World's Gone Mad: TV host torches Tucker Carlson's ‘gotcha' questions to Ted Cruz
Sky News host James Macpherson has slammed Tucker Carlson's 'gotcha' questions in his interview with Ted Cruz.
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The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Zelensky says 'Ayatollah Putin' wants to wage war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being uninterested in peace and acting like the authoritarian ruler of Iran, calling him 'Ayatollah Putin.' His comments came after Putin said that in his view, the whole of Ukraine was 'ours' and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy. The Ukrainian leader also said that despite Putin's assertions at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which ended on Friday, the Russian economy is declining and he would like to push it further down. "The Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more," he said in Kiev. "Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries." Putin had reiterated Russia's claim to Ukraine at the forum and said he viewed Russians and Ukrainians as one people. He also said Russia had a saying -"Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours." Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha denounced Friday's statements as evidence of Russian "disdain" for US peace efforts and said Moscow was bent on seizing more territory and killing more Ukrainians. Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, "he brings along only death, destruction, and devastation," Sybiha said. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, more than 99 per cent of the Luhansk region, over 70 per cent of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and fragments of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Kyiv and its Western allies say Moscow's claims to four Ukrainian regions and Crimea are illegal, and President Zelenskiy has repeatedly rejected the notion that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Putin said Moscow wanted Ukraine to accept the reality on the ground if there was to be a chance of peace - Russia's shorthand for the reality of Russia's control over a chunk of Ukrainian territory bigger than the US state of Virginia. "Russia wants to wage war," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. The continued threats coming from Russia mean that "the pressure the world is applying isn't hurting them enough yet." Zelenskiy said commanders had discussed action in Ukraine's northern Sumy region and that Russia had "various plans and intentions, completely mad as always. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy region." Putin said Russian forces were carving out a buffer zone in the Sumy region in order to protect Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being uninterested in peace and acting like the authoritarian ruler of Iran, calling him 'Ayatollah Putin.' His comments came after Putin said that in his view, the whole of Ukraine was 'ours' and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy. The Ukrainian leader also said that despite Putin's assertions at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which ended on Friday, the Russian economy is declining and he would like to push it further down. "The Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more," he said in Kiev. "Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries." Putin had reiterated Russia's claim to Ukraine at the forum and said he viewed Russians and Ukrainians as one people. He also said Russia had a saying -"Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours." Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha denounced Friday's statements as evidence of Russian "disdain" for US peace efforts and said Moscow was bent on seizing more territory and killing more Ukrainians. Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, "he brings along only death, destruction, and devastation," Sybiha said. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, more than 99 per cent of the Luhansk region, over 70 per cent of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and fragments of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Kyiv and its Western allies say Moscow's claims to four Ukrainian regions and Crimea are illegal, and President Zelenskiy has repeatedly rejected the notion that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Putin said Moscow wanted Ukraine to accept the reality on the ground if there was to be a chance of peace - Russia's shorthand for the reality of Russia's control over a chunk of Ukrainian territory bigger than the US state of Virginia. "Russia wants to wage war," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. The continued threats coming from Russia mean that "the pressure the world is applying isn't hurting them enough yet." Zelenskiy said commanders had discussed action in Ukraine's northern Sumy region and that Russia had "various plans and intentions, completely mad as always. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy region." Putin said Russian forces were carving out a buffer zone in the Sumy region in order to protect Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being uninterested in peace and acting like the authoritarian ruler of Iran, calling him 'Ayatollah Putin.' His comments came after Putin said that in his view, the whole of Ukraine was 'ours' and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy. The Ukrainian leader also said that despite Putin's assertions at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which ended on Friday, the Russian economy is declining and he would like to push it further down. "The Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more," he said in Kiev. "Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries." Putin had reiterated Russia's claim to Ukraine at the forum and said he viewed Russians and Ukrainians as one people. He also said Russia had a saying -"Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours." Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha denounced Friday's statements as evidence of Russian "disdain" for US peace efforts and said Moscow was bent on seizing more territory and killing more Ukrainians. Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, "he brings along only death, destruction, and devastation," Sybiha said. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, more than 99 per cent of the Luhansk region, over 70 per cent of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and fragments of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Kyiv and its Western allies say Moscow's claims to four Ukrainian regions and Crimea are illegal, and President Zelenskiy has repeatedly rejected the notion that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Putin said Moscow wanted Ukraine to accept the reality on the ground if there was to be a chance of peace - Russia's shorthand for the reality of Russia's control over a chunk of Ukrainian territory bigger than the US state of Virginia. "Russia wants to wage war," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. The continued threats coming from Russia mean that "the pressure the world is applying isn't hurting them enough yet." Zelenskiy said commanders had discussed action in Ukraine's northern Sumy region and that Russia had "various plans and intentions, completely mad as always. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy region." Putin said Russian forces were carving out a buffer zone in the Sumy region in order to protect Russian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being uninterested in peace and acting like the authoritarian ruler of Iran, calling him 'Ayatollah Putin.' His comments came after Putin said that in his view, the whole of Ukraine was 'ours' and cautioned that advancing Russian forces could take the Ukrainian city of Sumy. The Ukrainian leader also said that despite Putin's assertions at the St Petersburg Economic Forum, which ended on Friday, the Russian economy is declining and he would like to push it further down. "The Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more," he said in Kiev. "Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries." Putin had reiterated Russia's claim to Ukraine at the forum and said he viewed Russians and Ukrainians as one people. He also said Russia had a saying -"Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours." Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha denounced Friday's statements as evidence of Russian "disdain" for US peace efforts and said Moscow was bent on seizing more territory and killing more Ukrainians. Wherever a Russian soldier sets foot, "he brings along only death, destruction, and devastation," Sybiha said. Russia currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, more than 99 per cent of the Luhansk region, over 70 per cent of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, and fragments of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Kyiv and its Western allies say Moscow's claims to four Ukrainian regions and Crimea are illegal, and President Zelenskiy has repeatedly rejected the notion that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Putin said Moscow wanted Ukraine to accept the reality on the ground if there was to be a chance of peace - Russia's shorthand for the reality of Russia's control over a chunk of Ukrainian territory bigger than the US state of Virginia. "Russia wants to wage war," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. The continued threats coming from Russia mean that "the pressure the world is applying isn't hurting them enough yet." Zelenskiy said commanders had discussed action in Ukraine's northern Sumy region and that Russia had "various plans and intentions, completely mad as always. We are holding them back and eliminating these killers, defending our Sumy region." Putin said Russian forces were carving out a buffer zone in the Sumy region in order to protect Russian territory.
The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Protester Mahmoud Khalil freed from detention in US
Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been released from federal immigration detention, 104 days after becoming a symbol of President Donald Trump 's clampdown on campus protests. The former Columbia University graduate student was freed in Louisiana on Friday after a court ruling. He is expected to head to New York to reunite with his US citizen wife and infant son, born while Khalil was detained. "Justice prevailed, but it's very long overdue," he said outside the facility in a remote part of Louisiana. "This shouldn't have taken three months." The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil over his role in pro-Palestinian protests. He was detained on March 8 at his apartment building in Manhattan. During an hourlong hearing conducted by phone, the New Jersey-based judge said the government had "clearly not met" the standards for detention. The government filed notice that it's appealing Khalil's release. Khalil was the first person arrested under Trump's crackdown on students who joined campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Trump administration has argued that noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be deported as it considers their views antisemitic. Protesters and civil rights groups say the administration is conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel in order to silence dissent. The international affairs graduate student served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists and wasn't among the demonstrators arrested, but his prominence in news coverage and willingness to speak publicly made him a target of critics. The judge agreed Friday with Khalil's lawyers that the protester was being prevented from exercising his free speech and due process rights despite no obvious reason for his continued detention. Khalil said Friday that no one should be detained for protesting Israel's war in Gaza. He said his time in the detention facility had shown him "a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice." "Whether you are a US citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land doesn't mean that you are less of a human," he said, adding that "justice will prevail, no matter what this administration may try to portray" about immigrants. In a statement after the judge's ruling, Khalil's wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, said she can finally "breathe a sigh of relief" after her husband's three months in detention. The judge's decision comes after several other scholars targeted for their activism have been released from custody, including another former Palestinian student at Columbia, Mohsen Mahdawi; a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk; and a Georgetown University scholar, Badar Khan Suri. Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been released from federal immigration detention, 104 days after becoming a symbol of President Donald Trump 's clampdown on campus protests. The former Columbia University graduate student was freed in Louisiana on Friday after a court ruling. He is expected to head to New York to reunite with his US citizen wife and infant son, born while Khalil was detained. "Justice prevailed, but it's very long overdue," he said outside the facility in a remote part of Louisiana. "This shouldn't have taken three months." The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil over his role in pro-Palestinian protests. He was detained on March 8 at his apartment building in Manhattan. During an hourlong hearing conducted by phone, the New Jersey-based judge said the government had "clearly not met" the standards for detention. The government filed notice that it's appealing Khalil's release. Khalil was the first person arrested under Trump's crackdown on students who joined campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Trump administration has argued that noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be deported as it considers their views antisemitic. Protesters and civil rights groups say the administration is conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel in order to silence dissent. The international affairs graduate student served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists and wasn't among the demonstrators arrested, but his prominence in news coverage and willingness to speak publicly made him a target of critics. The judge agreed Friday with Khalil's lawyers that the protester was being prevented from exercising his free speech and due process rights despite no obvious reason for his continued detention. Khalil said Friday that no one should be detained for protesting Israel's war in Gaza. He said his time in the detention facility had shown him "a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice." "Whether you are a US citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land doesn't mean that you are less of a human," he said, adding that "justice will prevail, no matter what this administration may try to portray" about immigrants. In a statement after the judge's ruling, Khalil's wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, said she can finally "breathe a sigh of relief" after her husband's three months in detention. The judge's decision comes after several other scholars targeted for their activism have been released from custody, including another former Palestinian student at Columbia, Mohsen Mahdawi; a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk; and a Georgetown University scholar, Badar Khan Suri. Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been released from federal immigration detention, 104 days after becoming a symbol of President Donald Trump 's clampdown on campus protests. The former Columbia University graduate student was freed in Louisiana on Friday after a court ruling. He is expected to head to New York to reunite with his US citizen wife and infant son, born while Khalil was detained. "Justice prevailed, but it's very long overdue," he said outside the facility in a remote part of Louisiana. "This shouldn't have taken three months." The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil over his role in pro-Palestinian protests. He was detained on March 8 at his apartment building in Manhattan. During an hourlong hearing conducted by phone, the New Jersey-based judge said the government had "clearly not met" the standards for detention. The government filed notice that it's appealing Khalil's release. Khalil was the first person arrested under Trump's crackdown on students who joined campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Trump administration has argued that noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be deported as it considers their views antisemitic. Protesters and civil rights groups say the administration is conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel in order to silence dissent. The international affairs graduate student served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists and wasn't among the demonstrators arrested, but his prominence in news coverage and willingness to speak publicly made him a target of critics. The judge agreed Friday with Khalil's lawyers that the protester was being prevented from exercising his free speech and due process rights despite no obvious reason for his continued detention. Khalil said Friday that no one should be detained for protesting Israel's war in Gaza. He said his time in the detention facility had shown him "a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice." "Whether you are a US citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land doesn't mean that you are less of a human," he said, adding that "justice will prevail, no matter what this administration may try to portray" about immigrants. In a statement after the judge's ruling, Khalil's wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, said she can finally "breathe a sigh of relief" after her husband's three months in detention. The judge's decision comes after several other scholars targeted for their activism have been released from custody, including another former Palestinian student at Columbia, Mohsen Mahdawi; a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk; and a Georgetown University scholar, Badar Khan Suri. Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has been released from federal immigration detention, 104 days after becoming a symbol of President Donald Trump 's clampdown on campus protests. The former Columbia University graduate student was freed in Louisiana on Friday after a court ruling. He is expected to head to New York to reunite with his US citizen wife and infant son, born while Khalil was detained. "Justice prevailed, but it's very long overdue," he said outside the facility in a remote part of Louisiana. "This shouldn't have taken three months." The Trump administration is seeking to deport Khalil over his role in pro-Palestinian protests. He was detained on March 8 at his apartment building in Manhattan. During an hourlong hearing conducted by phone, the New Jersey-based judge said the government had "clearly not met" the standards for detention. The government filed notice that it's appealing Khalil's release. Khalil was the first person arrested under Trump's crackdown on students who joined campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. The Trump administration has argued that noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be deported as it considers their views antisemitic. Protesters and civil rights groups say the administration is conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel in order to silence dissent. The international affairs graduate student served as a negotiator and spokesperson for student activists and wasn't among the demonstrators arrested, but his prominence in news coverage and willingness to speak publicly made him a target of critics. The judge agreed Friday with Khalil's lawyers that the protester was being prevented from exercising his free speech and due process rights despite no obvious reason for his continued detention. Khalil said Friday that no one should be detained for protesting Israel's war in Gaza. He said his time in the detention facility had shown him "a different reality about this country that supposedly champions human rights and liberty and justice." "Whether you are a US citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land doesn't mean that you are less of a human," he said, adding that "justice will prevail, no matter what this administration may try to portray" about immigrants. In a statement after the judge's ruling, Khalil's wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, said she can finally "breathe a sigh of relief" after her husband's three months in detention. The judge's decision comes after several other scholars targeted for their activism have been released from custody, including another former Palestinian student at Columbia, Mohsen Mahdawi; a Tufts University student, Rumeysa Ozturk; and a Georgetown University scholar, Badar Khan Suri.
The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Israel and Iran trade fire as Europe's diplomacy stalls
Israel and Iran have traded further strikes a week into their war, as Donald Trump weighed US military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran's top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials in the weeklong war concluded after four hours with no sign of an immediate breakthrough. To give diplomacy a chance, Trump said he would put off deciding for up to two weeks whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran. Whether or not the US joins, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. As negotiations ended in Switzerland, European officials expressed hope for future negotiations and Iran's top diplomat said he was open to further dialogue. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasised that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continued attacking. "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes," he told reporters. Trump was dismissive of the Geneva talks saying Iran didn't want to speak to Europe. "They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this," Trump said. Those comments - however blunt - were not refuted by the Europeans. "Above all, it is of great importance that the United States of America be involved in these negotiations and in finding a solution," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after the meeting. After Israeli warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran, including missile-manufacturing facilities, an Iranian missile crashed into Israel's northern city of Haifa, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the Mediterranean port and wounding at least 31 people. Israel's air attacks since its campaign began on June 13 have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based human rights organisation. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned Israel against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. "I want to make it absolutely and completely clear...a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment," said Rafael Grossi, chief of the UN nuclear watchdog. Israel has instead focused its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Grossi has warned repeatedly that such sites should not be military targets. Iranian state media reported explosions from Israeli strikes in an industrial area of Rasht, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. Israel's military had warned the public to evacuate the area, but with Iran's internet shut off — now for more than 48 hours — it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium — albeit at lower levels — in recent talks over its nuclear program. But Trump, like Israel, has demanded Iran end its enrichment program altogether. Iran had previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the US, France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the US unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. with DPA Israel and Iran have traded further strikes a week into their war, as Donald Trump weighed US military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran's top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials in the weeklong war concluded after four hours with no sign of an immediate breakthrough. To give diplomacy a chance, Trump said he would put off deciding for up to two weeks whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran. Whether or not the US joins, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. As negotiations ended in Switzerland, European officials expressed hope for future negotiations and Iran's top diplomat said he was open to further dialogue. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasised that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continued attacking. "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes," he told reporters. Trump was dismissive of the Geneva talks saying Iran didn't want to speak to Europe. "They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this," Trump said. Those comments - however blunt - were not refuted by the Europeans. "Above all, it is of great importance that the United States of America be involved in these negotiations and in finding a solution," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after the meeting. After Israeli warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran, including missile-manufacturing facilities, an Iranian missile crashed into Israel's northern city of Haifa, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the Mediterranean port and wounding at least 31 people. Israel's air attacks since its campaign began on June 13 have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based human rights organisation. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned Israel against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. "I want to make it absolutely and completely clear...a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment," said Rafael Grossi, chief of the UN nuclear watchdog. Israel has instead focused its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Grossi has warned repeatedly that such sites should not be military targets. Iranian state media reported explosions from Israeli strikes in an industrial area of Rasht, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. Israel's military had warned the public to evacuate the area, but with Iran's internet shut off — now for more than 48 hours — it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium — albeit at lower levels — in recent talks over its nuclear program. But Trump, like Israel, has demanded Iran end its enrichment program altogether. Iran had previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the US, France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the US unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. with DPA Israel and Iran have traded further strikes a week into their war, as Donald Trump weighed US military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran's top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials in the weeklong war concluded after four hours with no sign of an immediate breakthrough. To give diplomacy a chance, Trump said he would put off deciding for up to two weeks whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran. Whether or not the US joins, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. As negotiations ended in Switzerland, European officials expressed hope for future negotiations and Iran's top diplomat said he was open to further dialogue. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasised that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continued attacking. "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes," he told reporters. Trump was dismissive of the Geneva talks saying Iran didn't want to speak to Europe. "They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this," Trump said. Those comments - however blunt - were not refuted by the Europeans. "Above all, it is of great importance that the United States of America be involved in these negotiations and in finding a solution," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after the meeting. After Israeli warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran, including missile-manufacturing facilities, an Iranian missile crashed into Israel's northern city of Haifa, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the Mediterranean port and wounding at least 31 people. Israel's air attacks since its campaign began on June 13 have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based human rights organisation. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned Israel against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. "I want to make it absolutely and completely clear...a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment," said Rafael Grossi, chief of the UN nuclear watchdog. Israel has instead focused its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Grossi has warned repeatedly that such sites should not be military targets. Iranian state media reported explosions from Israeli strikes in an industrial area of Rasht, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. Israel's military had warned the public to evacuate the area, but with Iran's internet shut off — now for more than 48 hours — it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium — albeit at lower levels — in recent talks over its nuclear program. But Trump, like Israel, has demanded Iran end its enrichment program altogether. Iran had previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the US, France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the US unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. with DPA Israel and Iran have traded further strikes a week into their war, as Donald Trump weighed US military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran's top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials in the weeklong war concluded after four hours with no sign of an immediate breakthrough. To give diplomacy a chance, Trump said he would put off deciding for up to two weeks whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran. Whether or not the US joins, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. As negotiations ended in Switzerland, European officials expressed hope for future negotiations and Iran's top diplomat said he was open to further dialogue. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasised that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continued attacking. "Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes," he told reporters. Trump was dismissive of the Geneva talks saying Iran didn't want to speak to Europe. "They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this," Trump said. Those comments - however blunt - were not refuted by the Europeans. "Above all, it is of great importance that the United States of America be involved in these negotiations and in finding a solution," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said after the meeting. After Israeli warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran, including missile-manufacturing facilities, an Iranian missile crashed into Israel's northern city of Haifa, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the Mediterranean port and wounding at least 31 people. Israel's air attacks since its campaign began on June 13 have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based human rights organisation. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warned Israel against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. "I want to make it absolutely and completely clear...a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment," said Rafael Grossi, chief of the UN nuclear watchdog. Israel has instead focused its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Grossi has warned repeatedly that such sites should not be military targets. Iranian state media reported explosions from Israeli strikes in an industrial area of Rasht, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. Israel's military had warned the public to evacuate the area, but with Iran's internet shut off — now for more than 48 hours — it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium — albeit at lower levels — in recent talks over its nuclear program. But Trump, like Israel, has demanded Iran end its enrichment program altogether. Iran had previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the US, France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the US unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. with DPA
