Iran issues stark warning to Trump ‘the gambler': We will end this war

Iran said on Monday that the US attack on its nuclear sites expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces and called President Donald Trump a 'gambler' for joining Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, said the US should expect heavy consequences for its actions.
'Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,' Zolfaqari said in English at the end of a recorded video statement.
Advertisement
3 President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) sit in the Situation Room as they monitor the mission that took out three Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, at the White House on June 21, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Getty Images
Iran and Israel traded air and missile strikes as the world braced for Tehran's response to the U.S. attack on its nuclear sites over the weekend, which Trump suggested could lead to the overthrow of the Iranian government.
Commercial satellite imagery indicated Saturday's attack on Iran's Fordow nuclear plant far underground had severely damaged or destroyed the site and the uranium-enriching centrifuges it housed, but its status remained unconfirmed, experts said.
Advertisement
In his latest social media comments on the US strikes, Trump said: 'Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran.'
'The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!' he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump earlier called on Iran to forgo any retaliation and said the government 'must now make peace' or future attacks would be 'far greater and a lot easier', fuelling global concern about further escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
3 The Iranian Army media office on June 23, 2025, shows the Army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami (C) speaking during a meeting in the Iranian Army's War Command Room.
Iranian Army Media Office/AFP via Getty Images
Advertisement
The US launched 75 precision-guided munitions including bunker-buster bombs and more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles against three Iranian nuclear sites, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, told reporters.
The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said no increases in off-site radiation levels had been reported after the US strikes.
Rafael Grossi, the agency's director general, told CNN that it was not yet possible to assess the damage done underground.
3 A map of the US bombings on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Toni Misthos/NY Post Design
Advertisement
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that most of the highly enriched uranium at Fordow had been moved elsewhere before the attack. Reuters could not immediately corroborate the claim.
Tehran, which denies its nuclear programme is for anything other than peaceful purposes, launched a volley of missiles towards Israel in the aftermath of the US attack, wounding scores of people and destroying buildings in Tel Aviv.
But it has not acted on its main options for retaliation, to attack US bases or choke off the 20% of global oil shipments that pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Attempting to strangle the Strait could send global oil prices skyrocketing, derail the world economy, and invite conflict with the US Navy's massive Fifth Fleet based in nearby Bahrain.
Oil prices jumped on Monday to their highest since January. Brent crude futures were up $1.11 or 1.44% to $78.12 a barrel as of 0653 GMT.
US West Texas Intermediate crude advanced $1.08 or 1.45% to $74.87.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

San Francisco Chronicle​

10 minutes ago

• San Francisco Chronicle​

The Latest: The White House defends its massive bombing campaign against Iran

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ABC News on Monday morning that Iran was an 'imminent threat' and that President Donald Trump is the 'first president with the guts to actually do something about it.' She was definitive about the outcome of U.S. strikes, saying they 'took away Iran's ability to create a nuclear bomb.' Over the weekend, American stealth bombers, fighter jets and a submarine struck Iran with bombs and missiles - joining Israel's attempt to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. 'The president was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking,' she told reporters on Monday morning. She added, 'if they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn't the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?' Trump's bombardment of three sites in Iran quickly sparked debate in Congress over his authority to launch the strikes, with Republicans praising Trump for decisive action even as many Democrats warned he should have sought congressional approval. 'We did make bipartisan calls,' Leavitt told Fox News. She said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries 'couldn't be reached.' Traditionally, there are bipartisan briefings for congressional leaders, even for classified missions. Leavitt insisted the White House was 'not obligated to tell anybody' about the plans but 'we gave these calls as a courtesy.' Pakistan condemns Trump shortly after nominating him for Nobel Pakistan condemned U.S. President Donald Trump for bombing Iran, less than 24 hours after saying he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for defusing a recent crisis with India. Relations between the two South Asian countries plummeted after a massacre of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April. The nuclear-armed rivals stepped closer to war in the weeks that followed, attacking each other until intense diplomatic efforts, led by the U.S., resulted in a truce for which Trump took credit.

