16:12 utc | 211

… I have no idea how you reached that conclusion, but whatever floats your boat. If you can’t imagine God being beyond all human values, then you will struggle to understand God as practicing Muslims do.

When you write that Iran holds back because it doesn’t want to displease God, one cannot help but compare that with the actions of Israel and the US. They certainly hold nothing back. So how does that work, is God giving a free pass on ethnic cleansing and genocide? Perhaps he too has stopped caring about Gaza.

Posted by: robin | Feb 7 2026 16:31 utc | 213

No, the whole point is that it makes the one controlling the taboo also the one who can control the exceptions to the taboo, giving them tremendous power over the people under their influence. One should never take taboos at face value.
Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 7 2026 14:16 utc | 200

No, one should never take the ape of reason at face value. There is no one controlling the taboo. Taboos are social phenomena, emerging from the historical path of many many people. It is sometimes alleged that a single person, like Moses or Lycurgus or Jesus prescribed the code. In the majority of such claims, it is not even certain the alleged lawgiver ever existed. In the handful of cases where such a leader is plausibly claime, like Shaka Zulu, the system doesn’t tend to survive the leader. Or in the more common case of a cult leader the cult is limited. This whole view is as individualistic and implausible as any Ayn Randroid Objectivist brain rot clown converted to Trump worship could hope to be. Marriage, money, markets are like taboos, they happen they aren’t decreed. It’s possible that this person really is as profoundly paranoid in their world view as to actually believe everything is a conspiracy and only he has seen through it. That’s not to be taken at face value. Simple lying can account for so much of this drivel.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 7 2026 17:06 utc | 214

Here are a few other clues / possibilities to understand what is going on with Iran, Israel, Russia, China, and the U.S.

Iran claimed last year that they had extracted multi-terabytes of classified information from Israel. Iran released some documents seeming to show they had classified information about Israel’s nuclear weapons as well as personal information about Israeli military personnel. There were also rumors Iran had found files compromising influential western politicians and such. When Israel attacked Iran in mid June, they claimed it was because of Iran’s nuclear weapon’s program. That could be true, but the IAEA was passing every bit of information about Iran’s nuclear industry to Israel. Since it appears Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program, Israel would know that. This led people to speculate that Israel’s target was not nuclear, but political. That is, they wanted to overthrow the government of Iran and install a Jewish puppet. The timing was of Israel’s attacks just after Iran’s hacks caused other people to speculate Israel needed to overthrow the government of Iran post-haste in order to prevent them from fully exploiting whatever the Iranians got in the hack.

Those ideas and the fact that Iran claimed they had compromising information had me keyed up. I kept waiting for Iran to release salacious information. That never happened. It made me wonder what was going on. Did Iran lie about getting Jewish blackmail? Did Iran get the blackmail, but they were trying to process and verify it? Was Iran using the blackmail to manipulate western political leaders to turn away from Israel? Was Iran offering to sell the blackmail to other countries and was waiting to see if they had any offers before publicly releasing what they had?

The events over the last two weeks give some suggestions of what might have happened. First, Iran did get files similar to the Epstein files held by the U.S. government. Iran then notified many countries they had the files, and may have provided a few snippets as proof. They may have offered relevant files to various governments. I’m beginning to wonder if they offered files on Chinese people to the government of China in return for military equipment and support. Iran may have made the same offer to Russia. The offer may have been, we (Iran) will sell some files to you in exchange for such and such. China may have begun the process of buying files from Iran. At some point, China realized the Jews had control of significant Chinese military and political individuals. I suspect China had no idea their senior army commander was a traitor to the Jews. If you know one of your people is a traitor, sometimes it’s better to keep them in the military, but limit their career progression. Then you feed that person false information for them to pass to their handlers. This way, you can manipulate your enemy’s understanding of your plans and capability. The fact Zhang Youxia made it so high tells me the Chinese did not know he was a traitor. That is why I think China got that information from Iran.

