TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed media reports claiming that Iran has invited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to conduct inspections of the country’s nuclear facilities.
Israeli strikes kill four in Gaza City and several in southern Lebanon At least four Palestinians were killed and several others wounded in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment in Gaza City early this morning, according to medical sources cited by the Wafa news agency. The report said the attack targeted an apartment belonging to the al-Safadi family on al-Thalatheeni Street in the city. Meanwhile, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli attacks continued overnight and into this morning across southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei rejected media reports alleging that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, describing such claims as unfounded.
Rights campaigners challenge Israel's death penalty law at London panel Human rights campaigners gathered in London on Friday for a panel titled "Together Against The Death Penalty", where speakers criticised Israel's death penalty law for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Participants argued that the legislation raises serious concerns about equality before the law and the treatment of Palestinians under Israel's legal system. "The Israeli death penalty law is a sign of weakness rather than strength," speakers at the event said.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei announced that the meeting previously scheduled to take place in Switzerland on June 19 has been postponed, adding that consultations are continuing through mediators.
Somaliland president visits Israel after recognition agreement Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi arrived in Jerusalem on Sunday for what was described as the first state visit by a leader of the territory, according to Al Jazeera. The visit comes six months after Israel became the first country to recognise Somaliland's independence from Somalia, marking a significant step in relations between the two sides. During the visit, Israel and Somaliland signed a strategic cooperation agreement and held a series of meetings aimed at expanding ties in areas including security, trade and regional strategy.
Iran criticises World Cup organisers over travel restrictions Iranian football federation secretary-general Hedayat Mombeyni has criticised World Cup organisers after Iran's request to enter the United States two days before its match against Belgium was reportedly rejected. Iran, which is based in Mexico during the tournament, had sought an earlier arrival in Los Angeles ahead of Sunday's midday kick-off but said the request was turned down. "This is a major international tournament.
In ‘middle Israel’ there are fears Iran could rebuild stronger – and there is particular ire for Donald Trump In the Tree brasserie off Herzl Street in Rehovot, there was much that almost everyone agreed on. Few contested that the ceasefire deal concluded by Iran and the US a few days earlier was very bad for Israel. “We were betrayed by President Trump,” said Avi Perez, 55.
Video: Israeli strike on residential building in Gaza City kills three Palestinians An Israeli air strike on a residential building in Gaza reportedly killed three Palestinians, including two children, along with their father, early on Saturday. Local sources reported the strike targeted an apartment on al-Thalathini Street in Gaza City. According to Gaza’s health ministry, Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians since the US-brokered ceasefire in October.
Iranian military says combat readiness remains unchanged Iran's Army reaffirmed its readiness to defend the country's security, sovereignty and national interests in the event of any violation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the United States. In a statement issued on Friday, the military said its forces remain fully alert, "with hands on the trigger and ears attuned to the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief", despite the agreement aimed at ending hostilities. The statement said Iranian armed forces would continue strengthening their capabilities and were prepared to protect the country's security and interests if "the enemy betrays its commitments".
Former Real Madrid player and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi has consistently denied the allegation arising from a 2023 complaint Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi will stand trial in France on a rape charge he denies after an appeals court upheld a decision to refer the case to a criminal court, the media reported on Friday.
Vance says US policy must serve American interests first US Vice President JD Vance said that there are disagreements between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how to bring the conflict with Iran to an end. Speaking during a television interview, Vance said it was natural for allies, including Israel, to seek to influence US policy, but stressed that American leaders must remain focused on their own national interests. Vance said policymakers must be "extremely careful" to ensure they are pursuing policies that serve the interests of the United States rather than those of another country.
Hezbollah says it repelled Israeli advance in southern Lebanon Hezbollah said its fighters repelled an Israeli armoured and infantry force attempting to advance near the Ali al-Tahir Heights in southern Lebanon, claiming the troops were drawn into a "killing zone" during clashes on Friday. According to media reports, fighters engaged the force after it entered the area, destroying three Merkava tanks with guided missiles and continuing the attack with rocket and artillery fire. The reports said Hezbollah also detonated explosive devices against advancing Israeli armour, setting one tank on fire.
Washington DC [US], June 20 (ANI): The United States is eyeing working with Qatar so as to chart a plan for releasing billions of dollars in frozen funds aimed at humanitarian spending in Iran, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Doctors Without Borders warns civilians trapped under shelling in Nabatieh Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned the latest shelling of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, describing the attacks as "relentless" and "devastating". In a social media statement, the medical charity said its teams on the ground were reporting conditions that "resemble a death trap" as civilians remained exposed to ongoing bombardment. MSF said people had been "caught under heavy shelling" and called for immediate measures to protect civilians and emergency workers.
UK minister calls Ben-Gvir remarks on Lebanon ‘horrendous and abhorrent’ UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned comments by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after he said that "all of Lebanon must burn" following the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon. In a post on X, Cooper described the remarks as "a horrendous and abhorrent statement from an Israeli Minister who has rightly been sanctioned by the UK Government". Cooper also called on both Israel and Hezbollah to respect the ceasefire in Lebanon and avoid further escalation.
Developments in Ukraine and Iran show that the military superpowers are not getting it all their own way Our age of what Mark Carney called global rupture is also often described as following the “ law of the jungle ”, in which the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must, with international law shattered and multilateral organisations hollowed out. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, and the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon seem to confirm this bleak outlook. On closer inspection, however, these wars offer a different, and far brighter, clue to the way forward.
The recent war between Iran and the United States has left Tehran facing a diplomatic challenge that extends well beyond Washington: rebuilding trust with Arab neighbors unsettled by weeks of regional instability.
Iranian official US and Israel lost control as war progressed An adviser to Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei said the United States emerged weakened from the recent conflict with Iran and that Washington and Israel gradually lost control of events as the war unfolded. According to Press TV, Mohsen Rezaei, a former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), made the remarks during a televised interview on Friday, arguing that by the fifteenth day of the conflict the United States and Israel had realised that the situation was no longer under their control. Rezaei attributed the outcome to a combination of factors, including political divisions within the United States, military challenges, international pressure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the conflict.
Trump says Israel would have been crushed without US support US President Donald Trump said Israel's position in the region depended heavily on American support, arguing that US military assistance had been central to the country's security. "If it weren't for my intervention, Israel would have been crushed," Trump said, adding that the United States provided key capabilities, including advanced weapons systems, the Iron Dome air defence network and B-2 bombers. Trump also commented on his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing it as positive while suggesting that Washington plays an important role in influencing Israeli decision-making.
