Europeans in talks with Iran as Rubio calls around
As European diplomats seek to de-escalate the Israel/Iran conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been discussing the situation with other countries.
Rubio met British foreign minister David Lammy on Thursday and held separate calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the conflict.
The US State Department said Rubio and the foreign ministers agreed that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon."
Lammy said the same on X while adding that the situation in the Middle East "remained perilous" and a "window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution."
US President Donald Trump says he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the war, the White House said.
The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union were due to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva on Friday to try to create a pathway back to diplomacy.
The ministers from the countries, known as the E3, spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week.
In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face.
Negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12.
"The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens."
The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the US strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations.
Diplomats said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear program would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its program.
An Iranian official urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran.
"Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said.
Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and US put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
28 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Australian military deployed to help Middle East evacuees
The military is being called in to help Australians trying to leave Iran and Israel, after the US gave itself two weeks to decide on whether to join the conflict between the Middle Eastern nations. Foreign Minister Penny Wong stressed the government was not sending in the Australian Defence Force in combat roles, but only to assist citizens and residents. She said any Australians left in Iran should leave if they can after closing the Australian embassy in the capital, Tehran, and ordering all diplomatic staff to depart. 'We are sending defence assets to help Australians — they are not there for combat,' Wong said. 'I wish that we had more capacity to assist, but the difficult reality is, the situation on the ground is extremely unstable.' The defence personnel and aircraft are part of contingency plans to help Australians leave if and when the now-closed airspace in Israel and Iran reopens. Some Iranian consulate staff have been sent to the closest land crossing in Azerbaijan to help Australians still in the nation. Those attempting to leave for a neighbouring state have been warned to consider the risks, as borders may close without notice and roads are exposed to attacks. There are also different visa rules for many of the bordering nations including Armenia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Australians have been advised not to travel to Afghanistan, Iraq or parts of Pakistan that border Iran. Iran and Israel have continued to trade strikes after the Israeli military began its attack a week ago in a bid to wipe out Iran's nuclear program. Overnight, US President Donald Trump, who has kept the world guessing about whether the US might join the war on Israel's side, said he would make a decision within two weeks. He noted there was a 'substantial chance' of negotiations with Iran. Trump has demanded Iran unconditionally surrender, saying he knew where Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding. Iran has warned of 'all-out war' if the US joins the fray. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1300 others, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Israel says Iran's retaliatory strikes have killed at least 24 people and wounded hundreds. The Australian government has repeatedly urged all parties involved to prioritise diplomacy and dialogue. 'Given what President Trump has said, there is an opportunity over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,' Senator Wong said. 'That is what we want to see and that is what the world wants to see. 'Iran must come to the table and it must stop any nuclear weapons program.' More than 2000 Australians have registered for assistance to leave Iran, up from 1500 on Thursday. The government has already helped Australians flee Israel using a border crossing to Jordan. There are still more than 1200 Australians registered for assistance to depart Israel, where the airspace is also closed.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Trump decision 'within two weeks' on Israel/Iran war
US President Donald Trump says he will decide 'within two weeks' whether the US military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, leaving a space open for the two sides to de-escalate. Trump has been weighing up 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 US "bunker-buster" bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Earlier in the day, Israel's defence minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel's military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smouldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran's nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would "do what's best for America." Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, he added: "I can tell you that they're already helping a lot." A new diplomatic initiative appeared to be underway as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel to Geneva for a Friday meeting with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union's top diplomat. Britain's foreign secretary said he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Britain's David Lammy said in a social media post after Thursday's meeting. The open conflict between Israel and Iran erupted last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israel's Home Front Command asserted that one of the Iranian ballistic missiles fired on Thursday had been rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. A cluster warhead carries dozens of submunitions that can explode on impact, showering small bomblets around a large area. At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in the strike on Soroka Medical Centre, though much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days. Vulnerable patients had been transferred underground. Iranian officials insisted they had not sought to strike the hospital and claimed the attack hit a facility belonging to the Israeli military's elite technological unit, called C4i. Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off to the outside world, it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any US military involvement would cause "irreparable damage to them." The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that due to restrictions imposed by Iran on inspectors, the UN nuclear watchdog has lost "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. US President Donald Trump says he will decide 'within two weeks' whether the US military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, leaving a space open for the two sides to de-escalate. Trump has been weighing up 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 US "bunker-buster" bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Earlier in the day, Israel's defence minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel's military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smouldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran's nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would "do what's best for America." Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, he added: "I can tell you that they're already helping a lot." A new diplomatic initiative appeared to be underway as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel to Geneva for a Friday meeting with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union's top diplomat. Britain's foreign secretary said he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Britain's David Lammy said in a social media post after Thursday's meeting. The open conflict between Israel and Iran erupted last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israel's Home Front Command asserted that one of the Iranian ballistic missiles fired on Thursday had been rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. A cluster warhead carries dozens of submunitions that can explode on impact, showering small bomblets around a large area. At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in the strike on Soroka Medical Centre, though much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days. Vulnerable patients had been transferred underground. Iranian officials insisted they had not sought to strike the hospital and claimed the attack hit a facility belonging to the Israeli military's elite technological unit, called C4i. Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off to the outside world, it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any US military involvement would cause "irreparable damage to them." The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that due to restrictions imposed by Iran on inspectors, the UN nuclear watchdog has lost "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. US President Donald Trump says he will decide 'within two weeks' whether the US military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, leaving a space open for the two sides to de-escalate. Trump has been weighing up 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 US "bunker-buster" bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Earlier in the day, Israel's defence minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel's military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smouldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran's nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would "do what's best for America." Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, he added: "I can tell you that they're already helping a lot." A new diplomatic initiative appeared to be underway as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel to Geneva for a Friday meeting with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union's top diplomat. Britain's foreign secretary said he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Britain's David Lammy said in a social media post after Thursday's meeting. The open conflict between Israel and Iran erupted last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israel's Home Front Command asserted that one of the Iranian ballistic missiles fired on Thursday had been rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. A cluster warhead carries dozens of submunitions that can explode on impact, showering small bomblets around a large area. At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in the strike on Soroka Medical Centre, though much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days. Vulnerable patients had been transferred underground. Iranian officials insisted they had not sought to strike the hospital and claimed the attack hit a facility belonging to the Israeli military's elite technological unit, called C4i. Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off to the outside world, it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any US military involvement would cause "irreparable damage to them." The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that due to restrictions imposed by Iran on inspectors, the UN nuclear watchdog has lost "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile. US President Donald Trump says he will decide 'within two weeks' whether the US military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, leaving a space open for the two sides to de-escalate. Trump has been weighing up 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 US "bunker-buster" bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Earlier in the day, Israel's defence minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel's military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist," Defence Minister Israel Katz said. As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smouldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran's nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would "do what's best for America." Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba, he added: "I can tell you that they're already helping a lot." A new diplomatic initiative appeared to be underway as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel to Geneva for a Friday meeting with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the European Union's top diplomat. Britain's foreign secretary said he met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict. "A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Britain's David Lammy said in a social media post after Thursday's meeting. The open conflict between Israel and Iran erupted last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israel's Home Front Command asserted that one of the Iranian ballistic missiles fired on Thursday had been rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. A cluster warhead carries dozens of submunitions that can explode on impact, showering small bomblets around a large area. At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in the strike on Soroka Medical Centre, though much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days. Vulnerable patients had been transferred underground. Iranian officials insisted they had not sought to strike the hospital and claimed the attack hit a facility belonging to the Israeli military's elite technological unit, called C4i. Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off to the outside world, it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran's supreme leader has rejected US calls for surrender and warned that any US military involvement would cause "irreparable damage to them." The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that due to restrictions imposed by Iran on inspectors, the UN nuclear watchdog has lost "continuity of knowledge" about Iran's heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran's production and stockpile.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Age checking tech works but mostly it asks to see your ID despite government promises
Nearly all the companies involved in a technology trial ahead of the under-16s social media ban check how old people are by matching IDs and selfies, despite the Government insisting no one would be compelled to hand over official documents once the world-leading law starts. The ban will come into effect in December, with the onus on social media companies to make sure children aren't on their platforms. Preliminary findings from the age assurance trial published on Friday show the technology exists and is ready for deployment, although some will be easier to use than others. Project director Tony Allen said the aim was to work out if age assurance could be done, and there was plenty of evidence that it was technically feasible. 'There are lots of systems and processes out there and choices available, but we didn't find a ubiquitous one-size-fits-all solution that would work in all circumstances,' he told The West. An analysis of the methods used by the 32 providers that gave statements to the trial shows that the vast majority use a combination of cross-checking identification documents, such as passports or driver's licences, with facial scans. Former communications minister Michelle Rowland guaranteed in legislation last year that no Australian would be compelled to use government identification documents to verify their age with social media companies. 'Platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to users,' she said when the law passed. The government sees the trial as a way to explore the efficacy of age estimation and verification technology, not a tool to pick one product that social media companies must use. Communications Minister Anika Wells is waiting for the final report, expected to contain hundreds of pages of technical detail, to be handed to her next month. 'The government will be guided by advice from the eSafety Commissioner on the implementation of the law,' her spokesman said. 'We know that social media age-restrictions will not be the end-all be-all solution for harms experienced by young people online, but it's a step in the right direction to keep our kids safer.' Just five of the providers in the trial offered technology that didn't require documents at all. Mostly these worked from selfies or face scans, with one analysing a user's hand movements to determine their age. Several offered services that use a face scan to estimate age, then add a secondary step asking for documentary proof if the person is close to the age threshold. Mr Allen said that type of 'successive validation' was a common process. 'If the gateway is (age) 18, if you're 18, 19, 20, you're more likely, I suspect, to have to produce some more evidence that you're over 18 than maybe if you're in your 30s or 40s,' he said. But there were also services that required official documents to be provided at the outset, including two that scan the information on the chips contained in passports. Andrew Hammond, the trial's deputy project director, said there was a huge variety of technology aimed at doing different jobs in terms of checking someone's age or verifying their identity. Social media platforms were engaged in the trial process, including Meta and Snap who made a joint proposal for how they would check people's ages, although it was conceptual rather than being based on existing technology. Instagram already uses Yoti, which was also involved in the trial, to verify the ages of people it thinks might be under 13 via a video selfie. Digital Industry Group director of regulatory affairs Jenny Duxbury said the peak body for the sector would review the preliminary findings and continue to engage with the Government on how the social media ban could be implemented.