Back to Iran. We kept getting rumors Israel and the U.S. were going to attack Iran in late January. I’m beginning to wonder if the key to their attack was a coup and overthrow of the government of China. If Zhang Youxia had succeeded in taking power, he could have ordered the Chinese military personnel in Iran to either return home with all their equipment or to remain in place, but stand aside when Israel / U.S. attacked Iran. I’m wondering if China waited until almost the last minute to arrest Zhang Youxia to allow them to map his web of coconspirators and foreign controllers.

If Zhang’s coup was the key event to kick off the attack, then his arrest would have thrown all the Israel / U.S. plan into confusion. That may be why no attack happened and instead we get the U.S. attempting to restart negotiations. It may also be confirm that Iran did indeed extract highly secret Israeli files on traitors in other countries. This might even be why the U.S. has begun to release its Epstein files. One of the best ways to destroy a blackmailers hold over you is to release the information yourself. The U.S. may be afraid of what Iran / China / Russia / whomever might have on its politicians that it decided it was best to get ahead of the fiasco and release what they had first.
—–
Now all this is speculation, but it shows how complicated and convoluted the issue is. It’s also why I can’t stand commenters who proudly declare, “If he is a true global hero, Xi must do this thing which I think is important even though I have no idea what is actually going on in the world, but I am such an arrogant little shit, I think I am better at running China than the Chinese, and I am better at running Russia than the Russians.” I can’t stand them.

Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 17:09 utc | 215

snake | Feb 7 2026 13:04 utc | 194
*** Just because the controlled media says images and vid from the Epstein files cannot be shown to the sensitive general public doesn’t mean there isn’t very nasty evil stuff in the files.***

Those who rule care so deeply about the delicate sensitivities of the public …. “Oh, dear public, you cannot be allowsed to see or hear of the evils we do to sate our own and our Oligarchic aristocracy’s perversions and sustain our illicit wealth as that might upset you. So we do not keep it all secret for our sakes, but for yours.”

Such altruism! How fortunate the public are to be ruled — lied to, and data censored — by such kind and obsessively considerate masters.

Who then of course don’t hesitate to unleash WW1, Congo, Gaza, WW2, Vietnam, 30-years War, the 2008 crash, zio-nazified Ukraine, the pandemic or whatever…..
But always entirely for the good of the public!

Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 18:01 utc | 216

This is all speculation, but it points out that there is so much going on behind the scenes, there is no way for any of us to know which players in the U.S., China, Russia, Israel, and Iran are loyal to Israel or maybe loyal to their local power faction or loyal to the people of their countries.
Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 201

This is not speculation.

This is all documented as the plan of the Elders of Zion, in that famous book that shall not be named …

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 7 2026 20:20 utc | 217

‘And now you’re starting to understand how many Muslims think.’

Just Muslims?!

I’m pretty aware of how hardened monotheistic Abrahamic belief systems hinder both rational thought processes and deeper spiritual-emotional intuitions.

‘It might help you understand why Iran doesn’t fear Israel or America.’

I never said they did. Ever.

You are arguing with yourself again.

A man sees what he wants to see and disregards the rest.

Fascinating.

And absolutely frightening.

Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 20:44 utc | 218

You gave up. You stopped caring.
Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 5:40 utc | 175
==========

Plus, while calling me “performative” and virtue-signaling because I personally (with our small local group) actually spent over 100 Sundays since Oct. 7, 2023, standing on a street corner carrying a sign demanding Palestine rights and an end to arms shipments to Israel to be used in the Gaza genocide.
Pfui.

Posted by: Jane | Feb 7 2026 20:47 utc | 219

Posted by: Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 14:37 utc | 201
==================

Verrrry interesting.

Posted by: Jane | Feb 7 2026 20:48 utc | 220

Posted by: Nobody Special
Indeed very interesting. Deserves attention.

