Iran has ruled out any negotiations with the United States as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East following deadly military exchanges involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

The Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, declared on Monday that Tehran would not return to diplomatic talks with Washington, dismissing reports suggesting otherwise.

Larijani made the statement in a post on social media platform X, responding to a report by The Wall Street Journal claiming he was considering renewed negotiations with the United States.

“We will not negotiate with the United States,” Larijani wrote, firmly rejecting the suggestion of diplomatic engagement.

The announcement comes as the confrontation between Iran, Israel and the United States entered its third day, following coordinated airstrikes launched on Saturday by U.S. and Israeli forces inside Iran.

The strikes reportedly killed Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering widespread retaliation by Tehran.

In response, Iran launched multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military installations across Gulf countries, prompting airspace closures and heightened security alerts throughout the region.

The violence has expanded beyond Iran and Israel, with Hezbollah fighters firing missiles and drones from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel on Sunday night, further intensifying fears of a broader regional war.

In separate posts, Larijani accused U.S. President Donald Trump of dragging the region into conflict and risking American lives in support of Israel.

“Trump’s wishful thinking has dragged the whole region into an unnecessary war,” Larijani said, adding that the U.S. leader was sacrificing American “treasure and blood” to advance what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s expansionist ambitions.

The Iranian official also warned that Tehran’s military response would intensify.

“Yesterday Iran fired missiles at the United States and Israel, and they did hurt. Today we will hit them with a force that they have never experienced before,” he said.

The exchange of threats and military actions has heightened concerns among global leaders about the risk of a wider Middle East conflict, as attacks and counterattacks continue across multiple countries.

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is adamant that Senator Ireti Kingibe won’t return to the Senate in 2027, citing her lack of tangible projects.

Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the upper legislative chamber, was elected senator on the Labour Party (LP) platform in 2023.

Prior to this, Kingibe claimed Wike had refused to respond to her letters and messages amid rising insecurity in Abuja.

Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike tied his prediction of Kingibe not returning as senator to project delivery.

“I had said it more than one year ago, Senator Ireti, you won’t come back as a senator. That’s why you people don’t like people who tell you the truth. It’s bitter. Let her show one project,” he said.

During the recent FCT area council elections, Wike was criticised by opposition political parties for visiting several polling units during the vote.

The minister defended his action during the media chat, adding that he has the right, as the territory’s chief security officer, to visit polling units.

“I’m the governor of FCT, for security, I have to find out what’s going on. I don’t need to be told. I’m not a candidate in the election. As the chief security officer, I have the right to have the view of what was going on,” he said.

“I wasn’t on the ballot and I never said people should vote for the APC. What I said was that the candidates supporting Mr President are the candidates I will support.”

He shared that he visited about 10 polling units and rejected insinuations of interfering with the poll.

“And how does it influence (the election)? When did Nigerians conduct referendum that they are not happy that I as chief security went to 10 polling units to check what was going on?” he asked.

Wike dismissed comparisons to past ministers.

“What’s my business? You have said the previous ministers you had never bothered about development. So, because they didn’t do development, I should not do development?” he asked.

Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility was hit during joint US-Israeli military operations, according to Iran’s ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog, Reza Najafi.

He stated that the facility, which is used for peaceful nuclear activities, was attacked, raising concerns about potential radiation leaks.

“Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” Reza Najafi told reporters at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation board of governors. Asked by Reuters which facilities were hit, he replied: “Natanz.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed deep concern over the situation, warning of possible radiological releases and urging restraint to avoid further escalation.

The Presidency has denied claims that a member of the presidential kitchen staff was arrested for allegedly trying to poison President Bola Tinubu, labeling the reports as “fake news”.

A viral video claimed a special police squad was deployed and security was heightened at the Presidential Villa.

The narrator in the footage, said preliminary information from unnamed security sources indicated that the alleged arrest followed intelligence alerts concerning suspicious activities reportedly linked to food preparation procedures in restricted areas associated with presidential operations

But reacting on Sunday, the presidency dismissed the report as false.

In a statement issued by Chief Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the allegations as entirely untrue.

Onanuga stated: “No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video.”

He stressed that there was no incident involving any kitchen staff member at the Presidential Villa and no arrest connected to any alleged poisoning plot.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has warned that Nigeria may not achieve a 100% perfect election in 2027, citing challenges with electronic transmission of results, particularly in real-time.

He emphasized that while INEC has the capacity to transmit results electronically, network adequacy and logistics remain concerns, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

He said this during a Citizens’ Townhall Meeting organized by the Civil Society Network on Election Integrity at Abuja Continental Hotel on Sunday.

Despite acknowledging possible shortcomings, Amupitan expressed confidence that the 2027 presidential election would be the best in Nigeria’s history.

The event brought together civil society groups, academics, election observers, and members of the public to deliberate on electoral issues.

