Key developments
Death toll: Israeli strikes on Iran has killed 639 and injured around 1,350, while Iran's retaliatory strikes have killed 24 in Israel.
US intervention: The White House has informed that US President Donald Trump will make a decision on possible American involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict within the next two weeks. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has privately approved plans to strike Iran but has not yet issued a final order.
Iran FM to meet EU officials: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to meet with top European diplomats in Geneva today to discuss the ongroing crisis and Iran's nuclear programme.
Israel reiterates death threat to Khamenei: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "absolutely should not continue to exist,” after an Iranian missile strike hit Soroka hospital in southern Israel, injuring 250 people, including 4 in critical condition.
Hezbollah signals intervention: Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem has broken his silence, releasing a lengthy statement expressing support for Iran against Israeli attacks and US threats.
US President Donald Trump said late on Thursday that he will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a "substantial" chance of negotiations to end the conflict.
Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America’s “bunker-buster” bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told aides he approved attack plans but is holding off to see if Iran will give up its nuclear programme.
Meanwhile, Tehran ally Moscow said any US military action "would be an extremely dangerous step", while pro-Iran groups in Iraq threatened retaliatory attacks.
Iran appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official Irna news agency said, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.
Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), appointed Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, Irna said.
He replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers -- Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri -- in an Israeli strike.
Israel's military said Friday it struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a centre for the "research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project," as the two foes traded fire for an eighth day.
In a statement, the army said it had "completed a series of strikes in the heart of Tehran: dozens of targets were struck, including military missile production sites and the SPND (Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research) headquarters for research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project."
The Israeli army said Friday sirens had sounded in southern Israel after missiles were fired from Iran.
"Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the military said on Telegram, adding it was working to intercept them.
Dozens of US military aircraft are no longer on the tarmac at a major US base in Qatar, satellite images show -- a possible move to shield them from eventual Iranian air strikes, as Washington weighs whether to intervene in Tehran's conflict with Israel.
Nearly 40 military aircraft -- including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft -- were parked on the tarmac at the Al Udeid base on June 5, according to images published by Planet Labs PBC and analysed by AFP.
In an image taken on June 19, only three aircraft are visible.
The US embassy in Qatar announced Thursday that access to the base would be limited "out of an abundance of caution and in light of ongoing regional hostilities," and urged personnel to "exercise increased vigilance."
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who crushed internal threats repeatedly during more than three decades in power, now faces his greatest challenge yet.
His archenemy, Israel, has secured free rein over Iran’s skies and is decimating the country’s military leadership and nuclear program with its punishing air campaign. It is also threatening his life: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Khamenei “cannot continue to exist.”
The 86-year-old leader faces a choice. He could escalate Iran's retaliation against Israel and risk even heavier damage from Israeli bombardment. Or he could seek a diplomatic solution that keeps the US out of the conflict, and risk having to give up the nuclear program he has put at the center of Iranian policy for years.
Israel's military said Friday it struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a centre for the "research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project," in the eighth day of war between the two foes.
In a statement, the army said it had "completed a series of strikes in the heart of Tehran: dozens of targets were struck, including military missile production sites and the SPND (Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research) headquarters for research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project."
According to the Israeli military the SPND headquarters "is used for research and development of advanced technologies and weapons supporting the Iranian regime's military capabilities."
The army said that during the night on Thursday more than 60 fighter jets struck dozens of military targets. "Among the targets were sites producing missile components and facilities manufacturing raw materials used in casting missile engines," it added.
It also said it intercepted overnight four UAVs launched from Iran.
As Israel's confrontation with Iran escalates, attention has turned to the US-made GBU-57 "bunker buster" bomb — the only weapon capable of penetrating Iran’s heavily fortified Fordo nuclear site.
While Israel has already hit several nuclear-related facilities, Fordo remains untouched. The 30,000-pound bomb, capable of drilling through 200 feet of rock or concrete, could change that — but its use would require US involvement, a decision President Donald Trump has yet to make.