Posted by: António Lico | Feb 7 2026 20:53 utc | 221

snake | Feb 7 2026 13:04 utc | 194*** Just because the controlled media says images and vid from the Epstein files cannot be shown to the sensitive general public doesn’t mean there isn’t very nasty evil stuff in the files.*** . . .
Posted by: Cynic | Feb 7 2026 18:01 utc | 216
===============
Wait.
“Just because the controlled media says images and vid from the Epstein files cannot be shown to the sensitive general public is incontrovertible evidence that there is indeed very nasty evil stuff in the files”
Fixed that.
And, our “betters” get to gander at all the perversity before deciding that what is sauce for them, the ganders, is not sauce for us, the geese. Just like with the porn “monitors.”

Do they do this monitoring in a secret room????

All files must be released with no deletions except for names of victims.
It must all come out, so that we can map out the connection between depraved activities, bank accounts, and treason.

Posted by: Jane | Feb 7 2026 21:02 utc | 222

@Nobody Special 215

If Zhang’s coup was the key event to kick off the attack, then his arrest would have thrown all the Israel / U.S. plan into confusion. That may be why no attack happened and instead we get the U.S. attempting to restart negotiations. It may also be confirm that Iran did indeed extract highly secret Israeli files on traitors in other countries. This might even be why the U.S. has begun to release its Epstein files. One of the best ways to destroy a blackmailers hold over you is to release the information yourself. The U.S. may be afraid of what Iran / China / Russia / whomever might have on its politicians that it decided it was best to get ahead of the fiasco and release what they had first.

It is looking like Russia also got some of the Iranian info. Up until now I was noticing changes in the way Russia presents itself. Now, last night, Russia launches their most devastating attack on Ukrainian power facilities. I’ll follow that up with today’s you tube version of Russian News.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iaoNjUEvsA

A brief summary: Initially just the random quotes from western sources documenting US actions and threats against Russian interests. Except that Maria Zakharova has a far different body language than before. It’s a “don’t mess with us” and “you’ve gone WAY over the line” attitude. Zero smiles.

There is a segment with another spokesperson who talks matter of factly about dealing with Trump and Start 3 negotiations. No need to wait for Trump to make a deal – it will be so badly unfair to Russia that there is no need to take it into consideration. This leads into a discussion about making sure that Russian nuclear forces are modernized and updated and all that, with an emphasis on being able to completely destroy US, UK, and France in a retaliation strike. With all the successes of Mossad against Iran, a long discussion on how to upgrade Russian intelligence services was stated in very businesslike terms, focusing specifically on raising the wages of midlevel intelligence officers and agents. Maria was shown being very resolutely attentive, and in your face, about every part of his discussions.

Russia is preparing for war. Against the US, UK, and France. Not sure why they are leaving Germany out. If the theory of Nobody Special is even close to reality, it looks like Iranian intelligence is what finally turned the final nail in the coffin of any sort of peaceful resolution. And his theory that the Epstein files were released by the US, which allowed the US to have control over what was released rather than have Iran or Russia or China release all of it with no redactions, seems reasonable.

And now the US and Ukraine are reduced to the task of normalizing pedophilia 🙁

Posted by: Woke American | Feb 7 2026 21:09 utc | 223

Russia is preparing for war. Against the US, UK, and France. Not sure why they are leaving Germany out.

Posted by: Woke American | Feb 7 2026 21:09 utc | 223

Germany isn’t a nuclear power, unlike the other three. Of course the war would be Russia against most or all of NATO.

Posted by: malenkov | Feb 7 2026 21:15 utc | 224

“Should Iran target the Israeli water desalination plants as well as their power plants and refining plants, rest assured the zionists would take notice.”
Don’t overlook the increasing speed of counter-weapons that can take out Nuclear launch sites before launch – including the old Nazi U-boats that Germany built for the Zionists.
Most people learn soon enough that “trust me” in Yiddish means “eff u”.

