No diplomatic breakthrough as Israel-Iran war drags on

Talks aimed at de-escalating fighting between Israel and Iran have failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough as the war enters its second week with a fresh round of strikes between the two adversaries.
European ministers and Iran's top diplomat met on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh US military involvement and worries rose over potential strikes on nuclear reactors.
European officials expressed hope for future negotiations, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasising 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.
No date was set for the next round of talks.
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.
But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without US help.
Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs.
Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks.
The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli air strikes 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 2000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1000 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 defence minister said on Saturday it killed a commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month long war in Gaza.
Saeed Izadi, who was commander of the Palestine Corps for the elite Iranian Quds Force, was killed in an apartment in the city of Qom.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.
Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing 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.
Iran 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 out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and restricting access to its nuclear facilities.
Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Israel said its warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran on Friday, including missile-manufacturing facilities, while an Iranian missile hit Israel's northern city of Haifa, wounding at least 31 people.
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 Iranians to leave the area around Rasht's Industrial City, but with Iran's internet shut off - now for more than 48 hours - it's unclear how many people could see the message.
The Israeli military believes it has destroyed most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers, contributing to the steady decline in Iranian attacks.
But several of the roughly three dozen missiles that Israel said Iran fired on Friday slipped through the country's aerial defences, setting off air-raid sirens across the country and sending shrapnel flying into a residential area in the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was hit on Thursday.
Talks aimed at de-escalating fighting between Israel and Iran have failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough as the war enters its second week with a fresh round of strikes between the two adversaries.
European ministers and Iran's top diplomat met on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh US military involvement and worries rose over potential strikes on nuclear reactors.
European officials expressed hope for future negotiations, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasising 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.
No date was set for the next round of talks.
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.
But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without US help.
Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs.
Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks.
The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli air strikes 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 2000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1000 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 defence minister said on Saturday it killed a commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month long war in Gaza.
Saeed Izadi, who was commander of the Palestine Corps for the elite Iranian Quds Force, was killed in an apartment in the city of Qom.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.
Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing 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.
Iran 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 out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and restricting access to its nuclear facilities.
Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Israel said its warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran on Friday, including missile-manufacturing facilities, while an Iranian missile hit Israel's northern city of Haifa, wounding at least 31 people.
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 Iranians to leave the area around Rasht's Industrial City, but with Iran's internet shut off - now for more than 48 hours - it's unclear how many people could see the message.
The Israeli military believes it has destroyed most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers, contributing to the steady decline in Iranian attacks.
But several of the roughly three dozen missiles that Israel said Iran fired on Friday slipped through the country's aerial defences, setting off air-raid sirens across the country and sending shrapnel flying into a residential area in the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was hit on Thursday.
Talks aimed at de-escalating fighting between Israel and Iran have failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough as the war enters its second week with a fresh round of strikes between the two adversaries.
European ministers and Iran's top diplomat met on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh US military involvement and worries rose over potential strikes on nuclear reactors.
European officials expressed hope for future negotiations, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasising 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.
No date was set for the next round of talks.
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.
But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without US help.
Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs.
Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks.
The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli air strikes 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 2000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1000 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 defence minister said on Saturday it killed a commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month long war in Gaza.
Saeed Izadi, who was commander of the Palestine Corps for the elite Iranian Quds Force, was killed in an apartment in the city of Qom.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.
Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing 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.
Iran 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 out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and restricting access to its nuclear facilities.
Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Israel said its warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran on Friday, including missile-manufacturing facilities, while an Iranian missile hit Israel's northern city of Haifa, wounding at least 31 people.
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 Iranians to leave the area around Rasht's Industrial City, but with Iran's internet shut off - now for more than 48 hours - it's unclear how many people could see the message.
The Israeli military believes it has destroyed most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers, contributing to the steady decline in Iranian attacks.
But several of the roughly three dozen missiles that Israel said Iran fired on Friday slipped through the country's aerial defences, setting off air-raid sirens across the country and sending shrapnel flying into a residential area in the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was hit on Thursday.
Talks aimed at de-escalating fighting between Israel and Iran have failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough as the war enters its second week with a fresh round of strikes between the two adversaries.
European ministers and Iran's top diplomat met on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland, as President Donald Trump continued to weigh US military involvement and worries rose over potential strikes on nuclear reactors.
European officials expressed hope for future negotiations, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasising 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.
No date was set for the next round of talks.
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.
But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without US help.
Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs.
Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks.
The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli air strikes 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 2000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.
Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1000 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 defence minister said on Saturday it killed a commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month long war in Gaza.
Saeed Izadi, who was commander of the Palestine Corps for the elite Iranian Quds Force, was killed in an apartment in the city of Qom.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.
Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing 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.
Iran 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 out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and restricting access to its nuclear facilities.
Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Israel said its warplanes hit dozens of military targets across Iran on Friday, including missile-manufacturing facilities, while an Iranian missile hit Israel's northern city of Haifa, wounding at least 31 people.
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 Iranians to leave the area around Rasht's Industrial City, but with Iran's internet shut off - now for more than 48 hours - it's unclear how many people could see the message.
The Israeli military believes it has destroyed most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers, contributing to the steady decline in Iranian attacks.
But several of the roughly three dozen missiles that Israel said Iran fired on Friday slipped through the country's aerial defences, setting off air-raid sirens across the country and sending shrapnel flying into a residential area in the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was hit on Thursday.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Age

