Trump sets two-week deadline for Iran decisionn
Donald Trump has said he will decide whether or not the US will intervene militarily in the Israel-Iran conflict, within two weeks.
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Perth Now
16 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Trump meeting on backburner with PM to skip summit
The prime minister will wait a little longer for a second-chance meeting with Donald Trump as the president pushes out his timeline to act on the situation in the Middle East. Anthony Albanese will not go to The Hague for next week's NATO summit, with his deputy Richard Marles to represent Australia at the event as originally planned. Mr Albanese was considering making a last-minute dash to the talks, which could have provided an opportunity to meet in person with the US president. The pair had been scheduled to hold their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada earlier this week. But 24 hours before they were due to meet, Mr Trump revealed he would leave the event early to deal with escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The prime minister is keen to meet with Mr Trump to try to negotiate an exemption from US tariffs, advocate for the nation's nuclear submarine deal with the US and UK and discuss defence spending. Mr Trump is expected to attend the NATO summit, but there is no guarantee he will not pull out at the last second amid volatility in the Middle East. The US president on Friday said he would decide whether to get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict "within the next two weeks". Liberal senator James Paterson earlier said the prime minister should attend NATO regardless of whether he meets with Mr Trump. He believes it would allow Mr Albanese to co-ordinate with allies and help support Ukraine in its war against Russia. It would also present an opportunity to discuss the situation in Iran with European partners, and discuss defence spending. "If he meets with President Trump on the sidelines, that would be a bonus," Senator Paterson said. "But frankly, I think his approach of now waiting seven months to go and see the president and not going to see him in Washington DC, relying on a chance meeting on the sidelines of an international forum, is a very risky strategy." The prime minister wasn't the only world leader left hanging at the G7. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian Volodymyr Zelenskiy also had talks scheduled with Mr Trump the day after he left. Mr Albanese met with senior members of the president's economic team including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The talks involved trade, tariffs and critical minerals - which Australia has considered using as a bargaining chip in US tariff negotiations.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Donald Trump has delayed making a decision on attacking Iran. What's his strategy?
Deal-making? Decisive? Dithering? Or just momentarily deferred? Everyone will take their pick trying to determine why Donald Trump has bought himself time to make the most consequential decision a US president can make — whether to plunge his forces into another foreign conflict of unknown risk and uncertain duration. As ever with Trump pronouncements, there's a little something in this for everyone. "Within the next two weeks" is a timeline vague enough to simultaneously exasperate the Netanyahu government, confound the Iranian leadership, delight nervous allies and bewilder financial markets. On the domestic front, it could prolong the civil skirmish among Republican MAGA (Make America Great Again) forces over whether armed conflict passes as a form of American "greatness" or not these days. Why the US president settled on a timeline of an ill-defined decision-making period of anywhere between one and 14 days is anyone's guess. Make no mistake, leaders and officials in almost every government, not to mention military and foreign policy analysts the world over, are feverishly making their best guesses right now. So here are a few entries to guide this global guessing game. Trump is taking strategic and tactical ambiguity to a new level and has been for days. Earlier this week on the South Lawn of the White House, we probably got the most revealing insight into his mindset when asked by reporters about direct US military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. In any event, he scoffed at publicly telegraphing any decision he may make on bombing missions in Iran so that the world's media could "be there and watch". The obvious conclusion is that advance notice would not be given. This, at least, would be consistent with the approach taken by most commanders in chief — think George W. Bush in Iraq, Obama on killing Osama bin Laden, or more recently, Biden's authorised strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen. Taking the current president at his word, we're not likely to know until after US forces have fired any shots. If they never do, we may be left to deduce ourselves whether this was the result of an active decision Trump took, or a passive one that passed with the moment into the mists of time. The White House has offered very limited reasoning on the significance of the time allocated for extra presidential musing. The