Associated Press

10 minutes ago

• Associated Press

Crypto Fervor Is Growing, But Some Remain Cautious - Place Your Bets Either Way With LMBO Or REKT

By Kyle Anthony, Benzinga DETROIT, MICHIGAN - June 23, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - For many crypto enthusiasts, Donald Trump's re-election as president of the United States is a watershed moment for the cryptocurrency industry, given his stated proposals. For them, the Trump administration represents a promise of regulator clarity; an element that they may argue was absent in the previous administration. Beginning with financial oversight, Trump has appointed former Securities and Exchange Commissioner Paul S. Atkins to lead the agency once more. Atkins replaced the outgoing commissioner, Gary Gensler, a noted critic and perceived adversary of the cryptocurrency industry. From a policy standpoint, two critical bills, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) and the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Act, look poised to transform the cryptocurrency landscape. FIT21 seeks to establish a clear regulatory framework for digital assets by classifying tokens as digital assets or commodities. The main feature of this bill is that it bifurcates regulatory oversight between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where the former must regulate a digital asset as a commodity if the blockchain, or digital ledger, on which it runs is functional and decentralized. Conversely, the latter will regulate a digital asset as a security if its associated blockchain is functional but not decentralized. Furthermore, as President Trump mentioned during his campaigning, the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Act could potentially establish a national reserve for Bitcoin, boosting its legitimacy and global recognition. If passed, it could encourage other nations to adopt similar policies. Submitted to Congress on July 31, 2024, and currently under Senate Banking Committee review, Trump seems well-positioned to advance this bill. Several U.S. states have also proposed Bitcoin reserve legislation, signaling that Bitcoin as a strategic reserve may become a reality in 2025. With the Republican party having a majority in Congress, albeit small, it is anticipated by many that there will be little resistance to passing the above-mentioned bills or enacting any policy President Trump deems necessary to his agenda. Finally, under the new Trump administration, relaxed application of the Howey Test – a framework set by the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether a transaction qualifies as an investment contract and therefore be considered a security – by the SEC could increase approvals for spot crypto ETFs and public listings of crypto companies. Voices Of Caution At the same time, it's always important to maintain caution, and respected publications have in the past warned about shifts from rags to riches back to rags often occurring within a matter of weeks. Thus far, the hope of potential changes in cryptocurrency regulation has led to a rally in prices for various cryptocurrencies but has also opened the door for opportunism. Preceding his inauguration, President Trump and his wife launched meme coins – cryptocurrencies often inspired by internet memes or trends – a move some industry onlookers view as a cash grab, which undermines the legitimacy of digital assets in the public sphere. The increasing sentiment towards cryptocurrencies following the November 2024 election has resulted in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies rising based on the expectation of regulatory change; however, if said change does not materialize, a broad market sell-off is also possible. Of President Trump's flurry of executive orders and proclamations on inauguration day, none pertained to cryptocurrency regulation. With momentum building around cryptocurrency policy, if it does not materialize meaningfully, there is a growing possibility of a correction. Geoff Kendrick, global head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered Bank, noted the possibility of a 10-20% sell-off if no meaningful policy change is implemented. Gaining Comprehensive Exposure To The Crypto Industry With Direxion For investors looking to gain comprehensive exposure to the crypto industry, Direxion's Daily Crypto Industry Bull 2X and Bear 1X Shares – (ARCA: LMBO) and (ARCA: REKT), respectively – offer enhanced, pure-play exposure to U.S.-listed securities that have business operations in the field of distributed ledger or decentralized payment technology, which includes the following business fields: blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens, decentralized finance and digital asset mining hardware. These leveraged ETFs are designed to emulate the daily performance of the Solactive Distributed Ledger & Decentralized Payment Tech Index, enabling investors to gain exposure to the index's movements with returns of 300% on its rise or 100% of the inverse. It is important to note that these solutions are intended to take advantage of short-term trends and should not be held for more than a day. Whether bullish or bearish on the crypto industry, these ETFs can help traders easily engage with the industry's growth patterns. However, it's crucial to approach these leveraged products with a clear understanding of their risks. While the amplified exposure can translate to significant gains, it can also lead to substantial losses. These ETFs are best suited for those who can actively manage the inherent risks of leverage and are looking to capitalize on short-term trends occurring with the firm. Learn more about both ETFs on Direxion's website here. Featured photo by Traxer on Unsplash. This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This content was originally published on Benzinga. Read further disclosures here. An investor should carefully consider a Fund's investment objective, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. A Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus contain this and other information about the Direxion Shares. To obtain a Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus call 866-476-7523 or visit our website at A Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus should be read carefully before investing. Leveraged and Inverse ETFs pursue daily leveraged investment objectives which means they are riskier than alternatives which do not use leverage. They seek daily goals and should not be expected to track the underlying index over periods longer than one day. They are not suitable for all investors and should be utilized only by sophisticated investors who understand leverage risk and who actively manage their investments. The Solactive Distributed Ledger & Decentralized Payment Tech Index (SOLDLDPT) seeks to track the performance of US-listed securities that have business operations in the field of distributed ledger or decentralized payment technology, which includes the following business fields: blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens, decentralized finance, and digital asset mining hardware. One cannot invest directly in an index. Solactive AG is not a sponsor of, or in any way affiliated with, the Direxion Daily Crypto Industry Bull 2X Shares or Direxion Daily Crypto Industry Bear 1X Shares. Direxion Shares Risks – An investment in a Fund involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. A Fund is non-diversified and includes risks associated with the Fund's concentrating its investments in a particular industry, sector, or geography which can increase volatility. The use of derivatives such as futures contracts and swaps are subject to market risks that may cause prices to fluctuate over time. Leverage Risk – The Bull Fund obtains investment exposure in excess of its net assets by utilizing leverage and may lose more money in market conditions that are adverse to its investment objective than a fund that does not utilize leverage. A total loss may occur in a single day. Leverage will also have the effect of magnifying any differences in the Fund's correlation with the Index and may increase the volatility of the Fund. Daily Index Correlation Risk – A number of factors may affect the Bull Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with the Index and therefore achieve its daily leveraged investment objective. The Bull Fund's exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index's movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Bull Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Bull Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Daily Inverse Index Correlation Risk – A number of factors may affect the Bear Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of inverse correlation with the Index and therefore achieve its daily inverse leveraged investment objective. The Bear Fund's exposure to the Index is impacted by the Index's movement. Because of this, it is unlikely that the Bear Fund will be perfectly exposed to the Index at the end of each day. The possibility of the Bear Fund being materially over- or under-exposed to the Index increases on days when the Index is volatile near the close of the trading day. Crypto Industry Investing Risk — Companies in the crypto industry are subject to various risks, including the inability to develop digital asset applications or to capitalize on those applications, theft, loss, or destruction of cryptographic keys, the possibility that digital asset technologies may never be fully implemented, cybersecurity risk, conflicting intellectual property claims, and inconsistent and changing regulations. Information Technology Sector Risk — The value of stocks of information technology companies and companies that rely heavily on technology is particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation, and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from competitors with lower production costs. Financials Sector Risk — Performance of companies in the financials sector may be materially impacted by many factors, including but not limited to, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. Additional risks of each Fund include Effects of Compounding and Market Volatility Risk, Market Risk, Counterparty Risk, Rebalancing Risk, Intra-Day Investment Risk, Other Investment Companies (including ETFs Risk), Cash Transaction Risk, Passive Investment and Index Performance Risk and for the Direxion Daily Crypto Industry Bear 1X Shares, Shorting or Inverse Risk. Please see the summary and full prospectuses for a more complete description of these and other risks of a Fund. ALPS Distributors, Inc. View the original release on