Israel's defence minister Israel Katz on Friday warned Lebanese militant group Hezbollah against entering the Iran-Israel war, after the Islamic republic's ally said it would act "as we see fit."
"I suggest the Lebanese proxy be cautious and understand that Israel has lost patience with terrorists who threaten it", Katz said in a statement, adding that "if there is terrorism -- there will be no Hezbollah."
A week of Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, a human rights group said Friday.
The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 263 civilians and 164 security force personnel being killed.
Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.
Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded.
Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported as the conflict reached the one-week mark. It wasn’t immediately clear what Israel was targeting in the city in Iran’s Gilan province.
Social media video posted online appeared to show explosions around the city. The semiofficial Fars news agency reported that local air defense systems were firing into the night sky against the Israelis.
Ahead of the Israeli strikes near Rasht in Iran, the Israeli military put out a warning urging the public to flee the area around Rasht’s Industrial City, which sits about a few kilometers (miles) southwest of the city’s downtown.
The Israelis did not immediately describe what they sought to destroy in the area. However, with Iran’s internet being shut off to the outside world, it’s unclear just how many people in Iran would be able to see the message.
Australia closed its embassy in Tehran and evacuated staff and their families due to the “deteriorating security environment,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that also urged Australian citizens still in Iran to leave quickly.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to work “closely” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to pursue peace.
“There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,” Wong said from Adelaide on Friday.
After a week of Israeli airstrikes, getting any information out of Iran has grown incredibly difficult. Those outside of the country are broadly unable to dial any phone number in the country.
Meanwhile, Iran’s state-run television and radio stations offer irregular updates on what’s happening inside of the country, instead focusing their time on the damage wrought by their strikes on Israel.
Iran is one of the world’s top jailer of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and in the best of times, reporters face strict restrictions.
Iran has shut off its internet to the outside world, both locking its public out from seeing news from the outside and restricting those abroad from reading news outlets’ websites.
NetBlocks, a group that monitors nations’ interference with internet access, said Iran has been disconnected from the rest of the world for 36 hours. That’s left many scrambling on various social media app to see what’s happening — again, only a glimpse of life in a country of over 80 million people.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday rejected calls for negotiations with the US, saying talks were not possible while Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic continued.
"The Americans have repeatedly sent messages calling seriously for negotiations. But we have made clear that as long as the aggression does not stop, there will be no place for diplomacy and dialogue," Araghchi said in an interview with state TV broadcast on Friday.
His remarks come ahead of a scheduled meeting with top envoys from the European Union and the UK in Geneva later today to discuss the ongoing conflict and Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Oil prices tumbled Friday and equity traders fought to end a volatile week on a positive note after US President Donald Trump said he would consider over the next two weeks whether to join Israel's attacks on Iran.
While tensions are sky high amid fears of an escalation, the US president's remarks suggested the crisis could be prevented from spiralling into all-out war between the Middle East foes.
Both main oil contracts were down around two percent Friday but uncertainty prevailed and traders remained nervous.
"Crude still calls the shots, and volatility's the devil in the room -- and every trader on the street knows we're two headlines away from chaos," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.
"Make no mistake: we're trading a geopolitical powder keg with a lit fuse. President Trump's two-week 'thinking window' on whether to join Israel's war against Iran is no cooling-off period -- it's a ticking volatility clock," Innes added.
Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's reprisals have brought the two Middle East adversaries closer to an all-out war, which also threatens to draw in the United States, at least to some degree. So how do the militaries of Iran and Israel stack up against each other?
On paper, Iran would seem to have an advantage in numbers, with 88 million people and a land area of 1.6 million square kilometers (618,000 square miles) compared to Israel’s 9 million people and 22,000 square kilometers (8,500). Militarily, however, those numbers mean little.
Iran's foreign minister will address the UN Human Rights Council on Friday on the sidelines of talks with European counterparts aiming for a diplomatic solution to the Iran-Israel war.
