Many Nations Ready To Supply Iran With Their Nuclear Warheads: Top Putin Aide
New Delhi:
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on Sunday that he will travel to Moscow for high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, following overnight US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Istanbul, Mr Araghchi said the consultations with President Putin would take place Monday morning. The move comes in the immediate aftermath of the US targeting three key Iranian nuclear sites, in what Washington has described as a "necessary step" to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"Russia is a friend of Iran, we always consult with each other," Araghchi told reporters. "I'm going to Moscow this afternoon for serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow morning."
The strikes, ordered by US President Donald Trump, took place late Saturday night, nine days into an Israeli-led aerial campaign targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure. U.S. officials claimed the attacks were focused on neutralising Iran's potential nuclear weapons programme.
The Iranian foreign minister condemned the strikes as a gross violation of international law, adding that they had "crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities." He warned that Tehran would invoke its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. "We have to respond," he said.
Medvedev: "Trump Has Started Another War"
In Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev, ex-Russia president and the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, launched an attack on President Trump, accusing him of plunging the United States into a new war in the Middle East. Medvedev published his reaction on Telegram, stating bluntly, "Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the U.S."
The former Russian president questioned the effectiveness of the US operation, saying it had failed to achieve any substantial military objectives. "Critical infrastructure of the nuclear fuel cycle appears to have been unaffected or sustained only minor damage," he wrote. "The enrichment of nuclear material - and now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons - will continue."
In one of his most provocative assertions, Medvedev claimed that "a number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads." He did not identify which nations he was referring to.
Medvedev further stated that the Israeli population was now living under constant threat, with explosions rocking multiple parts of the country. "The US is now entangled in a new conflict, with prospects of a ground operation looming on the horizon," he added.
He also suggested that the attacks had politically strengthened Iran. "Iran's political regime has survived - and in all likelihood, has come out even stronger. The people are rallying around the country's spiritual leadership, including those who were previously indifferent or opposed to it."
Iran's Position
Mr Araghchi, meanwhile, dismissed any suggestion that Tehran would rejoin diplomatic talks under current conditions. "We were in the middle of diplomacy. We were in the middle of talks with the United States when Israelis blew it up," he said.
He added that negotiations with European interlocutors were ongoing in Geneva just two days prior to the US strikes. "And again, this time, Americans decided to blow it up," he said. "So it was not Iran, but the US who betrayed diplomacy. They betrayed negotiations."
Iran's top diplomat asserted that the Mr Trump administration had effectively disqualified itself from any future peace initiatives. "They have proved that they are not men of diplomacy, and they only understand the language of threat and force. And this is very unfortunate," Mr Araghchi said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Satellite images of US strikes in Iran undermine Trump's 'obliterated' claim
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that American military strikes "completely and totally obliterated" three Iranian nuclear enrichment plants. However, satellite images have yet to confirm this claim. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows a close view of the Isfahan nuclear technology in Iran after US strikes. (Source: AP)(Maxar Technologies via AP) While significant damage to the nuclear sites is visible, there are portions that seem undamaged, and uncertainty on how much the underground nuclear establishments were impacted. The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is located south of Tehran, dug to side of a mountain. Satellite images of the plant, taken after the US strike, show craters, collapsed tunnel entrances and holes on top of the mountain ridge, Bloomberg reported. A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the US struck the underground nuclear facility. (Source: Reuters)(via REUTERS) However, a building likely used to control ventilation for the underground uranium enrichment work, seems undamaged. Damage to the Natanz nuclear plant is also yet to be fully assessed, even though a new crater about 5.5 meters in diameter is visible in satellite images. It is not yet clear if the underground site, buried 40 meters under ground, with an 8-meter thick concrete and steel shell, at the plant was hit. Satellite image shows a close up of a crater over the underground facility of Natanz Enrichment Facility, after it was hit by U.S. airstrikes. (Source: Reuters)(via REUTERS) The most 'extensively damaged," however, was the Esfahan Nuclear Technology and Research Center, according to satellite images. The nuclear plant is located around 450 kms from Tehran. According to US Air Force General Dan Caine, an assessment of final battle damage will take some time. The International Atomic Energy Agency is also still trying to assess the complete damage. 'Unusual activity' Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium from the Fordow nuclear plant, satellite images of the site from days before the US strike have indicated. A long line of vehicles was seen waiting outside an entrance of the facility in the images in an "unusual activity". This handout satellite picture taken on June 19 shows trucks positioned near the entrance of Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. (Source: AFP)(AFP) Besides, two Iranian officials also told New York Times that Iran may have moved out 400 kgs uranium from the facility in anticipation of the US strikes. Trump had been warning Iran ever since the Israel-Iran conflict began, and had also said he was deliberating on whether to send in troops. Uranium enriched to 60 per cent weapons-grade levels, just short of the 90 per cent required needed for a nuclear bomb, was likely moved out of the Fordow plant before the strikes.