According to him, Nigeria requires simpler legislative language to enable citizens to better understand the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

While citing the recent FCT Area Council elections, Amupitan explained that results were released promptly in five area councils, while one ward in Kuje experienced delays until the following day.

He emphasized that the success of any election depends largely on logistics and result management.

An election, he said, can be considered successful if it begins as scheduled, is conducted peacefully, and results are properly managed and declared transparently.

While admitting that logistical and human errors occurred in past elections, he assured Nigerians that efforts are underway to address these challenges.

He appealed for understanding, noting that although Nigerians desire perfect elections, achieving 100 percent perfection may not yet be realistic.

Amupitan highlighted that the commission is working to address these issues and plans to conduct a mock presidential election to test its result-transmission infrastructure.

He assured Nigerians that INEC is committed to delivering a credible election, but acknowledged that perfection may be difficult to attain.

Nigeria is set to receive Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug, in March 2026.

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) is preparing for the rollout of Lenacapavir as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which has shown 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV infection in clinical trials.

This injectable treatment is administered twice a year, making it a more convenient alternative to daily oral prevention drugs.

In a statement on Monday, NACA said the move was part of its commitment to accelerate progress towards HIV epidemic control.

“The Government of Nigeria (GON) is advancing preparations for the introduction and rollout of Lenacapavir (LEN) as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). This is part of Government’s commitment to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control,” the statement reads.

“Commodities are expected in country in March 2026.”

According to NACA, coordinated efforts are underway to ensure a “structured and quality-assured rollout” of the new prevention option in priority states.

The agency said Nigeria is on track for a phased introduction of LEN PrEP, backed by regulatory approval, system preparedness, trained personnel and community engagement strategies.

It said among the milestones already achieved is regulatory approval by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

It also disclosed that landscape and readiness assessments have been completed in 10 states: Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Gombe, Kano, Kwara and Lagos to evaluate service delivery capacity and identify implementation needs.

NACA also said it has conducted a national training of trainers in Abuja, followed by step-down training for healthcare workers in the states selected for implementation.

In addition, information, education and communication (IEC) materials have been developed to support awareness creation and demand generation ahead of the rollout.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed Commissioners of Police in Northern Nigeria to enhance security measures amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

The IGP has also ordered increased visibility policing around worship centers and public spaces, and swift action against anyone attempting to exploit the situation to incite unrest or sectarian tension.

The directive was announced on Sunday in a statement issued by the spokesman of the Force, Benjamin Hundeyin.

According to the statement, Commissioners of Police across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have been instructed to step up intelligence operations, deepen engagement with traditional and religious leaders.

The order was issued shortly after members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria held a protest.

The IGP warned that any effort to use international developments as a pretext to stir unrest or sectarian conflict within Nigeria would attract decisive legal action.

He reassured citizens that the country remains secure and that the police are fully committed to protecting lives and property.

Thousands of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) staged coordinated protests across several northern cities on Sunday, condemning the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint United States–Israeli military strike.

The demonstrations took place in Muslim-majority areas, with large crowds marching through city streets carrying Iranian flags and portraits of Khamenei, Iran’s revolutionary founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and IMN leader Ibrahim Zakzaky.

Protesters voiced strong opposition to the attack, describing it as an unjustified act of aggression and accusing Western powers of destabilising the Middle East.

Marches Across Northern Cities
In Kano  northern Nigeria’s largest city and a major centre of IMN activity  demonstrators walked nearly five kilometres from a mosque in the Fagge district to the movement’s headquarters in Goron Dutse.

Participants chanted religious slogans and waved Palestinian flags while condemning both the United States and Israel for what they described as “unprovoked” military action that reportedly killed Khamenei along with members of his inner circle and family.

Crowds repeatedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great”) and called for an end to Western involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.

“The attacks show the insincerity and unreliability of the United States and Israel, which launched the strikes in the middle of negotiations,” protest leader Umar Yakubu told demonstrators during the march.

Calls for Peaceful Demonstrations
Despite the strong rhetoric, organisers urged protesters to remain peaceful and avoid confrontation with security agencies.

Yakubu called on supporters to follow the guidance of IMN leader Ibrahim Zakzaky, who currently resides in Abuja, stressing that demonstrations should remain orderly.

Security presence was heightened in several cities as authorities monitored the protests, though no immediate reports of violence were recorded.

Background of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria

The IMN, a Shiite Islamic organisation inspired by Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, has long advocated for an Iranian-style Islamic system in Nigeria.

The group has experienced repeated tensions with Nigerian authorities over the years.

One of the most significant confrontations occurred in December 2015, when Nigerian soldiers raided Zakzaky’s residence in Zaria after IMN members blocked a military convoy during a religious procession.

Official figures indicated that approximately 350 members of the movement were killed in the operation, an incident that continues to shape relations between the group and the government.

The protests in Nigeria reflect the global reaction to escalating tensions in the Middle East following the reported killing of Khamenei, an event that has triggered demonstrations and political reactions in several countries.