Countries around Qatar are gradually reopening their airspace following the conclusion of Iran’s missile attack. However progress is slow and flight delays in the region are expected to continue for the foreseeable.
Meanwhile, Israel has warned residents of some parts of Tehran to evacuate ahead of expected air strikes.
Tomorrow, attention is likely to focus on whether Iran is planning further strikes or if it will attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route.
With that, we’ll conclude our live coverage for Monday.
Goodnight.
Meanwhile, although Trump claims Iran provided early warning about the attacks, Qatar says it was not informed ahead of time.
A foreign ministry spokesman said the Iranian strike take took them by surprise.
He said some debris from the intercepted missiles fell in residential areas but no casualities have been reported.
Trump has broken his uncharacteristic silence regarding the Iranian missile strike. This evening he posted on his own social media site and called the action a “very weak response” which was expected and countered by the US.
“There have been 14 missiles fired - 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction,” he said.
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done.”
Trump also appeared to show little interest in retaliation.
“Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,” he posted.
“I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.
Iran’s parliamentary national security committee has drafted a bill aimed at suspending the country’s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, according to a report from Reuters which cites Tasnim, the semi-official Iranian news agency.
Committee spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei said that according to the bill, installing surveillance cameras, allowing inspections, and submitting reports to the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) would be suspended as long as the security of nuclear facilities is not guaranteed. Parliament still has to approve the bill.
Iran’s limited strike on an US airbase in Qatar may offer an off-ramp for Trump.
Multiple sources report Iran used backchannels to tip off the US that an attack was coming. That, combined with the small number of missiles involved (just six) suggests this was a facing-saving gesture rather than a genuine attempt to kill US troops.
Tehran took similarly limited action following the US assassination of General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
However, prospects for de-escalation will depend heavily on Trump’s reaction and Iran’s desire and capacity to carry out further strikes.
Americans are anxious over a brewing conflict between the US and Iran and worry the violence could escalate after President Donald Trump ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday.
Some 79 per cent of Americans surveyed said they worried “that Iran may target US civilians in response to the airstrikes.”
The three-day poll, which began after the U.S. airstrikes and ended early Monday before Iran said it attacked a U.S. air base in Qatar, showed Americans were similarly concerned about their country’s military personnel stationed in the Middle East. Some 84 per cent said they worried in general about the growing conflict.
Only 32 per cent of respondents said they supported continued U.S. airstrikes, compared to 49 per cent who said they were opposed. However, within Trump’s Republican Party, 62 per cent backed further strikes and 22 per cent were opposed.
Republicans were more deeply divided when asked if they supported an immediate end to U.S. involvement in the conflict with Iran, with 42 per cent saying Washington should end its involvement now and 40 per cent opposed to the idea.
The US House Speaker Mike Johnson said this evening that it is not an “appropriate time” for Congress to consider a war powers resolution.
Iran will continue its retaliation in response to the United States’ attacks, a senior Iranian official has told Reuters. He said Iran has the necessary rationality to begin diplomacy after punishing the aggressor, adding if the US seeks negotiations, Israeli and US attacks must stop.
Qatar’s interior ministry has said the situation in the country “remains stable and there is no cause for concern”.
The French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot has described Iran’s missile strike on the US base in Qatar as “a dangerous escalation” and called for restraint and a return to negotiation.
No Iranian attack has been detected at any US military base other than in Qatar, a US military official told Reuters, contradicting earlier reports that a base in Iraq had also come under attack.
The US official also said there had been no impact on the Al Udeid airbase. Aiir defense systems were activated in the US Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq for fear of a potential attack, the US officials said.
Nothing as yet from the US president Donald Trump on any of his social media accounts.
In the very recent past he vowed to meet any retaliation with force “far greater” than the US strikes on the nuclear sites.
He also floated the possibility of regime change in Iran, although US and Israeli officials stressed that isn’t their aim.
Sirens have sounded in Bahrain and citizens have been urged to move to a “the nearest safe place”. In a series of posts on X, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior told people to seek refuge “until the danger has passed”. It also called on residents to “exercise caution” and take precautions “in the event of a loud explosion”.
The Pentagon has confirmed that the Al Udeid base was attacked by Iranian short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and said there are so far no reports of US casualties. Officials are monitoring the situation and “will provide more information as it becomes available.”
