Only US can engage Israel and Iran in discussions, Greek PM says
ATHENS, June 19 (Reuters) - Only the United States has the clout to engage Israel and Iran in negotiations as the two countries continue to trade air attacks, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.
"Europe alone does not have the necessary influence to bring the parties concerned to the (negotiation) table. Only the United States can do that. So I think it is up to the President of the United States to decide which path to take," Mitsotakis said in an interview on the sidelines of an energy conference in Athens.
The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva, a German diplomatic source told Reuters.
"We are all very concerned about any factor that will push inflation up and significantly disrupt energy markets," Mitsotakis said.
He said Greece was also very worried about the safety of around 180 Greek-flagged and Greek-owned ships that sailed in the wider Persian Gulf region when Israel first attacked Iran last week.
Greek owners control the world's largest fleet of oil tankers. Commercial ships are being advised by maritime agencies to avoid Iran's waters around the Strait of Hormuz, shipping sources said on Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trump gives Iran two-week deadline to surrender and reveals exactly how close Ayatollah is to a nuclear bomb
President Donald Trump will decide whether or not to strike Iran in the next two weeks, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday. She said the president was still holding out on a diplomatic solution, though wouldn't provide details about what U.S.-Iran talks would look like. Leavitt read a direct statement to reporters from Trump at the top of her briefing. '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,' the Trump statement read. Leavitt also said she welcomed a question when a journalist asked if Iran was a few weeks away from 'obtaining enough enriched uranium to start building a weapon' or 'completing production of a weapon.' 'Let's be very clear, Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon,' Leavitt answered. 'All they need is a decision from the Supreme Leader to do that.' 'And it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would, of course, pose an existential threat not just to Israel but to the United States and to the entire world,' Leavitt continued. The world has been awaiting Trump's decision on whether he'll join Israel's current war with Iran, which has now stretched a week. In particular, Israel has wanted U.S. assistance with bombing Iran's Fordow nuclear site. But the idea of military action against Iran has gotten Trump in trouble some some factions of the MAGA right, after he promised as a candidate to get the United States out of 'forever wars' and pledged 'World War III' wouldn't occur under his watch. 'Trust in President Trump,' she said, when asked near the top of the briefing what the president's message is to everyday Trump supporters, who might be skeptical of any military action. She said the U.S. was now looking for a deal with Iran that would include 'no enrichment of uranium' and reiterated that Iran wouldn't be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. 'With respect to Iran, nobody should be surprised by the president's position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon,' Leavitt also said. Leavitt also said the previous deal on the table through Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was 'both realistic and acceptable.' She wouldn't give much more detail on when diplomatic talks might happen. 'Out of respect for the ongoing discussions and negotiations, I am not going to get into the details of them. We've provided you confirmation,' Leavitt said. Witkoff was spotted by CNN alongside other Trump advisers at the White House on Thursday, with Leavitt suggesting he wouldn't be heading to Geneva, where the Europeans are scheduled to have talks with an Iranian delegation on Friday. Oman had previously hosted U.S.-Iran talks and three Iranian planes had been spotted landing in the capital of Muscat on Wednesday. 'As for correspondence between the United States and the Iranians, I can confirm that correspondence has continued. As you know, we were engaged with six rounds of negotiations with them in both indirect and direct ways,' Leavitt answered. Trump had also pitched the Iranians coming to see him at the White House. One reporter pointed out that if an Iranian delegation could get as far as Geneva, could they be coming to Washington as well? 'I am not going to get into hypotheticals,' Leavitt answered. 'But as you heard from the president yesterday, they have expressed interest in doing that.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
World Business Report How war with Iran impacts Israel's economy
A war with Iran has been harming Israel, not just in the physical effect of missile strikes but also the impact of the conflict and instability on Israel's economy. Roger Hearing hears about how the country's economy is coping with this. Greenland's minister for business and mineral resources, Naaja Nathanielsen, tells us how she deals with threats of a an invasion by US President Donald Trump. And Thailand, a country that has long kept a tight lid on gambling, could be about to change as the government is looking at legalising casinos to boost tourism.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Meet Trump's four key advisers on bombing Iran... and who has been sidelined
President Donald Trump has been coached through the Iran and Israel war by four crucial confidants, but they are surprisingly not all top military brass. Though Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has played a public role in the Trump administration's defense strategy, he is not among the advisors closest to the president on the Iran matter, current and former White House sources say. Neither is Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, the sources told the Washington Post. Though sources close to the intelligence director push back, saying she's been in regular contact with the president this week and at important meetings. The most influential figures in Trump's orbit as he weighs a U.S. strikes to take out Iran's nuclear technology are Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, an outside White House advisor told the outlet. The group of four is referred to as the 'Tier one' group of decision makers, the advisor shared. These are the men making critical decisions on whether to get involved in the war. These sour advisors are now helping the president sort through contingency plans for U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities that are buried deep under mountains. Israeli military officials have called on the U.S. to use GB-57 'bunker buster' bombs on the nuclear sites - a weapon that can only be delivered by U.S.-made planes that are captained by American pilots - a move that risks escalating the conflict further. Caine, the top military advisor to the president, is the only Pentagon official sitting in on the 'Tier one' meetings. Vance, however, served in the Marines decades ago A former Democratic adviser to President Biden and Nancy Pelosi weighs in on the downgrading of Hegseth and Gabbard The Pentagon pushed back on the Post report, telling the Daily Mail that Hegseth has not been sidelined amid Caine's rising influence. 'This claim is completely false,' Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. 'The Secretary is speaking with the President multiple times a day each day and has been with the President in the Situation Room this week. The DNI has been in critical meetings with the president on Iran this week, a senior intelligence official told the Daily Mail on Thursday, saying she's taking part in National Security Council meetings and impromptu White House sessions. At the White House on Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump would give Iran two weeks before he decides to go forward with any action. The president said on Wednesday that he may or may not authorize strikes in Iran. He also repeatedly demanded Iran's 'unconditional surrender.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tulsi Gabbard (@tulsigabbard) The Gorilla vs. The Gram Trump has also been consulting with General Michael Erik Kurilla, the four-star head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) who has earned the imposing nickname 'The Gorilla.' Multiple U.S. officials have said Kurilla has been a more influential voice than the defense secretary and he routinely gets his requests for additional resources approved, making CENTCOM one of the most fortified commands. Meanwhile, at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), several longtime staffers expressed concern over Gabbard's priorities. Sources inside the ODNI accuse Trump's spy chief of focusing on her appearance rather than her intelligence work, CNN reports. These staffers pointed to her polished Instagram making her appear more like a fitness influencer than a Cabinet member. An ominous video she posted in recent weeks where Gabbard warns of 'nuclear annihilation' also has reportedly put her in uncharted waters with the president, who reportedly was not a fan of the three-minute clip. ODNI spokesperson Olivia Coleman said in a statement Gabbard 'remains focused on her mission: providing accurate and actionable intelligence to the president, cleaning up the Deep State, and keeping the American people safe, secure and free.'