clearest explanation for settling on it was offered was by press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who's suggested two weeks is the difference between an latent nuclear weapon program and an active one. "Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that," she said. "And it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would of course pose an existential threat, not just to Israel, but to the United States, and to the entire world." A US deferral carries with it no apparent obligations on Israel or Iran to cease their missile assaults on one other. It does allow time for diplomacy to do its work. According to the Reuters news agency, that work's been quietly going on in the background throughout the week since Israel launched Operation Rising Lion with its attacks on Iran. Quoting diplomatic sources, Reuters has reported that Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi"have spoken several times by phone" during the week. Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is hitting the phones to counterparts from Canberra to Paris, trying to build consensus around a campaign of maximum pressure on the Iranians. Through another channel, the so-called "E3" group of European foreign ministers from Germany, France and the UK are holding their own in-person talks with Araghchi in Geneva to explore a possible nuclear deal. Crucially, any extra time available also allows the Pentagon to ready its plans, forces, weapons, ships, planes and intelligence for potential strikes. Despite his ambiguity, those strikes deliberately and firmly remain as options underpinning the US president's prolonged timeline. Israel's Operation Rising Lion, together with Tehran's ferocious missile response, has already proved costly in lives, injuries and damage inflicted in both countries, but ripples into the broader global economy have so far been minimised. Oil prices are marginally up by about 3 per cent and shipments are still getting through the Strait of Hormuz, regardless of Iranian threats to blockade it if necessary. As they've proven before, ongoing uncertainty about military escalation doesn't mean financial markets will remain calm or rationally in an extended "holding pattern". The White House seems to be alert to the brittleness of oil pricing, with Leavitt giving an assurance that Trump is "paying attention and monitoring that". It's prudent to consider oil price sensitivities because it's via the fuel tank and the family budget that many Americans will decide on the merit or folly of another foreign military venture. The possibility of direct US miliary involvement is tearing at the seams of the MAGA movement which has twice propelled Trump to office on a foreign policy of war avoidance. "America First" is the guiding principle behind MAGA's approach to all things defence and security related. The idea that after only five months in the White House their president might see greatness in the deployment of a "bunker-busting" bomb half a world away in the interests of what they call "neo-con warmongers" is staggeringly incomprehensible to keepers of the flame, like commentator Tucker Carlson and Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. They're pitched against more hawkish pro-Israeli Republican figures including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Texas senator Ted Cruz. Perhaps unintentionally, Cruz exposed the size of the rift within the MAGA clan in a combative on-camera interview with Carlson, revealing that for all his swagger, the Texan knew dangerously little about the foe he would have bombed into nuclear submission — unable to place any figure on simple facts including Iran's population. The internal MAGA fight might cause Trump some political discomfort at home, but he's just guaranteed the combatants can slug it out for a couple more weeks, or longer, until he makes a final decision.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Lunch Wrap: ASX dragged down by sinking China steel and flying missiles
ASX falls as China steel sinks miners Iran hits Israeli labs with cluster bombs Oil jumps then eases on Trump's comments The ASX was down 0.55% at around lunch time in the east on Friday, and you can't blame Wall Street for this one. The Yanks were out celebrating Juneteenth with the markets shut. But Europe was wide awake, and the headlines coming out of the Middle East were enough to wipe the smile off any trader's face. Iran is apparently lobbing missiles with cluster bombs into Israeli suburbs. These things burst mid-air and scatter mini-bombs over a wide area, with one landing in someone's backyard in Azor. Tehran also targeted Israel's scientific crown jewel, the Weizmann Institute of Science. Years of research in life sciences and physics gone up in smoke. With that as the backdrop, Brent crude spiked as punters braced for a possible US strike on Iran. But then Trump walked it back a bit. His team now reckons there's a 'substantial chance' of negotiation, with a decision 'within two weeks'. Those comments took the edge off, with oil prices coming back down a tad. Elsewhere, the Bank of England kept rates on hold at 4.25% last night. Three policy members wanted a cut, and there's now a decent chance of a trim come August. Over in Russia, the Kremlin's economy minister just admitted the country's 'on the brink' of recession, pointing to weakening indicators. Not something you usually hear from Putin's camp. Back home, the ASX was already on the ropes before the opening bell thanks to China's steel numbers. Steel production slumped nearly 7% in May, way below expectations, and that sent our iron ore stocks tumbling once again. Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) fell 0.5% and Bluescope Steel (ASX:BSL) dropped 1% this morning. And, Web Travel Group (ASX:WEB) slipped 1.5%, though it wasn't all bad. Former Virgin Australia boss Paul Scurrah is joining the board alongside retail veteran Melanie Wilson from JB Hi-Fi and Oroton. This is where things stood at around 12:40pm, AEST: ASX SMALL CAP WINNERS Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for June 20 : Security Description Last % Volume MktCap GMN Gold Mountain Ltd 0.002 50% 442,562 $5,619,759 JAV Javelin Minerals Ltd 0.003 50% 270,825 $12,252,298 PV1 Provaris Energy Ltd 0.014 40% 2,589,991 $6,980,013 RNX Renegade Exploration 0.004 33% 321,227 $3,865,090 BMO Bastion Minerals 0.002 27% 986,000 $1,419,960 CAZ Cazaly Resources 0.025 25% 3,014,837 $9,226,060 ALM Alma Metals Ltd 0.005 25% 707,408 $6,345,381 AOK Australian Oil. 0.003 25% 17,657 $2,003,566 AUK Aumake Limited 0.003 25% 176,755 $6,046,718 CR9 Corellares 0.003 25% 3,635 $2,011,213 EDE Eden Inv Ltd 0.003 25% 1,150,129 $8,219,762 FIN FIN Resources Ltd 0.005 25% 100,000 $2,779,554 FLC Fluence Corporation 0.045 25% 1,830,658 $39,071,613 GGE Grand Gulf Energy 0.003 25% 1,458,526 $5,640,850 MEM Memphasys Ltd 0.005 25% 1,004,099 $7,934,392 SRJ SRJ Technologies 0.005 25% 113,950 $2,422,312 ALR Altairminerals 0.003 20% 312,349 $10,741,860 BLU Blue Energy Limited 0.006 20% 3,122,353 $9,254,868 BGE Bridgesaaslimited 0.014 17% 61,111 $2,398,310 NAE New Age Exploration 0.004 17% 50,877 $8,117,734 W2V Way2Vatltd 0.007 17% 500,000 $10,196,818 E79 E79Goldmineslimited 0.023 15% 473,530 $3,168,253 MCA Murray Cod Aust Ltd 1.000 15% 59,465 $92,023,850 BPH BPH Energy Ltd 0.008 14% 625,500 $8,527,630 MPR Mpower Group Limited 0.008 14% 70,398 $2,405,923 Provaris Energy (ASX:PV1) has signed an MOU with global shipping heavyweight 'K' LINE to help commercialise its hydrogen transport vessels, the H2Neo and H2Leo. The tie-up gives Provaris access to technical and commercial know-how as it pushes into Europe, where demand for hydrogen is set to boom. The two will spend the next 12 months working on ship development, cost models and possible commercial deals. It also supports Provaris' supply chain plans in Norway and its earlier hydrogen delivery deals with German utilities. Compressed hydrogen is gaining traction as a cheap, scalable way to ship gas across short marine distances. Bastion Minerals (ASX:BMO) has appointed John Ribbons as its new company secretary, following the resignation of Justin Clyne. Ribbons will take on the role alongside his CFO duties, bringing over 25 years of experience in governance, compliance, and the resources game. The company says the move will streamline operations and save costs. ASX SMALL CAP LOSERS Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks for June 20 : Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap ADD Adavale Resource Ltd 0.001 -50% 61,313 $4,574,558 BP8 Bph Global Ltd 0.001 -50% 3,216,693 $2,101,969 BCB Bowen Coal Limited 0.195 -44% 1,764,116 $37,715,145 RPG Raptis Group Limited 0.090 -44% 298,705 $56,109,577 BEL Bentley Capital Ltd 0.008 -33% 7,851 $913,535 PKO Peako Limited 0.002 -33% 925,298 $4,463,226 RLC Reedy Lagoon Corp. 0.001 -33% 135,000 $1,165,060 SHP South Harz Potash 0.002 -33% 310,000 $3,308,186 EEL Enrg Elements Ltd 0.002 -25% 532,818 $6,507,557 WEC White Energy Company 0.035 -20% 133 $13,711,276 ATX Amplia Therapeutics 0.195 -17% 20,968,141 $91,168,877 AMS Atomos 0.005 -17% 58,076 $7,290,111 DRE Dreadnought Resources 0.010 -17% 43,202,725 $60,954,000 ECT Env Clean Tech Ltd. 0.003 -17% 5,705,686 $12,020,306 3PL 3P Learning Ltd 0.560 -16% 34,796 $182,847,370 ADR Adherium Ltd 0.006 -14% 100,000 $5,307,296 AS2 Askarimetalslimited 0.006 -14% 400,000 $2,829,195 ASP Aspermont Limited 0.006 -14% 350,000 $17,312,314 AXI Axiom Properties 0.030 -14% 30,000 $15,144,978 AYT Austin Metals Ltd 0.003 -14% 100,000 $5,509,670 EV1 Evolutionenergy 0.012 -14% 1 $5,077,107 M24 Mamba Exploration 0.012 -14% 30,000 $4,132,319 IR1 Irismetals 0.100 -13% 6,342 $19,832,829 ODY Odyssey Gold Ltd 0.020 -13% 2,769,548 $20,674,036 BNR Bulletin Res Ltd 0.054 -13% 107,527 $18,204,026 Bowen Coking Coal (ASX:BCB) collapsed 45% after warning it might have to pause its flagship Burton Mine. BCB said coal prices are in the gutter, and Queensland's royalty regime is, in Bowen's words, flat-out 'unsustainable'. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT QMines (ASX:QML) is in the final stages of acquiring the Mount Mackenzie gold-silver project after completing due diligence. Anson Resources (ASX:ASN) has built a static and dynamic Petrel model for its Green River lithium project in Utah that will help determine the location, design and depth of extraction and disposal wells. Western Gold Resources (ASX:WGR) is transitioning from explorer to producer after inking a binding milling agreement to fast track the Gold Duke mine.
