Latest news with #nuclearNegotiations
ABC News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Iran-Israel conflict live: Europeans urge Iran to negotiate, Israel signals 'prolonged' conflict
The conflict between Iran and Israel continues into its ninth consecutive day. European foreign ministers urged Iran to return to negotiations with the US on its nuclear programme at a meeting in Geneva. Meanwhile, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned against attacks on nuclear facilities and called for maximum restraint. Follow the latest developments in our live blog. To get updates to your inbox, subscribe to ABC News.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
European Nations Lead Push for De-Escalation in Israel-Iran War
(Bloomberg) -- Talks aimed at de-escalating the week-long war between Israel and Iran got under way in Geneva on Friday after US President Donald Trump signaled he would give diplomacy a chance before deciding whether to intervene militarily. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is meeting counterparts from the UK, France and Germany to discuss what he called 'nuclear and regional issues' around the ongoing conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron is among those leaders urging Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear program. Oil prices fell following a report from Reuters that Iran is ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment, but won't consider stopping entirely while it's under military attacks. Before negotiations with the US were suspended, Tehran had signaled its willingness to accept some restrictions on its enrichment activities, while Israel and US have said the Islamic Republic shouldn't be allowed to enrich uranium at all. Araghchi on Friday accused Israel of derailing the diplomacy with its strikes, telling the United Nations Human Rights Council that Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a next round of indirect talks with their US counterparts to 'craft a promising agreement' that would make progress in resolving the nuclear issue. Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran last week, saying the threat of its sworn enemy acquiring nuclear weapons had to be neutralized. Iran responded with waves of missiles and drones of its own, and there have been heavy casualties on both sides. Trump, who is scheduled to attend a national security meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, has publicly mused for days about the US joining the fray, but appears to have taken a step back after a run of tough rhetoric, including demands for Tehran residents to relocate and threats toward Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' Trump said in a dictated message, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Israel shows no signs of backing off. Its Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday instructed the military to continue attacking Iran's nuclear facilities and scientists, and to bring about a widespread evacuation of Tehran, which he said was part of the effort to undermine the Iranian regime. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Army Radio that Iran would be prevented from gaining atomic weapons irrespective of whether the US joins the operation — although its participation would be helpful. The Israel Defense Forces on Friday said it staged fresh strikes on dozens of targets, hitting missile-production sites and the Tehran headquarters of the nation's internal security unit and the research and development arm of Iran's nuclear-weapons program. Israel's fire services meanwhile said missiles landed in the Tel Aviv area and the south of the country. While oil prices eased on Friday, Brent crude is still up about 10% since the war began, trading around $76 a barrel. Businesses operating in the region are wary the conflict could spread and engulf other countries. On Thursday, US airlines took the unusual step of suspending flights to countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. American Airlines Group Inc. halted its route to Doha until June 22. United Airlines Holdings Inc. did the same for Dubai, saying flights would resume 'when it's safe.' And AP Moller-Maersk A/S, the Danish container-shipping giant, on Friday said it will suspend stops to Haifa, Israel's biggest port. 'The situation in the Middle East remains perilous,' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement. 'A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution. Lammy met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House on Thursday, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani held separate phone calls with Rubio and Araghchi the same day. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile agreed on a call on Friday that deescalation was necessary and that Iran shouldn't be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. 'What everyone is beginning to fear is the prospect that this is kind of open ended' and Israel's aims have shifted from hitting nuclear and military targets 'to something larger, which is regime change,' Barbara Leaf, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told Bloomberg Television on Friday. 'That opens up a Pandora's box of possibilities.' --With assistance from Jessica Loudis, Carla Canivete, John Bowker, Akayla Gardner, Dan Williams, Donato Paolo Mancini, Tuhin Kar, Golnar Motevalli, Hugo Miller, Iain Rogers, Chris Martlew, Ellen Milligan, Jon Herskovitz and Michael Heath. Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. 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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
European Nations Lead Push for De-escalation in Israel-Iran War