16 minutes ago

• The Age

Israel-Iran conflict LIVE updates: Iran tells Trump to back off; US deploys B-2 bombers as Iran and Israel exchange strikes; Iran refuses to discuss future of nuclear program

Latest posts Latest posts 5.46am Trump deploys B-2 bombers The United States has moved B-2 stealth bombers into position within striking distance of Iran, in a show of force as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate. Pentagon officials have not confirmed the bombers' exact location but say the aircraft are now stationed in a region where they can respond rapidly if ordered, The New York Times reported. The deployment underscores Washington's military readiness, even as US President Donald Trump weighs whether to take direct action. The B-2 Spirit, capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear weapons, is considered one of the most advanced aircraft in the US arsenal. Its presence near the conflict zone sends a clear signal to both Tehran and US allies that Washington is prepared for any potential expansion of the conflict. 5.41am Internet in Iran returns briefly, then fails again Internet access in Iran, which was almost entirely shut down three days ago, briefly returned on Saturday morning before collapsing again just two hours later, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks. The shortlived restoration allowed residents to exchange limited messages with the outside world before services went down again. The near-total blackout has severely disrupted communication within Iran and with the international community. It has prevented residents from accessing critical information such as safety alerts, news updates, and the ability to contact family members amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Iranian officials have justified the shutdown as a response to what they claim were 'enemy cyberattacks,' specifically citing alleged Israeli intrusions targeting banks, the crypto platform and state-run broadcaster IRIB. 5.38am The latest in the Middle East conflict Good morning and welcome to our ongoing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. As the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its ninth day, here is a quick overview of the latest developments: Israel began a fresh round of strikes on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), targeting 'missile storage and military infrastructure' in southwestern and central Iran. The United States has moved B-2 stealth bombers into position within striking distance of Iran, in a show of force as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate. This comes after Iran's foreign minister said on Saturday that US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would be 'very very dangerous'. US President Donald Trump deepened uncertainty about his readiness for the US to become involved in the war, warning he could order military action sooner than the two-week deadline he flagged on Thursday. Israel has said it may open some outgoing flights for foreigners from Monday, and Australians in the region are advised to check and register with DFAT. Australia has shut its embassy in Tehran, and sent defence personnel and assets to the region to help evacuate Australians. You can catch up with everything we know about the conflict on our regularly updated 'what we know so far' page.