Abbas Araghchi "will intervene in person... at the beginning of the council's afternoon meeting" at 1300 GMT, after which the council will resume its normal programme, Pascal Sim, spokesman for the UN's top rights body, told a press briefing.
UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci added that Daniel Meron, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, would be outside the council chamber at 1230 GMT to deliver a "press statement on Iran."
Araghchi is meeting his French, German, British and EU counterparts in Geneva on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.
Tehran experienced an unusually quiet weekend on Friday, as many residents had left the capital following the Israeli airstrikes that began last week. Streets were empty with little traffic. Shops stood closed. Those who remain in the city seem to largely be choosing to stay indoors as the war between Israel and Iran continues.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening. A French diplomatic official said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio “stressed the US was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.”
The official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said they “jointly stressed the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program to Israel, the region and Europe.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency, in an update Friday, said an Israeli strike at the Arak heavy water reactor also damaged key buildings there, “including the distillation unit” that makes the heavy water at the site.
On Thursday Israel carried out strikes on the Arak heavy water reactor, its latest attack on Iran's sprawling nuclear program, with Tehran's state media saying there was “no radiation danger” at the site.
The attack comes amid a wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists.
Danish shipping giant Maersk announced on Friday that it was temporarily suspending vessel calls in Israel's Haifa port due to the country's conflict with Iran.
Maersk said in a statement that it made the decision "after carefully analysing threat risk reports regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran -- particularly the potential risks of calling Israeli ports and their implications for the safety of our crews."
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for the resumption of talks over Iran's nuclear programme and urged Israel to halt strikes on the country's "civilian infrastructure."
"It is essential to prioritise a return to substantive negotiations (with Iran) which include nuclear -- to move to zero enrichment (by Iran of uranium) -- ballistics, to limit Iranian capacities, and the financing of the all the terrorist groups that destabilise the region," Macron told reporters on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show.
The Iran-Israel air war could spark a surge in migration that would affect Europe and the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Friday.
"The spiral of violence triggered by Israel's attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage," his office quoted him as saying in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Israel’s military said it carried out airstrikes Friday targeting the areas around Kermanshah and Tabriz in western Iran.
The military said 25 fighter jets struck “missile storage and launch infrastructure components” Friday morning.
There had been reports of anti-aircraft fire in the areas.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge the losses, though it has not discussed the damage done so far to its military in the weeklong war.
Israel and Iran continued to trade airstrikes on Friday as the conflict between the West Asian rivals entered its second week, deepening fears of all-out war and a wider regional conflict.
The conflict was triggered by Israel’s unprovoked attack on Tehran on June 13, which killed several top military officials, senior scientists, and at least 60 civilians, including 20 children. Since then, Israel has continued to target the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities.
Tehran hit back in retaliation, launching ballistic missiles across Israel, with both countries engaging in tit-for-tat strikes targeting military and civilian infrastructure over the past seven days.
Israel, the sole but undeclared nuclear power in the Middle East, has said the attacks are aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. It has also continued to publicly advocate for regime change in Tehran, including reported plans to assassinate Iran's supreme leader.
Key developments of the day:
UNICEF warning: The collapse of water systems in Gaza is pushing the territory toward a devastating drought and worsening hunger, UNICEF warned.
Aid queue deaths: At least 25 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for aid trucks near Netzarim in central Gaza, local health authorities reported.
UK statement at UNSC: British Ambassador Barbara Woodward urged restraint in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying this was “a dangerous moment” and civilians must be protected.
Germany evacuates citizens: The German Air Force flew 64 people out of Israel using A400M military transport aircraft.
UN chief warns of uncontrollable escalation: Secretary-General António Guterres told the UN Security Council that the Israel-Iran conflict could ignite an uncontrollable regional war, urging all sides to “give peace a chance.”