Reuters is now reporting that Iran informed the US that the missile attacks were coming several hours ahead of time. The messages were relayed via diplomatic channels.
The situation for passengers hoping to travel to the region from Ireland in the hours ahead remains fluid" according to the daa.
“We have been notified that the airspace in the United Arab Emirates is closed,” a spokesman has told The Irish Times.
“Current airline advice for passengers booked to travel on tonight’s 22.05 Emirates flight from Dublin to Dubai are advised to present at Dublin Airport and to check-in as normal.
“The situation remains fluid and disruption to flight schedules in and out of airports in the Middle East is possible over the coming 24 hours. As always, passengers should contact their airline for updates regarding specific flights.”
Axios is now reporting that the US had advance notice of the impending attacks on its bases from Iran.
Iran has also targeted the Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq where US troops are based, according to an Iraqi security official. There are, as yet, no details of any casualties.
Gen Dan Caine - the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - and the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are currently in the White House Situation Room.
The two are the highest civilian and military leaders in the US defence establishment and report to President Trump as Commander-in-Chief of the military.
The BBC is reporting that “things are slightly chaotic at the White House as dozens of reporter scramble to get more details on the president’s movements and anything they can on the Iranian operation in the Gulf, or potential US response.
The Irish embassy in the UAE has advised all Irish citizens in the country to “shelter in place”.
United Arab Emirates airspace is currently closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, according to a post by FlightRadar.
The post came after Qatar shut down airspace temporarily as part of measures taken after Iran launched six missiles toward US bases in Qatar.
Bahrain has shut down its airspace temporarily as a “precaution” after Iran attacked the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha.
Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, whose area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The Qatari government, has issued a “strong condemnation” of the attack on the al-Udeid Air Base.
On X Majed al-Ansari, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affair said “we consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations charter.”
He said Qatar’s air defence systems “successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles”.
The base had been evacuated earlier.
“All necessary steps were taken to ensure the safety of personnel at the base, including Qatari Armed Forces members, friendly forces, and others.
“We confirm that no injuries or human casualties resulted from the attack.”
He added that Qatar reserves the right to respond “in a manner equivalent with the nature and scale of this brazen aggression”.
The New York Times is reporting that Iran co-ordinated the attack on the US base in Qatar with the Qatari officials and gave advanced notice in order to minimise casualties.
Iran has said that it attacked US forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
The announcement was made on state television as martial music played.
A caption on the screen called it “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression”.
The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran.
Sounds of several explosions were heard over Qatari capital Doha, a Reuters witness said on Monday.
Qatar has temporarily closed its airspace in response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, grounding flights in and out of the Gulf state.
The move comes after US forces struck three nuclear sites in Iran, prompting Tehran to launch a barrage of retaliatory ballistic missiles against Israel.
In a statement posted to social media on Monday, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “Qatari authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace, in order to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors.”
Qatar Airways has been contacted for comment on the impact to its operations.
Airlines are reviewing routes across the region, with some services rerouted or diverted mid-air.
It comes just hours after the British foreign office advised British nationals in Qatar to “shelter in place” following a US security alert.
The UK Foreign Office is advising against all travel to Iran and urges British nationals in the region to follow local guidance.
It has also updated its travel advice for Qatar, warning British nationals to shelter in place “out of an abundance of caution” following a US security alert in the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday he had a good meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and they discussed developments in the Middle East in detail, Russian state news agency RIA said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin and Araqchi discussed a range of issues, with a particular focus on steering the regional situation toward a peaceful resolution.
(Additional reporting by Reuters)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Donald Trump was “simply raising a question” when he floated the idea of regime change in Iran.
“If they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime? That’s a question the president raised last night,” she told reporters in the first official briefing since Sunday morning’s attack on Iranian’s nuclear facilities.
“But as far as far as our military posture, it has not been changed,” she adds.
Leavitt says the US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites “took out their nuclear programme”, however the head of global nuclear watchdog previously said that while significant is damage expected at the Fordow site, no one is currently able to fully assess the extent of the damage underground.
Asked about Iran potentially shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, Leavitt says the US is “closely monitoring the situation” and that “the Iranian regime would be foolish to make that decision”.
The United States believes Iran could carry out retaliatory attacks targeting American forces in the Middle East soon, it has been reported.
