Iran warns of 'everlasting' consequences in chilling response to US attack
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi blasted the US strikes and said that his country "reserves all options" to retaliate.
Iran had sent a chilling response warning of "everlasting" consequences after the US carried out a "very successful attack" on three of its nuclear sites.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi blasted the US strikes and said that his country "reserves all options" to retaliate.
As the Mirror reports, the attack included a strike on the heavily protected Fordow enrichment plant - which is buried deep under a mountain in the Iranian city of Qom. Other sites hit during the early hours of Sunday morning were Natanz and Isfahan.
President Donald Trump announced with missile raid on social media which sparked a furious response from Araghchi who branded the move "outrageous". The foreign minister said "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Mr Araghchi wrote on X.. "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-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people."
Tensions are spiralling in the middle east with Iran demanding an emergency meeting with the UN, calling for action to "maintain international peace and condemn the US strikes," according to Iranian state media.
Meanwhile, chaos has erupted inside Israel. In a retaliatory blow, Iranian missiles have reportedly struck ten different locations across the country, according to Israeli state broadcaster KAN.
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The night sky over Tel Aviv lit up with multiple explosions, as panicked residents reported loud blasts echoing through the city. Israeli media confirmed that missiles have slammed into northern and central areas, including Haifa, Ness Ziona, Rishon LeZion, and Tel Aviv itself.
The fighting was sparked by Israel launching a surprise barrage of attacks on sites in Iran on June 13, which Israeli officials said was necessary to head off what they claimed was an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs. Iran has retaliated with a series of missile and drone strikes in Israel, while Israel has continued to strike sites in Iran.
Responding to the US' attack, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "Iran's nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat.
"The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis."
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BBC News
27 minutes ago
- BBC News
US and Iran: What's happening?
The United States has launched military strikes in Iran, attacking three nuclear bases in the in a televised speech from the White House, US President Donald Trump called the operation a "spectacular military success" and warned that Iran should make peace or face "far greater" response to the strikes, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said: "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences." What's the background to this? The US bombing of Iran's nuclear sites comes just over a week after Israel launched strikes on then Israel and Iran have continued to fire missiles at each and the US have long been allies. Now President Trump has decided to support Israel by joining the attack on said American warplanes attacked three nuclear sites in Iran - including an underground nuclear site called has always said its nuclear research is for peaceful purposes like the strikes President Trump said: "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." What has been the reaction? UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Iran's nuclear programme as "a grave threat to international security"."Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," Starmer Foreign Minister David Lammy says "the UK did not participate in these strikes" and urged Iran to "show restraint and reach a diplomatic solution to end the crisis", which means through peaceful UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:"There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace."Since the US bombing, missile attacks between Israel and Iran have continued.
Western Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
PM urges Britons to contact Foreign Office for Israel evacuation flights
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Western Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
US does not seek war, says Pentagon after bombing Iran's nuclear sites
The mission, called Operation Midnight Hammer, involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Mr Hegseth and US Air Force General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference on Sunday. Mr Hegseth said it is important to note the US strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people, a veiled effort to indicate to Tehran they do not want retaliation on American targets in the region. 'This mission was not and has not been about regime change,' Mr Hegseth added. Mr Caine said the goal of the operation – destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – had been achieved. US President Donald Trump earlier claimed the facilities had been 'completely and fully obliterated'. 'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,' Mr Caine said. 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Iran targeted Tel Aviv with missiles in the hours after the US attack (Oded Balilty/AP) Mr Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned there will be additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' he said. Iran's foreign ministry said Washington had 'betrayed diplomacy' with the military strikes, and that 'the US has itself launched a dangerous war against Iran'. Its statement added: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its right to resist with full force against US military aggression and the crimes committed by this rogue regime, and to defend Iran's security and national interests.' Hours after the American attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its entire facade torn away to expose the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had 'swiftly neutralised' the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes towards military targets in western Iran. President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the White House following the air strikes (Carlos Barria/pool/AP) Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Mr Trump and Israeli leaders have argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground. Mr Trump appears to have made the calculation – at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republicans – that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Mr Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordo. All planes are safely on their way home.' Mr Trump later added: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!' Israel announced on Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. US officials said the attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, while submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack was a risky one for Mr Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism. But he has vowed he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped the threat of force would bring the country's leaders to give up its nuclear programme peacefully.