(Bloomberg) -- Talks aimed at de-escalating the week-long war between Israel and Iran got under way in Geneva on Friday after US President Donald Trump signaled he would give diplomacy a chance before deciding whether to intervene militarily. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is meeting counterparts from the UK, France and Germany to discuss what he called 'nuclear and regional issues' around the ongoing conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron is among those leaders urging Iran to return to negotiations over its nuclear program. Oil prices fell following a report from Reuters that Iran is ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment, but won't consider stopping entirely while it's under military attacks. Before negotiations with the US were suspended, Tehran had signaled its willingness to accept some restrictions on its enrichment activities, while Israel and US have said the Islamic Republic shouldn't be allowed to enrich uranium at all. Araghchi on Friday accused Israel of derailing the diplomacy with its strikes, telling the United Nations Human Rights Council that Iranian officials were scheduled to hold a next round of indirect talks with their US counterparts to 'craft a promising agreement' that would make progress in resolving the nuclear issue. Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran last week, saying the threat of its sworn enemy acquiring nuclear weapons had to be neutralized. Iran responded with waves of missiles and drones of its own, and there have been heavy casualties on both sides. Trump, who is scheduled to attend a national security meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, has publicly mused for days about the US joining the fray, but appears to have taken a step back after a run of tough rhetoric, including demands for Tehran residents to relocate and threats toward Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' Trump said in a dictated message, according to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Israel shows no signs of backing off. Its Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday instructed the military to continue attacking Iran's nuclear facilities and scientists, and to bring about a widespread evacuation of Tehran, which he said was part of the effort to undermine the Iranian regime. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Army Radio that Iran would be prevented from gaining atomic weapons irrespective of whether the US joins the operation — although its participation would be helpful. The Israel Defense Forces on Friday said it staged fresh strikes on dozens of targets, hitting missile-production sites and the Tehran headquarters of the nation's internal security unit and the research and development arm of Iran's nuclear-weapons program. Israel's fire services meanwhile said missiles landed in the Tel Aviv area and the south of the country. While oil prices eased on Friday, Brent crude is still up about 10% since the war began, trading around $76 a barrel. Businesses operating in the region are wary the conflict could spread and engulf other countries. On Thursday, US airlines took the unusual step of suspending flights to countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. American Airlines Group Inc. halted its route to Doha until June 22. United Airlines Holdings Inc. did the same for Dubai, saying flights would resume 'when it's safe.' And AP Moller-Maersk A/S, the Danish container-shipping giant, on Friday said it will suspend stops to Haifa, Israel's biggest port. 'The situation in the Middle East remains perilous,' UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a statement. 'A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution. Lammy met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House on Thursday, while Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani held separate phone calls with Rubio and Araghchi the same day. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile agreed on a call on Friday that deescalation was necessary and that Iran shouldn't be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. 'What everyone is beginning to fear is the prospect that this is kind of open ended' and Israel's aims have shifted from hitting nuclear and military targets 'to something larger, which is regime change,' Barbara Leaf, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told Bloomberg Television on Friday. 'That opens up a Pandora's box of possibilities.' --With assistance from Iain Rogers, Chris Martlew, Ellen Milligan, Jon Herskovitz, Michael Heath, Jessica Loudis, Carla Canivete, John Bowker, Akayla Gardner, Dan Williams, Donato Paolo Mancini, Tuhin Kar, Golnar Motevalli and Hugo Miller. Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Israel and Iran launch strikes a week into their war as new diplomatic effort takes shape
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel and Iran exchanged strikes a week into their war Friday as U.S. President Donald Trump weighed U.S. military involvement and new diplomatic efforts appeared to be underway. Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America's 'bunker-buster' bombs. He said he'll decide within two weeks whether the U.S. military will get directly involved in the war given the 'substantial chance' for renewed negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared to be en route to Geneva for meetings with the European Union's top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany. A plane with his usual call sign took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. Iran typically acknowledges his departure hours afterward. Britain's foreign secretary said he met at the White House with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict. Before his flight, Araghchi said on Iranian state television that his country was 'not seeking negotiations with anyone' so long as Israel's attacks continued, underscoring the diplomatic challenges ahead. He also accused the U.S. of being 'companions and collaborators' with Israel, noting that Trump regularly used 'we' in social media posts and interviews talking about the attacks on Iran. Israel says air campaign will target more sites Israel said it conducted airstrikes into Friday morning in Iran with more than 60 aircraft hitting what it said were industrial sites to manufacture missiles. It did not elaborate on the locations. It also said it hit the headquarters of Iran's Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, known by its acronym in Farsi, SPND. The U.S. in the past has linked that agency to alleged Iranian research and testing tied to the possible development of nuclear explosive devices. 