One of the officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity to discuss the assessment, said Iran’s retaliatory attack could happen within the next day or two.
Iran has threatened to retaliate after the US bombed its nuclear sites over the weekend.
Administration officials have warned Iran against hitting back at the US and President Donald Trump said after the strikes that any retaliation by Iran against the US would be met a force far greater than that used in the weekend US attacks.
The Pope has condemned the US decision to bomb Iran and has called for the conflict to stop before it becomes an “irreparable chasm”.
Here is a summary of what we know so far.
- President Donald Trump says US air strikes have done “monumental damage” to Iran’s nuclear sites, but there is no independent verification of this claim.
- Israel has conducted a series of daylight attacks on roads to Iran’s Fordow nuclear-enrichment site.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged that inspectors be allowed to return safely to Iran “to assess the situation”.
- Three Irish citizens living in Iran have been assisted to leave the country. A group of 15 Irish citizens and their dependants were safely evacuated from Israel on Sunday.
- Russia has called Israel’s attack an “unprovoked aggression that has no grounds and no justification”.
- China has warned against the closure of the Strait of Hormuz which is a vital artery for it to receive a majority of its oil.
US officials are warning businesses to brace for potential Iranian cyberattacks following American air strikes on the country’s nuclear sites.
A bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security warned that Iranian hackers routinely target American technology, and that such activity is poised to occur after the US military operation. The message said that DHS hadn’t identified any specific imminent threat.
It also warned of potential retaliatory violence from extremists in the US.
Clerics tasked with selecting Khamenei’s successor ‘accelerate planning’
Reuters reports that the clock is ticking for senior clerics seeking a successor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A three-man committee from a top clerical body, appointed by Khamenei two years ago to identify his replacement, has accelerated its planning since Israel attacked Iran and threatened to assassinate the veteran leader, five insiders with knowledge of the discussions said.
Khamenei (86) is being regularly briefed on the talks, according to the Iranian sources. He has gone into hiding with his family and is being guarded by the Vali-ye Amr special forces unit of the Revolutionary Guards, a security official said.
The ruling establishment will immediately seek to name a successor to Khamenei if he is killed, to signal stability and continuity, according to the sources who acknowledged that predicting Iran’s subsequent political trajectory was difficult.
Iran has said US strikes on its nuclear sites over the weekend have delivered an “irreparable blow” to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), rendering it ineffective.
Iran’s envoy for the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, described the US attacks as an act of aggression that “delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow to the international non-proliferation regime conclusively demonstrating that the existing NPT framework has been rendered ineffective”.
Mr Najafi did not specify whether Iran would look to leave the NPT, something that would probably mean the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog can no longer inspect the country’s atomic facilities. – Bloomberg
Russian president Vladimir Putin told Iran’s foreign minister on Monday there was no justification for the US bombing of his country and that Moscow was trying to help the Iranian people.
Mr Putin hosted Abbas Araqchi in Moscow two days after US president Donald Trump sent bomber planes to strike Iran’s three main nuclear sites.
“The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification,” Mr Putin told Mr Araqchi in televised comments.
“For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people,” he added.
“I am very glad that you are in Moscow today, this will give us the opportunity to discuss all these pressing issues and think together about how we could get out of today’s situation.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Monday the military was carrying out strikes on Tehran, including on the Evin Prison, which he said holds political prisoners and opponents of the Islamic Republic.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had earlier shared footage of the prison being targeted on his X account and wrote “long live freedom” in Spanish – Reuters
Russia deeply regrets and condemns the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the Kremlin said on Monday.
The US actions had increased the number of participants in the conflict and ushered in a new spiral of escalation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
He added it was not yet clear what had happened to Iran’s nuclear facilities and whether there was a radiation hazard.
The situation on the ground in Iran after the strikes cannot fail to be a cause of concern, he said.
Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran in January, although it did not include a mutual defence clause. Before Saturday’s US strikes, Moscow had warned that US military intervention could destabilise the entire region and plunge it into the “abyss”.
Mr Peskov said US president Donald Trump had not told Russian president Vladimir Putin in detail about the planned strikes in advance, although they had discussed the possibility of US military involvement more generally.