Sydney Morning Herald

17 minutes ago

• Sydney Morning Herald

Israel-Iran conflict LIVE updates: Iran tells Trump to back off; US deploys B-2 bombers as Iran and Israel exchange strikes; Iran refuses to discuss future of nuclear program

Latest posts Latest posts 5.46am Trump deploys B-2 bombers The United States has moved B-2 stealth bombers into position within striking distance of Iran, in a show of force as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate. Pentagon officials have not confirmed the bombers' exact location but say the aircraft are now stationed in a region where they can respond rapidly if ordered, The New York Times reported. The deployment underscores Washington's military readiness, even as US President Donald Trump weighs whether to take direct action. The B-2 Spirit, capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear weapons, is considered one of the most advanced aircraft in the US arsenal. Its presence near the conflict zone sends a clear signal to both Tehran and US allies that Washington is prepared for any potential expansion of the conflict. 5.41am Internet in Iran returns briefly, then fails again Internet access in Iran, which was almost entirely shut down three days ago, briefly returned on Saturday morning before collapsing again just two hours later, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks. The shortlived restoration allowed residents to exchange limited messages with the outside world before services went down again. The near-total blackout has severely disrupted communication within Iran and with the international community. It has prevented residents from accessing critical information such as safety alerts, news updates, and the ability to contact family members amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Iranian officials have justified the shutdown as a response to what they claim were 'enemy cyberattacks,' specifically citing alleged Israeli intrusions targeting banks, the crypto platform and state-run broadcaster IRIB. 5.38am The latest in the Middle East conflict Good morning and welcome to our ongoing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. As the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its ninth day, here is a quick overview of the latest developments: Israel began a fresh round of strikes on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), targeting 'missile storage and military infrastructure' in southwestern and central Iran. The United States has moved B-2 stealth bombers into position within striking distance of Iran, in a show of force as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate. This comes after Iran's foreign minister said on Saturday that US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict would be 'very very dangerous'. US President Donald Trump deepened uncertainty about his readiness for the US to become involved in the war, warning he could order military action sooner than the two-week deadline he flagged on Thursday. Israel has said it may open some outgoing flights for foreigners from Monday, and Australians in the region are advised to check and register with DFAT. Australia has shut its embassy in Tehran, and sent defence personnel and assets to the region to help evacuate Australians. You can catch up with everything we know about the conflict on our regularly updated 'what we know so far' page.

Herald Sun

2 hours ago

• Herald Sun

Pakistan nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

Don't miss out on the headlines from North America. Followed categories will be added to My News. Pakistan has announced it will recommend Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, an accolade the US President has said he craves for his work in helping to resolve the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. Some analysts in Pakistan said the move could even persuade Mr Trump to think again about potentially joining Israel in striking Iran's nuclear facilities. Pakistan has condemned Israel's action as a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. In May, a surprise announcement by Mr Trump of a ceasefire brought an end to a four-day conflict between nuclear-armed foes India and Pakistan. Mr Trump has since repeatedly said that he averted a nuclear war, saved millions of lives, and grumbled that he got no credit for it. Pakistan agrees that US diplomatic intervention ended the fighting, and said the Nobel recommendation was 'in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership' during the recent conflict. 'President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship through robust diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi, which de-escalated a rapidly deteriorating situation,' Pakistan said. 'This intervention stands as a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker.' Indian officials have denied that Mr Trump had any role in its ceasefire with Pakistan But Mr Trump is not convinced he'll get the gong. Taking to his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump posted a laundry list of reasons why he believes that he should get a Nobel Peace Prize. In a Truth Social post, the president celebrated that he was 'very happy' to report on a series of deals and agreements to end global conflicts that he 'won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for.' 'I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia (A massive Ethiopian built dam, stupidly financed by the United States of America, substantially reduces the water flowing into The Nile River),' Mr Trump wrote. 'And I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which, if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional Countries signing on, and will unify the Middle East for the first time in 'The Ages!'' He added, 'No, I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that's all that matters to me!' Mr Trump campaigned for office as a 'peacemaker' who would use his negotiating skills to quickly end wars in Ukraine and Gaza, although both conflicts are still raging five months into his presidency. .Mr Trump has received multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations from supporters and loyal politicians over the years. He has made no secret of his irritation at missing out on the prestigious award, bringing it up as recently as February during an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Barack Obama won the prize soon after taking office in 2009, and Mr Trump complained during his 2024 election campaign that his Democratic predecessor was not worthy of the honour. - with AFP