Posted by: kupkee | Feb 7 2026 21:27 utc | 225

@201 nobodyspecial

Not only this, but please look at what China is doing to the PM market right now. Unlike for the stock market, where market selloffs have a circuit breaker that closes trading if losses get too extreme, PMs and especially silver in the past two weeks had lost hugely, with silver dropping close to 40% where whale ETF holders liquidated their high price silver. No circuit breakers were triggered during these orchestrated pull-backs.
The same thing happened in China in the past week where a whale holder of silver (Bian) sold his long position at the top of the bull rally and went big into shorting silver. The same type of shenanigans were present on the western side with JPM selling its short position at the exact low (for now) when it hit the $70s.

Have to get too scent’s take on this. I wish he could speak more in layman’s terms, but the newb needs to catch-up on their own and with their own effort.

If I was the optimistic kind (I am not), I would say that China is done with allowing these types of western mechanisms of financial infiltration (shorting, whale holding, scam/stablecoins) and PM market manipulation is a large part of this. Fundamentally, PMs have always been the safest bet in times of transition as a public utility. It is against the will of the public that the PM market should be messed with to this degree, causing wild swings, whether by artificially running-it-up, which may have been a part of the recent bull-run (or it could be that they are releasing control of their suppressionary-ability, whether due to choice or having their hand forced by geopolitical turmoil) or by short’s rug-pulling.

As many have repeated over the years, there is a tension between the U.S. and China in their relationship. In a global sense, by hitching their wagon to the U.S., this meant that China could be subject to the same mechanisms of financial contagion that the U.S. permits and exports (The Rise of the Chinese Billionaire).

If I was optimistic, I would say that the recent actions here by China around these financial shenanigans indicate that China is chopping off the tentacles of the entity, one-by-one (it is sad that the amazing Octopus and its anatomical wonder has become such a touchstone of identifying the entity’s syphoning/extracting ability).

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Feb 7 2026 21:32 utc | 226

Posted by: Dan Kelly | Feb 7 2026 20:44 utc | 218

#####

In my experience, being histrionic and melodramatic is not conducive to good discussion.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 21:34 utc | 227

It’s very simple. Russia, China, and Iran do not see the citizens inside these colonies as worthy of suffering and death.

Does anyone appreciate that? I doubt it.

That is why, IMO, the Axis fight the elite leadership and not the hoi polloi by taking out water desalination and medical clinics (a favorite NATO target).

It is the West that nukes civilians and does shock and awe over population centers.

It’s not about becoming the enemy per se. It’s that killing civilians doesn’t advance anyone’s aims. Killing non-combatants is immature, childish, and psychopathic.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 7 2026 21:43 utc | 228

“And these festering wounds must be investigated. And we also have to find out who it is that made the decision to redact which items from the million-plus documents. Some of those redactions must have been made in the interest of the CIA, Mossad, and the people who perpetrated these crimes. There is no chance that the entire list of all the redacted data is just to protect the female victims. And in fact, some of the female victims have come out and said, I’m prepared to see my name in print if the perpetrators are all exposed at the same time. And that’s what needs to be done. There needs to be an ongoing investigation and we really need to show the world who these people are, how they got power, how they use power to rape and murder around the planet and how we have to get ourselves out from under their control.”
https://www.unz.com/kbarrett/fbi-documents-epstein-mossad-trump-compromised-by-israel/

Posted by: Jane | Feb 7 2026 22:21 utc | 229

The talks could be disadvantageous to Iran. But I’m sure they have made those calculations.

ISIS “prisoners” are being transported to Iraq, Syria vows revenge on Hezb’Allah, the stupid disposable Kurds were sacrificed for this purpose. So, does that mean Turkey and Azerbaijan will provide “boots” on the other fronts? The move of the talks from Ankara to Muscat is very telling.

US is preparing proxy “boots” on the ground to engage Iran and its allies.