'A week has passed since the operation began,' Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told reporters. 'We are strengthening our air control in the region and advancing our air offensive,' he said. 'We have more sites to strike in Tehran, western Iran and other places.' Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht's Industrial City, southwest of the city's downtown. But with Iran's internet shut off to the outside world, it's unclear just how many people could see the message. Damage from missiles in southern Israel In Israel, the paramedic service Magen David Adom said missiles struck a residential area in southern Israel causing damage to buildings, including one six-story building. They have provided medical treatment to five people with minor injuries such as bruises, smoke inhalation, and anxiety, it said. This comes a day after at least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in a strike on the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba. On Thursday, Israel's defense minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after the Iranian missile crashed into the hospital. Israel's military 'has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would 'do what's best for America.' Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the hospital, he added: 'I can tell you that they're already helping a lot.' The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli airstrikes 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 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's multitiered air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. But it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear weapons program but has never acknowledged it. The Israeli air campaign has targeted Iran's enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran, a nuclear site in Isfahan and what the army assesses to be most of Iran's ballistic missile launchers. The destruction of those launchers has contributed to the steady decline in Iranian attacks since the start of the conflict. ___ Sam Mednick And Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer David Rising in Dubai, United Arab Emirates contributed to this report.
Al Jazeera
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Iran, Europe to hold first meeting since Israel conflict began
Iran will hold talks with the United Kingdom, France and Germany in Geneva on Friday in an attempt to prevent an escalation in its conflict with Israel, after United States President Donald Trump said he would decide within two weeks whether to join the assault on Tehran. 'We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement, carried by state news agency IRNA. European diplomats confirmed the planned talks in Switzerland, set to involve French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Kallas and the ministers from the three European countries – known as the E3 – spoke to Araghchi earlier this week and discussed the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion, the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. French President Emmanuel Macron said European nations were planning to suggest a negotiated solution to end the conflict. On Wednesday, he asked his foreign minister to draw up an initiative with 'close partners' to that end. Speaking in Paris after talks on the crisis with the Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday, Barrot said the three nations 'stand ready to bring our competence and experience on this matter'. 'We are ready to take part in negotiations aimed at obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes,' he added. The UK's Lammy was scheduled to travel to Switzerland following his visit to Washington, DC, where he met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. 'We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon … A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,' Lammy said in a statement. Kallas, in coordination with European countries, has insisted that diplomacy remains the best path towards ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear bomb. Israel has repeatedly said its series of strikes is a preemptive move to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Iran denies it is building nuclear weapons and insists that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it has found no evidence that Iran was building such weapons. The ramping up of diplomatic efforts comes as Trump said he is weighing military action against Iran's nuclear facilities. Trump said on Thursday he would make up his mind within two weeks on whether Washington will get directly involved militarily in the conflict, given the 'substantial chance' for renewed diplomatic negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme. Iran's well-defended Fordow uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain, is widely considered to be out of reach of all but the US's so-called 'bunker-buster' bombs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would 'do what's best for America'. 'I can tell you that they're already helping a lot,' he told reporters in Beersheba. The talks will be held in Geneva, where an initial accord between Iran and world powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for lifting sanctions was struck in 2013, before a comprehensive deal in 2015. Trump left the Iran nuclear deal during his first term as president in 2018, defying last-ditch diplomatic efforts by his European allies to convince him otherwise. Negotiations between Iran and the US had been taking place when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. The conflict erupted with a surprise wave of Israeli attacks targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites and killing top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded since Israel launched a surprise wave of air raids against Iran a week ago, according to the US-based rights group Human Rights Activists. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds of others wounded in Iranian attacks, according to Israeli health authorities.