CNBC

11 minutes ago

• CNBC

Why market's aren't selling off, even after U.S. attack on Iran

This isn't the market reaction many expected. The U.S. this weekend entered the Iran-Israel war, directly attacking Iranian nuclear sites. President Donald Trump after the attack said there "will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days." Investors trudged into Sunday's futures open expecting a sharp jump in oil prices and a steep decline in equities. That's not what happened. After an initial decline, stock futures were marginally higher on Monday morning, while crude oil futures at one point were lower after trading up a few percent overnight. "Investors aren't terribly panicked about an oil market calamity, an equanimous view that's appropriate at this point," wrote Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge. "Geopolitical risks are undoubtably elevated in the Middle East right now, but our view remains that the extreme asymmetry of the conflict (with Iran's military capabilities, and those of its proxy partners, significantly degraded), coupled with Tehran's relative isolation (with few, if any, allies willing to come to its assistance) and ample global oil supplies, will help keep the fallout contained." @SP.1 5D mountain S & P 500 futures 5-day chart Indeed, while Iran has warned it will retaliate against the U.S. for its attacks, many see few options for the Islamic Republic. One of those is closing the Strait of Hormuz , a major shipping route for roughly 20% of the world's oil. However, that could alienate Tehran's allies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also urged China — the leading buyer of Iranian oil — to dissuade Iran from blocking the strait. Were Iran move to block the strait, "it will be another terrible mistake. It's economic suicide for them if they do it," Rubio told Fox News on Sunday. "The next move is up to the Iranians," wrote Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research. "Our bet is that they will sue for peace. If that's the case, then the price of oil should fall and stock markets around the world should resume their ascents." U.S. crude oil briefly spiked to its highest level since January on Sunday night, but by Monday morning was only fractionally higher. "The key question is whether Iran now retaliates vs. U.S. interests in the region, triggering a massive U.S. response," Alpine Macro chief U.S. strategist David Abramson wrote. "Such a miscalculation by Tehran is possible – even likely. Either way, spikes in oil prices and risk-off market moves are possible, but are likely to fade quickly, given Iran is very ill-poised to win its conflict, especially if the U.S. intervenes again."