IAEA warning: IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned against attacks on nuclear facilities, stressing they could cause severe radioactive fallout and urged maximum restraint.
Putin pushes diplomacy: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was in contact with both Israel and Iran and sharing proposals to resolve the crisis diplomatically.
Israel warns Hezbollah: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah not to escalate tensions, saying “there will be no Hezbollah” if the group attacks.
UK pulls staff from Tehran: Britain temporarily withdrew staff from its embassy in Iran due to the deteriorating security situation.
Fresh US sanctions: The US Treasury announced new Iran-related sanctions, targeting 20 entities, five individuals, and three vessels, including some based in Hong Kong.
Erdoğan says war reaching ‘point of no return’: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned the Israel-Iran conflict is nearing a dangerous tipping point, calling for an immediate end to the violence.
Gaza toll rises: Gaza’s civil defence said Israeli strikes killed at least 60 people on Friday, with at least half killed while queuing for aid.
Qatar holds gas crisis talks: Following Israeli strikes on Iran’s part of the South Pars/North Dome gas field, Qatar held urgent discussions with energy companies, sources told Reuters.
Germany–Turkey call for coordination: Al Jazeera reported that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Turkish President Erdoğan discussed joint diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
5.1-magnitude quake rattles northern Iran amid Israel war: USGS
Iran FM says ready to 'consider' diplomacy 'once the aggression is stopped'
Thousands of supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr rallied Friday in Baghdad and other cities against Israel's war with Iran.
"No to Israel! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered after Friday prayers in the Sadr City district of Baghdad.
Cleric Qusai al-Assadi, 43, denounced Israel's use of Iraqi airspace to bomb Iran. "It is a violation of Iraq's sovereignty," he said, warning against "a third world war against Islam."
The British government says it is working with Israeli authorities to provide charter flights to evacuate U.K. nationals.
The U.K. says the flights will leave from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv once airspace reopens. The number of flights will depend on demand.
Israel has closed the airport “until further notice” amid its week-old war with Iran, stranding tens of thousands of Israelis abroad, and moved the jets of the country’s three airlines to Cyprus.
Britain has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel but has not advised U.K. nationals in Israel and the Palestinian territories to leave the country.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that for those who want to leave, land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff will provide support, including transport to nearby airports for onward commercial flights.
The Israeli military says on X that its defence systems are working to intercept the missiles, advising Israelis to enter protected areas.
"A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the army said in a statement.
Impacts have been reported in the Haifa area in the north and Be’er Shiva, which has been a frequent target of Iranian missile fire, in the south. At least one missile fall was reported in Jerusalem as well.
Israel’s Channel 12 reports that about 39 missiles were identified in this barrage.
🚨Sirens sounding in parts of Israel as Iran launches another round of ballistic missiles🚨
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 20, 2025
عاجل | سقوط صاروخ إيراني على حيفا المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/Z9FpF42X99
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 20, 2025
In a significant diplomatic move, Iran has eased its airspace restrictions to facilitate the evacuation of Indian nationals as tensions with Israel escalated into the eighth day on Friday.
The decision, described as a special gesture by Iranian authorities, allows India to operate emergency evacuation flights to bring its citizens home safely.
Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service reported two people injured by shrapnel on Friday, including a 16-year-old in serious condition, after the latest barrage of missiles fired from Iran.
"MDA medics and paramedics are providing medical treatment and are taking a 16-year-old boy to the hospital in serious condition, with shrapnel in his upper body, and a 54-year-old man in moderate condition with a shrapnel injury to his lower limbs," the MDA said in a statement, without specifying their location.
Iran's foreign minister on Friday condemned the Israeli attacks against the Islamic republic as a "betrayal" of diplomatic efforts with the US, saying Tehran and Washington had been due to craft a "promising agreement" on the Iranian nuclear programme.
"We were attacked in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva ahead of a crunch meeting with European foreign ministers.