Posted by: Suresh | Feb 7 2026 22:26 utc | 230

When the attempt at a brutal colour revolution failed, I figured that the US would either A.] … agree to a face-saving negotiation (another JCPOA?) for Trump to have an ‘Exit Ramp’, or B.] .. a False Flag arranged by Israel. Just a ‘strategic pause’ – because the US will continue its 40-odd year vendetta, perhaps even as soon as after the mid-terms.

Posted by: Rain | Feb 7 2026 23:26 utc | 231

Glenn Diesen is having a xonversation wit an American Zionist. Glenn is calm, factual and articulate while the American uses phony rhetorical tricks and spins out ungrounded claims. Glenn is very good here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2sBRvZACDk

Posted by: Richard L | Feb 8 2026 0:03 utc | 232

@Nobody Special | Feb 7 2026 17:09 utc | 215
I had coimpletely forgotten about those claims. Yep, I remember thinking the timing of events at the time was interesting. Nothing more seemed to come of them, however.
You and @psychohistorian have given me very different angles to consider..
Cheers.

Posted by: Artem | Feb 8 2026 3:12 utc | 233

Posted by: Jane | Feb 7 2026 22:21 utc | 229
I found this interview of a sophisticated Epstein survivor to be very moving. She believes the revelations of her name is a deliberate intimidation strategy.
https://youtu.be/xSkzN7R5VAM?si=sXxpbjfrTO3uzLrQ

Posted by: Deniz | Feb 8 2026 4:28 utc | 234

ZH has a posting up from Mid East Eye with the title

Thousands Of Iraqis Volunteer To Defend Iran Against US Attack

Thousands of Iraqis have signed a pledge to help defend Iran in the event of a US attack on the Islamic Republic. According to a statement, almost 5,000 people in Iraq’s Diyala province gathered to declare their intent to defend both Iraq and its eastern neighbor, as well as Iran-backed armed groups, “without any compensation”.
“We announce our readiness to volunteer to support our security forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we categorically reject American intervention in the Islamic Republic,” the statement read.

I wonder if any in the Trump team are paying attention or if Trump’s messing with the Superbowl is the driving mental meme of America’s glorious leader…../s

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 8 2026 5:18 utc | 235

From Epstein to Gaza: The depravity of the western elite is now fully exposed | Soumaya Ghannoushi | – YouTube

Posted by: Saint Jimmy | Feb 8 2026 6:19 utc | 236

Martyr Qasem Soleimani giving spiritual lesson to shia fighters in Syria during their war against (ISIS) back in 2014

Hear the echos of mortars falling meters away and pay attention to the lesson Soleimani gives that uplifts the spirit of the fighters facing the devils mercenaries

subtitled video 2:13
https://x.com/SprinterPress/status/2020385925285486646

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 8 2026 6:39 utc | 237

It is irresponsible to pin the agenda of Pedoempire on Fatboy, when the bigger agents drive the agenda.
Though the dirty genocider is just the suitable front, I now wonder about all the state agencies pretending to still negotiate with the little prick. Russia does, Iran does not.
The attack on Iran will happen as soon as the bastards accumulate enough.
I hope they all suffer, and they will

While the world sleeps, anesthetized by Trump’s optimistic statements, the numbers and movements on the ground scream a single truth: we are heading toward an inevitable clash. Recent maneuvers reveal that Israel has decided to back Trump into a corner: either accept terms of “Total Surrender” for Iran or be dragged into a war for which 1,500 Tomahawk missiles have already been mobilized. Here is the reading of the military and political situation:
https://x.com/Intel_Sky/status/2020284182618951764

