TEHRAN(National times)- Regional tensions escalated further after Iran issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing planned rocket launches in its southern parts while Washington signaled it is prepared for potential military action. The NOTAM, published through international aviation channels including the Federal Aviation Administration system, advises pilots, flight crews, and other airspace users to exercise caution in designated areas. The notice is intended to ensure flight safety during the planned rocket activity and comes amid heightened military posturing in the Gulf. The move follows a series of Iranian military exercises. Earlier this week, Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guards conducted drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit chokepoint. Tehran has also announced joint naval exercises with Russia in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean beginning Thursday. Iranian officials said the drills are aimed at enhancing coordination to counter threats to maritime security and combat maritime terrorism. The developments come as the United States has deployed additional naval assets near Iran. According to a CNN report citing informed sources, the US military could be ready to carry out strikes on Iran as early as this weekend, pending a final decision by President Donald Trump. The report said that the White House has been briefed that sufficient air and naval resources have been positioned in the Middle East to enable swift action. A second aircraft carrier strike group is reportedly en route, with full force deployment expected by mid-March. However, Trump has yet to make a final call. According to media reports, he has privately debated both the merits and risks of military intervention and consulted advisers and allies on the best course of action. Diplomatic efforts are continuing alongside military preparations. Talks mediated by Oman were recently held in Geneva, where US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met indirectly with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. The negotiations aim to avert direct conflict and address mounting tensions over Iran\u2019s nuclear programme. While the White House acknowledged \u201ca little bit of progress,\u201d officials said significant gaps remain. Tehran is expected to submit a written proposal outlining steps to resolve the standoff. Iran has insisted that discussions remain limited to nuclear issues, while Washington has previously sought to include Iran\u2019s ballistic missile programme in negotiations. The second round of talks took place Tuesday after earlier negotiations collapsed last year following Israel\u2019s June attack on Iran, which triggered a 12-day conflict. Tehran continues to demand the lifting of US sanctions as part of any agreement. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that senior US national security officials met in the White House Situation Room to review options. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 28 to discuss Iran.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEHRAN(National times)- Regional tensions escalated further after Iran issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing planned rocket launches in its southern parts while Washington signaled it is prepared for potential military action. The NOTAM, published through international aviation channels including the Federal Aviation Administration system, advises pilots, flight crews, and other airspace users to exercise […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n