Latest news with #UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil
an hour ago
- Politics
Prospects for diplomacy dim after Trump rejects Europe's efforts on Iran: ANALYSIS
Under a self-imposed deadline to pursue diplomacy with Iran and with no direct negotiations with the U.S. on the horizon, President Donald Trump acknowledged on Friday that the situation in the Middle East appeared to be deadlocked -- but said he would still give the Iranians a chance to "come to their senses." "I'm giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum," the president said. Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrapped up talks with several of his European counterparts in Geneva, but reiterated Iran's demand that Israel stop attacks on the country before it would be willing to seriously pursue any negotiations. Asked whether he would ask the Israelis to hold back, Trump said it was "very hard to make that request right now." "If someone is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if someone is losing," he said. "But we are ready, willing and able and have been speaking to Iran and we'll see what happens." The president also dismissed the talks held in Europe, playing down the already low expectations for a breakthrough. "They didn't help," Trump said of the discussions. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one." But despite the president's claim, Iran has so far rebuffed a standing offer from the U.S to resume nuclear negotiations. Some administration officials have argued that the president's posture is setting the stage for Iran to ultimately cave—betting that the regime will bend under regular Israeli bombardment and ultimately back off from key demands on enriching uranium under a new nuclear deal with the U.S. They also see Iran's leadership as scrambled by the assault from Israel and predict it might take several days before it is logistically possible to convene a meaningful round of negotiations with the U.S. Meanwhile, as sharp differences between Israeli and American assessments on Iran's nuclear abilities have come to the forefront, Trump has also showcased distrust for his own intelligence community, including his own director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. On Friday, Trump was asked about Gabbard's testimony to Congress in March that the U.S. assessed that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon. "She's wrong," Trump said flatly. Shortly after Trump spoke, Gabbard criticized the news media, posting on X, "America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree." The president's decision to hold back on hitting Iran has frustrated Israeli officials, who have been privately pushing their case for U.S. military involvement for months, according to officials familiar with the matter. At the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Israel's permanent representative to the body Danny Danon insisted his country could go it alone. "This isn't just Israel's fight, it is the world's fight. And if no one else will fight it, we will," he declared. But as Trump ponders military action and its possible consequences, analysts say giving Iran extra time may come with its own risks. "Iran could use the talks simply to buy time in the conflict or, at worst, to shift around its nuclear material and sprint to a bomb, although it would presumably be difficult to fully develop a nuclear weapons capability amid an ongoing war," said Heather Williams, the director of the Project on Nuclear Issues and a senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Already, the security of tens of thousands of Americans in the Middle East is already in peril. According to the State Department, it has now provided "information and support" to over 25,000 people seeking guidance regarding the security situation in Israel, the West Bank and Iran. The department is planning government evacuations for U.S. citizens in Israel but has warned it does not anticipate offering direct assistance to Americans in Iran.
The Star
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Feature: Baghdad seethes as Iraqis rally against Israel, U.S. amid escalating Israel-Iran conflict
by Xinhua writer Li Jun BAGHDAD, June 20 (Xinhua) -- "Down with Israel! Down with America!" The fierce chants echoed through Baghdad's sweltering heat, unrelenting as hundreds of Iraqis poured into the streets. Their fury ignited after the government accused Israel of using Iraqi airspace to mount a massive strike against Iran -- an allegation that poured fuel on Iraqis' long-simmering outrage over Israel's widening conflicts across the region. "Iraq's skies should not be a corridor for foreign wars," one protester said, declining to give his name. His words captured a broader fear gripping many Iraqis: their country, scarred by decades of violence, could once again be dragged into a conflict not of its making. The Iraqi government swiftly lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council, condemning the airstrike as a violation of its sovereignty and urging Washington to restrain its ally. But on Baghdad's streets, the anger runs deeper. "The world watched Gaza burn. Then Lebanon. Then Syria. Now Israel strikes Iran," said another demonstrator. "We fear the fire will soon reach us." The June 13 Israeli airstrike prompted Iraq to abruptly close its airspace. Except for limited flights out of Basra, commercial aviation ground to a halt for days, stranding thousands and deepening a sense of paralysis sweeping across the nation. The protests are steeped in bitter memories of Iraq's recent past: the 2003 U.S. invasion, the sectarian bloodshed that followed, and the brutal rise and fall of the Islamic State. Each chapter has left Iraq painfully exposed to the region's shifting rivalries. As tensions between Israel and Iran escalate, many here fear Iraq could once again become a battlefield. Much of the demonstrators' anger is directed squarely at Washington. Although the United States has denied any role in the Israeli strike, many Iraqis remain convinced that America and Israel operate in concert, locked in a long-standing regional alliance. "We reject the U.S. presence in the region," said Hafidh Abu Ali, standing among the crowd near Baghdad's fortified Green Zone. "Their presence endangers our sovereignty." The stakes rose further on Sunday when Kataib Hezbollah, a powerful Iraqi militia, threatened U.S. interests across the region if Washington intervened on Israel's behalf. The group demanded the closure of the U.S. embassy and a full withdrawal of American forces from Iraqi soil. Hours later, the U.S. embassy issued a security alert, urging American citizens to avoid areas frequented by foreigners and to stay clear of large gatherings. Anticipating unrest, Iraqi security forces sealed off a key bridge leading into the Green Zone. As night fell, the city remained on edge. Protesters lingered beneath the amber glow of streetlights, their chants echoing through the dark. Security forces watched from the shadows, silhouetted against the flickering skyline of a capital haunted by war. "We call on the peoples of the world to stand with Iran," said protester Abbas Kadhim. "This conflict could ignite the whole Middle East."