Posted by: stranger | Feb 8 2026 8:28 utc | 238

Cred că este evident că America sub Biden și Trump a ajuns în stadiul final al prostiei. Nu cunosc niciun imperiu în istorie care să fi fost atât de jenant și retardat. Imperiul Roman a avut împărați nebuni, dar statul a funcționat. În America, prostia a atins cote atât de înalte în rândul elitei politice și militare este dificil să eviți dezastrul. Nu voi mai vorbi despre Israel, deoarece noul război împotriva Iranului va însemna sfârșitul statului sionist și terorist. Pentru cei care nu înțeleg de ce America și-a arătat neputința împotriva Iranului, este simplu. Nu vă lăsați păcăliți de „programul nuclear iranian” și de trucul armelor atomice. Ayatollahul a emis o lege care interzice producerea de arme nucleare, arma lui Satan. Legea ayatollahului este religioasă și nu se pune problema încălcării ei. Prin urmare, programul nuclear al Iranului este civil și în conformitate cu dreptul internațional. În joc sunt programele Iranului de rachete balistice, hipersonice și drone, precum și faptul că SUA, Israelul și întregul Occident sunt neputincioase în acest domeniu. Israelul este vulnerabil și va fi complet șters din istorie chiar dacă va ataca Iranul cu o arma nucleară. SUA, sub pretextul evitării unui atac nuclear din partea statului terorist sionist, a intervenit pentru a fura ceea ce nu poate avea. Iranul negociază, dar nu va accepta nicio condiție din partea americană-israelienilor. Ei știu că, chiar dacă vor fi atacați cu o arma nucleară, chiar dacă eșaloanele 1 și 2 ale armatei vor fi decapitate și ayatollahul asasinat, eșaloanele 3, 4, 5 și noul ayatollah vor distruge și umili America.
Dacă Israelul și America nu au cărți, de ce vor război cu Iranul? 1. Trump este profund implicat în mizeria Epstein. 2. Bibi și generalii corupți ai Israelului nu mai au nicio autoritate după înfrângerea din Războiul de 12 Zile. Vor să-și acopere crimele din Gaza și înfrângerea lor atacând Israelul. 3. Elita troțkistă decadentă din SUA și că distrugerea Iranului va da un șans Chinei Rusiei. 4. Victoria ușoară din Venezuela obținută prin trădare, inclusiv de generalii chinezești recent epurați din China, nu și-a atins obiectivul de a bloca Rusia și China. Iranul este vital pentru „noul drum al mătăsii” al lui Xi și pentru politica economică eurasiatică a lui Putin. Mai mult, Iranul a devenit teroarea Israelului. 5. Eșecul războiului prin intermediari al Americii în Ucraina poate fi îndulcit cu o „victorie” împotriva Iranului. 6. Există o credință prostească că o victorie împotriva Iranului va restabili statutul de superputere al Americii și supremația dolarului și a ocultismului financiar evreo-american. 7. Pe plan intern, SUA și Israelul suferă de grave probleme economice și sociale. Există o prăpastie între elite, politicieni și populație. Apoi, există o luptă internă între bandele Statului Profund american și israelian. Lumea financiară, sursa puterii lor, a supremației lor economice prin fraudă, sancțiuni, furt, imperialism și colonialism, se prăbușește, iar aceștia cred că printr-un război victorios pot opri descompunerea societăților lor. Democrația în SUA, Israel (dacă a existat vreodată), UE este moartă din 1990. 2. Statele au devenit captive ale Statului Adânc format din servicii secrete, elite financiare, elite economice oculte, sataniste și troțkiste, la care se adaugă politicieni corupți, simpli manciurieni. 3. Modul clasic, tradițional prin care populația i-a tras la răspundere: petiții, alegeri, mitinguri, demonstrații nu mai funcționează. Sistemul a devenit surd, orb și criminal. Uitați-vă ce fac „agenții de securitate” în orașele americane. 4. Populația trebuie să lupte împotriva sistemului prin greve generale pe termen nelimitat și boicoturi ale sistemului: ale mass-media, ale politicienilor, neplata impozitelor și taxelor, blocarea instituțiilor publice, a infrastructurii. 5. Dacă nu se înțelege că popoarele au devenit victime ale propriilor guverne care nu au nicio legătură cu democrația (dovada este furtul de voturi din America, România), că Occidentul este troțkist (mai rău decât comunismul) și SUA și UE sunt mult mai rele, mai dăunătoare decât URSS, atunci oamenii vor trăi în universul descris în 1984 și Ferma Animalelor de Orwell. Suveranitatea manciurianului Trump înseamnă că banda lui de huligani poate ataca țări, poate fura, poate ucide, se poate îmbogăți. Suveranitatea este o farsă,o alternativă la globalism, la Pactul Verde și la alte nebunii satanice și sorosiste. Naționalism, nu suveranitate!
În Rusia nu există comunism, există naționalism. În China există un comunism altoit pe confucianism, taoism și budism, adică pe valorile lor tradiționale. În Coreea de Nord este aceeași situație. În Iran avem un președinte, un guvern, alegeri și un consiliu religios care alege ayatollahul și se asigură că guvernul civil și militar sunt în conformitate cu șiismul iranian tolerant. Așadar, există alternative sănătoase la troțkismul din Occident.