Asked what Russia was ready to do now, Mr Peskov said Moscow had offered its services as a mediator, and what happened next would depend on what Iran needed – Reuters
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief executive Rafael Grossi has appealed for a ceasefire to allow the agency to inspect Iran’s nuclear sites.
In a statement to the IAEA’s board of governors in Vienna, he said: “Establishing the facts on the ground is a prerequisite for any agreement, and this can only be done through IAEA inspections.
“There needs to be a cessation of hostilities for the necessary safety and security conditions to prevail so that Iran can let IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation.”
China has called for greater international effort to de-escalate the Israel-Iran conflict to prevent further impact on the global economy, as calls grow within Iran for closing the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites.
A spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said the Gulf and its surrounding waters are vital channels for the international trade in goods and energy.
“Maintaining security and stability in the region serves the common interests of the international community,” Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson, told a news conference on Monday.
“China calls on the international community to intensify efforts to de-escalate the conflict and prevent regional turbulence from further impacting global economic development.”
Europe correspondent Jack Power has more from that EU meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels:
Any decision by Iran to block off the strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane, particularly for oil, would be “extremely dangerous,” the EU’s foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, has said.
Preliminary discussions between Iran and European governments were blindsided by the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at the weekend.
“The European Union has always been in favour of diplomacy. We had talks to the Iranian minister on Friday, there Iran was opening up to discuss the topics, nuclear, but also broader security issues,” Ms Kallas said.
A meeting of EU foreign ministers has started in Brussels, where ministers and Ms Kallas will discuss what role Europe might play in trying to tone down the Israel-Iran conflict.
“The concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge, especially the closing of the strait of Hormuz, [that] is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody,” Ms Kallas said on her way into the meeting this morning.
A fact-finding mission mandated by the United Nations said some of Israel’s strikes on Iran may have broken international humanitarian law, citing the killing of civilians in an apartment block and three aid workers in Tehran.
Israel began air strikes on Iran in a surprise attack on June 13th and the United States joined on Sunday by hitting Iran’s underground nuclear sites.
“Among those killed in Tehran were dozens of residents of an apartment complex and three humanitarian workers from the Iranian Red Cross, while damaged sites included a clinic for children with autism and a hospital in Kermanshah.
The fate of Iran’s nuclear programme, and attempts by the US and Israel to destroy it, could hang on the Islamic republic’s more than 400kg of uranium enriched to levels just short of weapons-grade.
Severe damage has been done to Iran’s nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan, but could the enriched uranium have been moved before the US strike?
A very unhelpful intervention – Tánaiste
Europe correspondent Jack Powers reports from Brussels:
The US military strikes on Iran were a “very unhelpful intervention” that made an already volatile situation even more dangerous, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has said.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Harris said Iran was now a “tinderbox”, where the escalating crisis needed to be brought back to the negotiating table.
“The conflict between Iran and Israel is at real risk of spilling over and broadening and all control of it being lost,” he said.
“I’ve been very clear in relation to international law ... Attacks on nuclear installations, there are international laws that say you shouldn’t do this,” he said.
“I said very clearly yesterday, that actually the actions of the United States added a significant level of danger to an already volatile situation,” Mr Harris said.
“It has added a huge layer of extra volatility and danger. What we now need to see is no further escalation of measures, and that really has to be where the focus of the European Union has to be”.
The EU needed to “reiterate” its calls for de-escalation and negotiations with Iran, he said. “Ultimately, the only way forward in relation to this situation will be a diplomatic negotiation solution,” he said.
A previous “imperfect” 2015 deal with Iran on its nuclear programme, which the US later withdrew from, had yielded much more results than “any level of military aggression,” Mr Harris said.
Of the three Irish citizens recently evacuated from Iran, two were children, Mr Harris added. The Fine Gael leader was speaking in Brussels on his way in to a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers.
More details have emerged about the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
A total of 14 GBU-57 bombs were used on the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant and the Natanz Nuclear Facility.
The GBU-57s are known as large ordnance penetrator weapons – known as MOPs.
The MOP bomb is able to drop through about 18m of concrete or 61m (200ft) of earth before exploding, according to experts. This means that although it’s not guaranteed success, it is the only bomb in the world that could come close to impacting the depth of tunnels at the Fordo facility – thought to be between 80m and 90m below the surface.
The extent of the damage is not known yet.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has confirmed that Irish citizens who were in Iran are on their way back to Ireland.