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Kerala Bypolls: Counting begins in Nilambur seat, Congress candidate leads in early trends
Counting of votes for the bypoll in the Nilambur Assembly seat in Kerala's Malappuram district began at 8 am Monday. Early trends show that Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath is leading as the first round of counting was in progress. The constituency voted on June 19 after CPI(M)-backed two-time Independent legislator P V Anvar quit last year. The Nilambur Assembly seat, which falls within the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat represented by the Congress's Priyanka Gandhi, had registered 75.87 per cent of polling. In the first stage of counting, 1,403 postal votes will be opened before unlocking Electronic Voting Machines, which had recorded 1,74,667 votes. Votes in electronic machines will be counted in 19 rounds. The CPI(M) has fielded its young party state secretariat member M Swaraj, and the Congress has nominated Shoukath, the son of late party veteran Aryadan Muhammed, who had uninterruptedly represented the seat from 1987 to 2016. Anvar, who had quit raising a revolt against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is contesting as an Independent candidate. The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Mohan George, who had been with the regional Christian party Kerala Congress before embracing the BJP after the by-election schedule was declared. The bypoll outcome is crucial for the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF regime and the Congress-led Opposition UDF as the Kerala Assembly elections are slated for April-May 2026. A victory in the by-election will serve as a major boost for the Pinarayi Vijayan regime, which is gearing up for a third consecutive term. Anvar has declared that he is in the election fray to defeat 'Pinarayism,' (style of functioning). Congress, which has been in Opposition for the last nine years, has stated that it is fighting to prove the anti-incumbency factor against the Vijayan regime.
News18
26 minutes ago
- News18
Gold Price Today In India: Check 22kt, 24kt Rates In Your City On June 23
Last Updated: Gold and silver prices rallied sharply on the first day of the ongoing Israel-Iran war, boosting safe-haven demand. Gold Prices In India Today, June 23: Gold prices on Monday remained consolidated after touching a record high following US's strikes on Iran's nuclear sites amid the ongoing tensions with Israel. Prices are now hovering in the consolidated range of Rs 1,00,800-1,01,000. In Mumbai, the price of gold stood at Rs 92,300 per 10 grams for 22-carat and Rs 1,00,690 per 10 grams for 24-carat. Silver was also trading down at Rs 1,09,900 per kg in the city. These spot prices do not include making charges and 3% GST. 'Gold prices saw an initial spike following the U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend but failed to hold those gains, reinforcing the view that the bullion rally may have peaked for now. The yellow metal is probably looking for retaliatory action from Iran before it surges to a new high," argues Aksha Kamboj, v ice President, India Bullion and Jewellers Association and Executive Chairperson, Aspect Global Ventures. She noted concerns about rising inflation driven by higher oil prices, the prospect of fewer Fed rate cuts in 2025, and more attractive safe-haven alternatives are all weighing on gold despite growing tensions in West Asia. On June 13, Israel launched a large-scale attack across Iran, targeting key nuclear and military facilities under 'Operation Rising Lion." The strike came a day after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a warning urging residents of Tehran to evacuate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation aimed to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," following weeks of rising tensions. This escalation was triggered by Iran's earlier missile and drone attack, which itself was a retaliation for an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus. What Is The Price Of 22kt, 24kt Gold Rates Today In India Across Key Cities? Gold and silver prices rallied sharply on the first day of the ongoing Israel-Iran war, boosting safe-haven demand. However, the prices are hovering around the same level since then. Also Read: Gold May See 10% Correction In 2 Months And 30% Fall In A Year, Say Experts Experts say the gold prices are likely to have peaked out and might see a correction of 10-12 per cent in the next two months. What Factors Affect Gold Prices In India? International market rates, import duties, taxes, and fluctuations in exchange rates primarily influence gold prices in India. Together, these factors determine the daily gold rates across the country. Advertisement In India, gold is deeply cultural and financial. It is a preferred investment option and is key to celebrations, particularly weddings and festivals. top videos View All With constantly changing market conditions, investors and traders monitor fluctuations closely. Staying updated is crucial for effectively navigating dynamic treds. About the Author Varun Yadav Stay updated with all the latest business news, including market trends, stock updates, tax, IPO, banking finance, real estate, savings and investments. Get in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and real-time updates—only on News18. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Gold price silver price Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 23, 2025, 09:58 IST News business » savings-and-investments Gold Price Today In India: Check 22kt, 24kt Rates In Your City On June 23