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel Defends Strikes, Iran Asks for Help Before U.N. Security Council
Israel's ambassador to the U.N. lashed out at his Iranian counterpart during an United Nations Security Council meeting. Iran called on the Security Council to determine that Israel had committed a 'breach of peace.'
Roya News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Roya News
US ambassador accuses Iran of inciting Hezbollah, threatening 'Israel'
The US ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, Dorothy Shea, issued a series of urgent statements on Friday condemning Iran's recent actions in the escalating conflict with 'Israel'. She accused the Iranian government of encouraging Hezbollah to open a front from Lebanon and repeatedly calling for the destruction of 'Israel'. Shea also condemned Iran for launching both direct and proxy attacks against 'Israeli' civilians, emphasizing that these acts violate international norms. Addressing nuclear tensions, she warned that Iran would gain nothing from escalating its disputes with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and urged Tehran to abandon its ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. Shea delivered her remarks during a UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security, held at United Nations headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 20, 2025. The Council convened an emergency session to address the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. The meeting was requested by Iran and supported by Algeria, China, Pakistan, and Russia. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed the Council, calling for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation. 'There are times when the choices before us are not just important but decisive. We are at such a moment — a moment that will determine not only the fate of nations but perhaps our shared future,' he said. Guterres warned that the violence between Iran and 'Israel' was pushing the region to the brink, stating, 'We are not being pushed into a crisis; we are rushing toward one. These are not isolated incidents — we are heading down a path of potential chaos.' 'The widening scope of this conflict could ignite a powder keg no one can control. We cannot allow that to happen,' he said, renewing his call to end the fighting and resume serious negotiations. 'Let us not look back on this critical moment with regret. Let us act responsibly together to save the region and the world from the brink.'
UPI
5 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
U.N. chief says Iran, Israel 'on course to chaos,' urges de-escalation
June 20 (UPI) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and Iran because "we are on course to chaos." The United Nations Security Council met in New York City to discuss the conflict that began one week ago. Iran called for a special session of the 15-member Security Council. Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani described the "large-scale, unprovoked military attack" by Israel. Guterres spoke to the UN. delegations from Geneva, Switzerland, where he working with the foreign ministers from Iran, France, Germany, Britain and the European Union on a diplomatic solution to the situation. Guterres said the war is "escalating rapidly with a terrible toll, killing and injuring civilians, devastating homes and civilian infrastructure, attacking nuclear facilities. The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen. "There are moments when our choices are defining, when the direction taken will potentially shape our collective future," he said. "The present conflict between Israel and Iran is such a moment. Let us not look back on this moment with regret. Let us act -- responsibly and together -- to pull the region, and our world, back from the brink." Rafael Grossi, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the Internatiomal Atomic Energy Agency, warned that Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites had caused a "sharp degradation" in nuclear safety and security. He spoke from Geneva. The United States has largely stayed out of the conflict. But U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would decide whether to bomb Iran "within two weeks." Trump wants a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran. Before the war began last week, they had met several times to agree on a pact regarding uranium enrichment. "President Trump has been clear in recent days that Iran's leadership must completely abandon its nuclear enrichment program and all aspirations of acquiring a nuclear weapon," acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea said Friday. She described the danger of Iran. "The Iranian government has long posed a constant menace to the peace and security of its neighbors and the entire world, which this council is charged to maintain," she said. "The Iranian government has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction and for 'death to America.' They have launched direct and proxy attacks on Israeli civilians, including most recently on southern Israel's largest hospital, and just recently -- in the last couple hours -- on Haifa. Iran's government has also spread chaos, terror, and suffering throughout the region." She said, "It is not too late for the government of Iran to do the right thing." The United States is a permanent member of the council and can veto any resolution. Russia and China, which also are permanent members, condemned Israel's strikes on Iran. Iraq's Ambassador Abbas Kadhom Obaid Al-Fatlawi agreed with them, saying: "Iraq strongly condemns the unjustified Israeli attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the repeated Israeli violations of the sovereignty of states, especially the violations of Iraqi airspace to launch an aggression against neighboring Iran." Israeli planes have passed over Iraq en route to Iran. Al-Fatlawi said the attacks are blatant violations of the U.N. charter and international law, adding that "we will not allow Iraq to become a battleground for settling regional or international scores." Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon countered: "There is no greater threat to international peace and security than a nuclear Iran." He said Israel has acted "as a last resort" and would not "wait for another threat, rocket, missile, terrorist or atomic bomb." On the other side, the Iranian ambassador said: "The council's failure to act ... would constitute a profound abdication of the council's responsibilities." He said the assault was not accidental and "not collateral damage. They were deliberate war crimes, acts of state terror and an example of barbaric warfare." Iravani noted his nation's nuclear program is peaceful, and he said Israel remains the only country in the Middle East with undeclared nuclear weapons. Iran's military response to being attacked was carried out in accordance with international law, he said. The diplomatic bloc of France, Germany, Britain and European Union officials are engaging Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva, calling it a "window of opportunity" to return to diplomacy. The other permanent Security Council members are Britain and France. British Ambassador Barbara Woodward called it "a dangerous moment for the entire region." She said she hoped for a diplomatic solution and reaffirmed Britain's support for the IAEA and its inspectors, and urged all parties to protect civilians and uphold international humanitarian law. Britain is not participating in Israeli strikes and has deployed assets only as a defensive measure, she said. French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont also called for restraint and de-escalation. "Civilian lives need to be shielded and there is a need to re-embark on the path of diplomacy," he said. "France solemnly calls on Iran to finally take the opportunity of a negotiated diplomatic solution."