Araghchi, making his first trip abroad since the strikes began, denounced Israel's attack as an "outrageous act of aggression".
The army says on X that Israelis are now permitted to leave protected areas.
“Rescue forces are operating in several areas across the country where reports of falls have been received”, the army said.
Talks between Iran's foreign minister and his British, French, German and EU counterparts on Tehran's nuclear programme began in Geneva on Friday.
The talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his European counterparts are aimed at relaunching dialogue on Tehran's nuclear ambitions, and on reaching a diplomatic solution to the Iran-Israel war.
European foreign ministers must take a "firm stance" in talks Friday with their Iranian counterpart on Tehran's nuclear programme, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded Friday with all sides to "give peace a chance" in the Iran-Israel conflict, warning that the violence could spiral out of control.
"To the parties to the conflict -- the potential parties to the conflict -- and to the Security Council as the representative of the international community, I have a simple and clear message: Give peace a chance," Guterres said, in a veiled reference to the United States, which is considering intervening militarily to support Israel.
The UK said Friday it had withdrawn its embassy staff from Iran on the eighth day of the war with Israel, as the US mulled whether to enter the conflict, reports AFP.
"Due to the current security situation, we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. Our embassy continues to operate remotely," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
European powers, reports AFP, hoped to offer a "diplomatic solution" as they met with Iran in Geneva on Friday, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, as Israel again came under Iranian missile fire.
At least one Israeli person has been seriously injured by an Iranian missile barrage, Haaretz has reported. The Israeli news website reported at least 20 missiles were identified, with some hitting areas of Beersheva and Haifa, reports The Guardian.
Meanwhile, the meeting in Geneva, which is expected to focus on Iran's nuclear programme, comes as US President Donald Trump mulls the prospect of entering the war between the two foes.
The head of the UN atomic watchdog, according to AFP, warned Friday that an Israeli strike on Iran's southern nuclear plant of Bushehr could trigger a regional disaster, adding that radiation had not yet been detected in the conflict.
"Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear -- in case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity," Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council
Switzerland announced Friday the temporary closure of its embassy in Tehran, adding that it would continue to fulfil its role representing US interests in Iran.
Deeming the situation highly unstable with a risk of further escalation and even greater violence, Switzerland decided to shut its embassy for now, reports AFP.
The Israeli military said it carried out a fresh wave of attacks on Iran on Friday, targeting missile launchers in the southwest of the country, reports AFP.
"A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck surface-to-air missile batteries in southwestern Iran," it said in a statement.
Other attacks on Friday targeted the capital Tehran, the central city of Isfahan and western areas of the country, military statements said.
Online access across Iran remains severely restricted for a second consecutive day, with connectivity still hovering around just 3 percent as of Friday, according to data from internet watchdog NetBlocks.
The blackout began on Wednesday after Bank Sepah, one of Iran’s major state-owned banks, was hit by a cyberattack claimed by a hacker group linked to Israel. The breach reportedly disrupted ATM services across the country.
Internet access has been patchy since Israeli airstrikes began last week. The current shutdown is the most extensive so far, with connectivity plunging as residents evacuate major cities like Tehran and businesses remain closed amid rising tensions.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, launched a scathing attack on his Iranian counterpart during a Security Council session, accusing him of "playing victim" while defending Tehran’s missile strike that hit southern Israel earlier this week.
“Mr Iravani, you are not a victim. You are not even a diplomat. You are a wolf pretending to be a diplomat, and we are done pretending otherwise,” Danon said in a fiery speech.
He blamed Iran for the missile that struck near a military site in Beersheba, which also damaged a hospital, and criticised the international community for calling on both sides to de-escalate.
“We do not apologise for defending ourselves. We do not apologise for striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. We do not apologise for neutralising the threat,” Danon said.
Iranian authorities have arrested a European national on suspicion of espionage, local media reported Friday, as tensions escalate between Iran and Israel.