Posted by: surena | Feb 8 2026 8:53 utc | 239

Posted by: Woke American | Feb 7 2026 21:09 utc | 223

It’s like I’m reading AI slop. Maria Zakharova’s body language doesn’t count. What counts is what she, as the spokesperson for the Kremlin, not the president, actually says, what the Russians do in regards to their strategic response confer Oreshnik, Posseidon and at what time.
Russia is not preparing for war against FUKUS. It already is. NATO is attacking Russia (NS, Moskva, Russia’s strategic bombers, attacks on Russia’s maritime ship, terrorist attacks, …) with Ukraine as a sock puppet claiming responsibility for them which they either never did or where their actual role was small. The only reason why there are these “limited” incursions and attacks in/on Russia proper is Russia’s nuclear deterrent (Sarmat, Posseidon).

Posted by: xor | Feb 8 2026 10:03 utc | 240

What the Iran can do but will not do is to stop talking to USA inspire of further sanctions of 25% on other countries doing business with it. No self respecting nation would go back to talks in such circumstances

Posted by: R M Rao | Feb 8 2026 10:30 utc | 241

Inspite of , fault of autocorrect

Posted by: R M Rao | Feb 8 2026 10:33 utc | 242

From The Cradle

Iranian FM says uranium enrichment to continue ‘even at cost of war’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on 8 February that the Islamic Republic will not give up uranium enrichment, as Israel and the US are demanding – stressing that Tehran will continue to pursue a peaceful nuclear program even at the cost of war.
Araghchi also reiterated that talks with the US will not focus on anything except the nuclear issue, as Israel continues to push Washington to double down on demands for curtailing the Iranian missile program and halting support for regional resistance groups.
“Iran has paid a very heavy price for its peaceful nuclear program and for uranium enrichment,” the foreign minister said on Sunday.
“Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behavior,” he added.
Iran will never abandon enrichment even “if war is imposed” on the country. “Their military deployment in the region does not scare us.”
“There was no direct meeting, we had a diplomatic courtesy meeting, which amounted to a handshake. This has been done in the past, this is common,” Araghchi went on to say, referring to the recent talks, which were the first since Iran was attacked by Israel in the middle of negotiations last year.
“The place and time of the next meeting will be determined in the next consultations. It may be another place, but the form of negotiations will be indirect.”
“We will only negotiate on nuclear issues. If it is to continue, it will continue in the same way,” Araghchi affirmed.

Read the whole posting to get more

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 8 2026 12:07 utc | 243

New S on Iran talks

https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/oman-talks-just-a-fig-leaf-for-total

I ‘d say the most relevant answer to what he asks and says is “
Iran briefs Russia, China on its talks with United States in Oman ”

https://tass.com/world/2083567

Posted by: Newbie | Feb 8 2026 12:46 utc | 244

Why should the Iranians negotiate with USA? Why not the Algerians or the Belgians or the Peruvians? (For example).

Posted by: GMR | Feb 8 2026 13:40 utc | 245

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