The Latest: Trump says all of Tehran should evacuate 'immediately'

Independent

9 hours ago

U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message on his social media site Monday calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran but later denied reports he had rushed back to Washington to work on a ceasefire.
Israel 's air campaign on the Iranian capital appeared to broaden an intensifying conflict after it issued warnings on Monday for about 300,000 people in Tehran to evacuate ahead of airstrikes.
People were seen leaving the city Tuesday morning as shops and the historic Grand Bazaar were closed. Iranian authorities insist everything is under control and no guidance has been issued.
Here's the latest:
___
US joining conflict would lead to 'broader conflict,' EU foreign policy chief
The European Union's top diplomat said on Tuesday that the United States joining the conflict between Israel and Iran would 'drag the region into a broader conflict.'
Kaja Kallas added that during a recent call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he had 'emphasized that it's also not in their interest to be drawn into this conflict.'
Kallas said the foreign ministers of the 27-nation bloc, in a video conference meeting, agreed on a peaceful political resolution of the conflict in Gaza and between Israel and Iran .
'Ministers called on all sides to abide by international law, exercise restraint and avoid actions that could spiral out of control.'
She said that 'all agreed the urgent need for de-escalation' and that 'Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and diplomacy is the solution to prevent this.'
Russian drone production not affected by conflict
Russia makes the drones it uses in its war in Ukraine and is unlikely to be impacted immediately by the conflict in the Middle East, said David Albright, an expert on Russian and Iranian drones.
The drones are made predominantly in the Alabuga plant in Russia's Tatarstan region and while Moscow initially bought a limited number of drones from Tehran, it later opened its own production facilities.
Iran has 'decades of experience' building drones, Albright said, and Russia could suffer because it will not be able to get more 'advanced drone models' from Iran, which is likely to need them.
Trump rejects intelligence assessment on Iran nukes
The Republican president insisted that Tehran was 'very close' to building a nuclear weapon despite congressional testimony from his top intelligence adviser earlier this year.
Back in March, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers that spy agencies have assessed that 'Iran is not building a nuclear weapon' and the country's supreme leader 'has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.'
Trump dismissed that when speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during an overnight flight back to Washington after leaving the G7 summit early.
'I don't care what she said,' Trump said. 'I think they were very close to having it.'
Trump not 'in the mood to negotiate'
'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington.
He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear program, and suggested he was now less interested in talking with them.
'They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal,' Trump said. 'So I don't know. I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.'
The Republican president, who said he plans to meet with advisers in the Situation Room, appears to be gradually building the public case for a more direct American role in the conflict.
His shift in tone comes as the U.S. has repositioned warships and military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and Iran further escalates.
Iran cancels leave for medical personnel
In Tehran on Tuesday, placards and boards calling for a 'severe' response to Israel could be seen everywhere.
Authorities cancelled leave and vacations for doctors and nurses as the attacks continue.
Long lines could be seen at gas stations.
European leaders push for de-escalation
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday night and then in the ensuing hours with the Iranian, British and German foreign ministers about the situation in the Mideast.
The French, British and German ministers passed on joint messages to the Iranian foreign minister about the need for a de-escalation and a return to diplomacy, according to a French diplomatic official.
They urged Iran to return to negotiations as soon as possible, without conditions, the official said.
They urged Iran to avoid any threats to Western interests, any extension of hostilities elsewhere in the region and any nuclear escalation including leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty, stopping cooperation with the IAEA or pursuing further enrichment, the official said.
The ministers also passed along messages to Israel on the need to not target Iranian authorities, infrastructure and the civilian population, the official said.
The official was not authorized to be publicly named in accordance with Foreign Ministry policy.
Italy's Meloni reiterates negotiations with Iran
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed 'the opportunity to reopen the road of negotiations' with Iran during a bilateral meeting with President Trump on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in Canada, her office said in a statement Tuesday.
She also underlined 'the necessity in this moment' of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.
More than 40 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid in Gaza
At least 45 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip while waiting for U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza's Health Ministry and a local hospital.
The circumstances of the killings were not immediately clear.
Palestinians say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds trying to reach food distribution points run by a separate U.S. and Israeli-backed aid group since the centers opened last month.
Local health officials say scores have been killed and hundreds wounded.
In those instances, the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots at people it said had approached its forces in a suspicious manner.
Egypt, Jordan and others call for a halt to the conflict
Twenty countries denounced in a joint statement the escalating tensions in the Middle East caused by what they term Israel's aggression against Iran and called for diplomacy and dialogue to restore stability in the region.
'There's an imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm,' read the statement.
Foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Mauritania rejected finding resolution through military campaigns. Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the escalation.
They also highlighted the importance of clearing the region of nuclear and mass destruction weapons and called for refraining from targeting nuclear facilities and protecting maritime navigation in international waters.
India evacuates its citizens
India has evacuated an unspecified number of students from Tehran amid rising tension in the region, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Some Indian nationals have also received assistance to leave Iran through the borders with Armenia, it added.
Those who can afford transport on their own have been advised to evacuate as soon as possible.
Israel says it killed high-ranking Iranian general
Israel claimed Tuesday it killed another high-ranking Iranian general after decimating its military command.
The Israeli military said it killed Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge Shadmani's death.
Shadmani was a general in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Trump says return to Washington not tied to ceasefire
President Trump denied reports that he had rushed back to Washington from the G7 summit to work on a ceasefire, saying on his social media platform that "it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.'
Trump earlier issued an ominous warning on Truth Social, saying 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,' and adding 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!'
People seen leaving Tehran
As the sun rose Tuesday on Iran, the downtown area of Tehran, the country's capital, appeared to be beginning to empty out.
Many shops in the capital stood closed. The city's ancient Grand Bazaar was closed, something that's rarely done, like during demonstrations or during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea area, with local reports suggesting there were some diversions.
Long lines also could be seen at gas stations operating in Tehran.
Iran's capital, Tehran, is home to some 10 million people. That's roughly the same population for the entirety of Israel.
It remained unclear how the city could be evacuated.
Authorities within Iran's government continued to insist everything was under control and did not offer any guidance for the public on what to do.
G7 leaders call for de-escalation but insist Iran must not get nukes
Leaders of the Group of Seven countries meeting in Canada signed a joint statement calling for de-escalation of fighting between Israel and Iran while reaffirming that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb.
The statement reads:
'We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.
'In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.
'We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians.
'Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.
'We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
'We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.
'We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.'