Iran is ready to consider compromises to reach a nuclear deal with the US if the Americans are willing to discuss lifting sanctions, an Iranian minister has told the BBC.

On Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump preferred a deal but it was “very hard to do” one with Iran.

But in an interview with the BBC in Tehran, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said the ball was “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal”, adding: “If they are sincere, I’m sure we will be on the road to an agreement.”

Trump has threatened strikes against Iran if a deal to curb its nuclear programme cannot be reached, with the US building up its military presence in the region.

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Iran’s foreign minister says his government has agreed a “set of guiding principles” with the United States that could pave the way for a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Abbas Araghchi was speaking after the latest indirect talks in Geneva. He said they’d been more constructive than previous discussions, but warned that more work was needed.

Mr Araghchi also condemned threats of force against Iran by the US. Washington has not yet commented on the talks.

The indirect discussions followed repeated military threats by Washington against Iran, over the authorities use of unprecedented force to put down nationwide anti-government protests, as well as its nuclear activities.

The BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet is in the capital Tehran for the first time since the regime’s crackdown last month and tells us about the mood there.

Lyse is reporting from Iran on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC’s Persian Service. These restrictions apply to all international media organisations operating in Iran.

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Five European countries say the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a deadly toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America.

France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom say traces of epibatidine were found in samples from Navalny’s body and “highly likely” resulted in his death in a Siberian penal colony two years ago. It says only the Russian government had the “means, motive and opportunity” to use this poison – which is apparently 200 times stronger than morphine.

The Kremlin dismissed the finding as “an information campaign” and has rejected accusations that it was responsible for the death of the fierce Putin critic.

The BBC’s world news correspondent Joe Inwood takes us through what we know about the opposition leader’s death, and what the toxin report reveals about Russia’s access to and use of rare poisons.

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Driving in severe winter weather can be difficult, and in very bad conditions you should avoid driving at all unless your journey is absolutely essential.

If you do need to drive on snowy or icy roads, it’s important to check your tyres, battery, screen wash, lights and brakes.

BBC Weather’s Matt Taylor took a car for a spin at Thruxton Circuit to look at how accidents can be avoided.

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#Cars #Ice #Snow #BBCWeather #BBCNews

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The UK government is considering accelerating planned increases to defence spending.

The news comes after the PM dropped some heavy hints that he was ready to spend more on defence during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Katya Adler and James Landale drop by to explain how America is trying to rewrite the global order… and get Europe to sign on and Joe Pike explains why spending more on defence is never politically straightforward.

Plus, Joe and Adam discuss the government’s decision to scrap it’s plans to postpone elections for 30 councils after recieving “legal advice”. They also review the government’s latest proposals to crack down on online safety for children and Starmer’s response to claims that a Labour Think Tank paid a private investigator to look into journalists.

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00:00 How reliant is Europe on the US?

04:20 The UK Prime Minister commits to more defence spending

09:00 Will European countries spend more on defence?

13:10 Countries ‘want a slice’ of nuclear weapons

15:01 Breaking: Plans to postone some UK local elections cancelled

17:21 UK PM announces investigation into Labour Together

23:45 Online Safety Bill update

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