The Latest: Iran's supreme leader criticizes proposed nuclear talks with US

Iran's supreme leader says negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable,” after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested he wants nuclear talks with Tehran despite reimposing his “ maximum pressure ” approach to Iran.

The remarks on Friday by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei upend months of signals from Tehran to the United States that it wanted to negotiate over its rapidly advancing nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of crushing economic sanctions worth billions of dollars.

Iran has suffered military setbacks across its sphere of influence in the Middle East, with Israel’s punishing offensives against two militant groups backed by Iran – Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon — and the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad late last year, who Iran supported for years with money and troops.

Here's the latest:

Israel’s foreign minister praises Trump’s sanctions on ICC

JERUSALEM — Israel’s foreign minister hailed U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to sanction the International Criminal Court in a statement posted to X Friday.

Gideon Sa’ar accused the ICC of “aggressively pursuing the elected leaders of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East,” and said the court’s actions were “immoral” and lacked a legal basis.

He said he “strongly commend(ed)” Trump’s order, which sanctioned the ICC over its investigations of Israel and the arrest warrants it issued for top Israeli leaders for alleged war crimes.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians, including children, have been killed during the Israeli military’s response to the Hamas attack Oct. 7, 2023. The order said the court lacked legal jurisdiction over the U.S. or Israel. Neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member of or recognizes the court.

ICC condemns sanctions by Trump administration and pledges to continue its work

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court has called on its member states to stand up against sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The court said Friday that the move was an attempt to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.”

The White House issued the executive order on Thursday in response to what it called “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”

It was referring to the arrest warrant that the ICC issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The Hague-based court said it “condemns” the move.

The U.S. and Israel are not members of the court and do not recognize it’s authority.

Iran's supreme leader criticizes proposed nuclear talks with US, upending a push to negotiation

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s supreme leader said Friday that negotiations with America “are not intelligent, wise or honorable” after U.S. President Donald Trump floated the idea of nuclear talks with Tehran.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also suggested that “there should be no negotiations with such a government,” but stopped short of issuing a direct order not to engage with Washington.

Khamenei’s remarks upend months of signals from Tehran to the United States that it wanted to negotiate over its rapidly advancing nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of crushing economic sanctions worth billions of dollars. Following Khamenei’s comments, the Iranian rial sunk to a record low of 872,000 rials to $1 in aftermarket trading.

What happens next remains unclear, particularly as reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian promised as recently as Thursday to enter into a dialogue with the West.

Khamenei’s remarks to air force officers in Tehran appeared to contradict his own earlier remarks in August that opened the door to talks. However, the 85-year-old Khamenei has always been careful with remarks about negotiating with the West.

Hamas holds funeral for deputy leader killed last year

BUREIJ, Gaza Strip — Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, held a funeral Friday for its deputy leader, Marwan Issa, also known as Abu Bara’a, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in March last year.

Crowds gathered to watch as armed al-Qassam fighters paraded through the town of Bureji. Some of the militants carried Issa’s casket, which was topped by the Palestinian flag and bore his photograph. Fighters set their rifles aside and stood in a row to perform Friday and funeral prayers.

Israeli Military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said last March that Issa, who helped plan the Oct. 7 attack, had been killed when fighter jets struck an underground compound in central Gaza.

Israel says it struck Hezbollah weapons storage sites in Lebanon

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said overnight it had struck two sites where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah stored weapons, claiming they violated the ceasefire agreement now in its third month.

Lebanese state media reported a series of strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa valley overnight but there were no reports of casualties.

U.S. presidential envoy Morgan Ortagus met with Lebanese officials in Beirut on Friday to discuss the ceasefire implementation.

Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, both sides had 60 days to remove their forces from southern Lebanon and for the Lebanese army to move in and secure the area alongside U.N. peacekeepers. The original deadline expired at the end of January but Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend it to Feb. 18.

Israel says Hezbollah and the Lebanese army haven’t met their obligations, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the Lebanese military from taking over.