All citizens still in Iran are reminded to register at citizensregistration.dfa.ie so we can stay in touch & keep you updated on important developments.
This follows the successful evacuation of 15 Irish citizens and their dependants from Israel yesterday.
There has been broad, and differing, global reaction to the US attacks on Iran.
Meanwhile US president Donald Trump expressed a desire on Monday to see oil prices kept down amid fears that the aftermath of the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities could cause them to spike.
“Everyone, keep oil prices down, I’m watching! You’re playing into the hands of the enemy, don’t do it,” Trump wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform.
Trump followed up with another post addressed to the US Department of Energy, encouraging it to “drill, baby, drill” and saying, “I mean now.”
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright responded, “We’re on it!” in a post on X.
It was not immediately clear what the energy department could do to boost oil and gas drilling, which hit record highs during the previous administration of former president Joe Biden and which Trump wants to take even higher.
Global benchmark Brent oil prices oscillated on Monday, touching a five-month high before falling more than 1 per cent to $76.10 a barrel.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu:
“Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history ... History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi on X:
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT (nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations. The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour. In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on X:
“Iran must never acquire the bomb.
“With tensions in the Middle East at a new peak, stability must be the priority. And respect for international law is critical.
“Now is the moment for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution. The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis.”
Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the UN:
“Peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved by the use of force.
“Diplomatic means to address the Iranian nuclear issue haven’t been exhausted, and there’s still hope for a peaceful solution.”
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia’s security council, on Telegram:
“Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the U.S. With this kind of success, Trump won’t win the Nobel Peace Prize.”
UN secretary general António Guterres:
“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security. There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world. I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.” – Reuters
Israel launched “a wave of strikes against military targets” in western Iran and the capital Tehran overnight into Monday, according to an Israeli military official speaking to CNN.
About 20 fighter jets conducted the strikes, targeting infrastructure in the western city of Kermanshah, which the official said was used for missile storage and launching, satellite systems and military radar sites.
Israeli fighter jets also struck a surface-to-air missile launcher in Tehran, according to the official.
One Israeli drone was downed over Iran, but “there is no risk of an information breach,” according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Iran also launched its own strike on Israel on Monday, firing a missile that was intercepted by Israel’s air defences, the IDF said.
Flight cancellations show aviation industry’s concerns
Commercial airlines around the world on Monday were weighing how long to suspend Middle East flights as a conflict which has already cut off big flight routes entered a new phase after the US attacked key Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran vowed to defend itself.
The usually busy airspace stretching from Iran and Iraq to the Mediterranean has been largely empty of commercial air traffic for 10 days since Israel began strikes on Iran on June 13th, as airlines divert, cancel and delay flights through the region due to airspace closures and safety concerns.
New cancellations of some flights by international carriers in recent days to usually resilient aviation hubs like Dubai, the world’s busiest international airport, and Qatar’s Doha, show how aviation industry concerns about the region have escalated.
However, some international airlines were resuming services on Monday.
Leading Asian carrier Singapore Airlines, which described the situation as “fluid”, was set to resume flying to Dubai on Monday after cancelling its Sunday flight from Singapore.
Similarly, Flightradar24 departure boards show British Airways, owned by IAG, was set to resume Dubai and Doha flights on Monday after cancelling routes to and from those airports on Sunday.
Air France KLM cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on Sunday and Monday. – Reuters
Taoiseach calls for ‘de-escalation’ but does not criticise US bombing
The Government has called on all parties to “de-escalate” the Iran conflict, but did not criticise or condemn the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US.
Mr Martin did not refer to the bombing in his statement, but called on all parties to work to “de-escalate the conflict” between Iran and Israel.
Read the full article here.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Israel was very close to meeting its goals in Iran of removing the threats of ballistic missiles and the nuclear programme.
Speaking to Israeli reporters, he said: “We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won’t finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop.”
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said on Monday he had a good meeting Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow and they discussed developments in the Middle East in detail, Russian state news agency RIA said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin and Araqchi discussed a range of issues, with a particular focus on steering the regional situation toward a peaceful resolution.
The UK, France and Germany have released a joint statement following American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying they called upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear programme.
The three countries also urged Iran “not to take any further action that could destabilise the region”, adding: “We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security.” – Guardian