According to the Tasnim news agency, the individual was detained by the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence unit in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. The suspect, whose nationality has not been disclosed, was reportedly travelling as a tourist at the time of Israel’s June 13 strikes that triggered the ongoing conflict.
“He sought to spy on sensitive areas of the country,” Tasnim said, referring to the suspect’s activities.
The Mehr news agency carried a similar report, citing a statement from the Revolutionary Guards.
This AFP report comes as Iran has stepped up crackdowns on alleged espionage. On Thursday, police announced the arrest of 24 people accused of spying for Israel and attempting to damage Iran’s image.
Iran regularly detains foreign nationals, including several Europeans, with Western governments accusing Tehran of using them as leverage in negotiations.
The United States on Friday announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s defense industry, as tensions in the Middle East continue to rise. The US Treasury Department said it had sanctioned one individual and eight entities involved in procuring sensitive, dual-use machinery for Iran’s ballistic missile, drone, and weapons programs.
Among the firms named were Iranian company Towse Sanaye Nim Resanaye Tarashe and Hong Kong-based Unico Shipping Co, whose vessel was carrying machinery for a designated entity. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US would continue efforts to block Iran’s access to components that threaten regional and global security.
In a separate move, the US also imposed sanctions on Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The action targeted four individuals, 12 entities, and two vessels accused of smuggling oil and other goods to support the group. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender called it the department’s most significant action against the Houthis to date.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the sanctions aim to cut off resources the Houthis use to carry out destabilizing operations in the region.
Iraq’s representative to the United Nations on Friday alleged that foreign aircraft violated the country’s airspace just hours before a UN Security Council session, describing the incident as a serious breach of international law.
Abbas Kadhom Obaid al-Fatlawi, the chargé d’affaires of Iraq’s UN mission, told the council that planes had entered Iraqi airspace from the Syrian-Jordanian border region. “Twenty aeroplanes started, followed by 30 aeroplanes heading to the south of Iraq, and they flew over Basra, Najaf and Karbala cities,” he said, as reported by Al Jazeera.
“These violations are violations of international law and the UN Charter,” al-Fatlawi added. He warned that the overflights endangered Iraq’s sacred sites and could provoke widespread anger. “They also constitute a threat to the sacred sites and regions, which might cause strong popular reactions, considering the importance of these holy sites for our peoples.”
Talks between Iranian and European officials in Geneva concluded on Friday after what was described as a tense start, a CNN team reported.
An Iranian source familiar with the discussions told CNN that the negotiations were initially fraught with mutual accusations, particularly over recent events and the circumstances surrounding the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. “At first, the negotiations were very tense because both sides made allegations against each other about the recent past and about the conditions of the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal,” the source said.
However, the atmosphere reportedly shifted after a break, with the source describing the second half of the meeting as “much more positive.”
When asked whether Iran had agreed to end its uranium enrichment programme, the source was clear: “No, because that is a bold red line for us.”
Tehran is ready to "consider diplomacy" again only once Israel's "aggression is stopped", Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following talks with his European counterparts on Iran's nuclear programme.
"Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed... We support the continuation of discussion with" Britain, France, Germany and the European Union "and express our readiness to meet again in the near future," Araghchi told reporters following the talks at a Geneva hotel. - AFP
European powers on Friday urged Iran to hold nuclear talks "without awaiting" an end to Israeli air strikes on the Islamic republic, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, reports AFP.
"We invited the Iranian minister to consider negotiations with all sides, including the United States, without awaiting the cessation of strikes, which we also hope for," he said after he and his British, German and EU counterparts held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva.
"It is illusory and dangerous to want to impose a regime change from the outside. It is up to the people to decide their own destiny," Barrot added, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook northern Iran on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, as Israel pounded the country with repeated waves of air strikes.
The quake, which Iran's Tasnim news agency said measured 5.2, struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) some 37 kilometres (23 miles) southwest of the city of Semnan, the USGS said.
