Trump 'Deceived His Own Voters' by 'Submitting to the Wishes of a Wanted War Criminal': Iranian Foreign Minister Says in Trump-Netanyahu Rebuke
President Donald Trump "deceived his own voters by submitting to the wishes of a wanted war criminal" after he and his administration bombed three of Iran's nuclear facilities early Sunday morning, an Iranian official declared.
During a press conference in Istanbul on Sunday, amid ongoing peace talks between Iran, Germany, France, and the UK, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi condemned the Trump administration's escalation of the Israel-Iran war.
"While President Trump was elected on a platform of putting an end to America's costly involvement of forever wars in our part of the world, he has betrayed not only Iran by abusing our commitment to diplomacy but also deceived his own voters by submitting to the wishes of a wanted war criminal who has grown accustomed to exploiting the lives and wealth of American citizens to further the Israeli regime's objectives," Abbas Araqchi stated, referencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for Netanyahu's arrest in November 2024, alleging the Israeli prime minister was responsible for multiple war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, beginning Oct. 8, 2023.
Abbas Araqchi added that the "warmongering and lawless" Trump administration is "solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression."
"The U.S. military attack on the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of a UN member state carried out...in collusion with the genocidal Israeli machine has once again revealed the extent of the United States' hostility toward the peace-seeking people of Iran," he continued.
The Iranian official reaffirmed that Iran will never compromise its independence or sovereignty, emphasizing the nation's unwavering commitment to protecting both its autonomy and its people. As the second-largest country in the region, Iran has a population nearing 91 million.
Also on Sunday, the Iranian foreign minister wrote in an X post that the U.S. "committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the [Non-Proliferation Treaty]." He also called it an "outrageous" attack that "will have everlasting consequences."
"Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless, and criminal behavior," Abbas Araqchi wrote. "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people."
The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations.
The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting…
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DW
38 minutes ago
- DW
US must 'receive a response' to strikes Iranian leader says – DW – 06/22/2025
Iran's president has said his country has to respond following US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. The US called operation "Midnight Hammer" an "overwhelming success." Follow DW for President Masoud Pezeshkian said the United States must "receive a response" to its attacks on nuclear sites in Iran. "The Americans must receive a response to their aggression," Pezeshkian told French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the official IRNA news agency. In a post on X, Macron said that during the conversation with Pezeshkian, he "called for de-escalation and for Iran to exercise the utmost restraint in this dangerous context, to allow a return to diplomatic channels." Pezeshkian called on Iranians to unite in the face of the attacks from Israel and the US. He joined a march in Tehran where demonstrators chanted slogans against Israel and the US, the Fars news agency reported. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said earlier Sunday that there would be "everlasting consequences" for the US attacks. The State Department has ordered all non-essential personnel and the families of staff at the US Embassy in Lebanon to leave as concerns mount about Iranian retaliation for US strikes in Iran. In a notice issued on Sunday, the State Department said it had taken the step "due to the volatile and unpredictable security situation in the region." The notice made no mention of any potential evacuation flights or other assistance for private US citizens wanting to leave Lebanon but said they should try to use existing commercial services to depart. The US has already organized several evacuations of American citizens from Israel and is advising American citizens in Iran on how to leave the country. Iran's Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz following US bombing raids, Iran's Press TV said on Sunday. Parliament is reported to have backed the measure, with Iran having long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, to fend off pressure from the West. Tensions are at their highest following the overnight US strikes on its nuclear facilities. A decision to close the strait is not yet final. Esmail Kosari, a member of parliament's national security commission, was quoted on Iranian media as saying: "For now, [parliament has] come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council." Kosari, who is also a Revolutionary Guards Commander, had earlier told the Young Journalist Club that closing the strait was on the agenda and would be done "whenever necessary." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi had dodged the question when he was pressed, replying: "A variety of options are available to Iran." The strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Mideast Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond. It is 21 miles (33 kilometers) wide at its narrowest point, with the shipping lane just two miles wide in either direction. Israel said that it deployed around 30 fighter jets to carry out massive attacks in Iran on Sunday. With the move, Israel has expanded its offensive launched more than a week ago, a military spokesman said in a statement. The statement said Israel had "struck dozens of military targets throughout Iran," including "the 'Imam Hussein' Strategic Missile Command Center in the Yazd area, where long-range Khorramshahr missiles were stored." The Israeli military also confirmed strikes on missile launchers in the Bushehr province, where a "massive explosion" was reported by Iranian media. It also confirmed strikes in Ahvaz in the southwest and central Isfahan, which is home to a uranium conversion facility targeted by more than two dozen missiles fired from a US submarine in the Middle East overnight. Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said there would be no interruption in the offensive against Iran after overnight US strikes. "We are continuing and are determined to achieve the objectives of the operation: eliminating the existential threat to the state of Israel, damaging Iran's nuclear programme and destroying its missile systems," Defrin said. The UN's nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told CNN on Sunday that it was not yet possible to assess the damage done after US strikes hit Iran's Fordo enrichment site, which is buried in a mountain. Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also called on all sides to return to the "negotiating table as soon as possible." He added that "inspectors need to be able to return to Iran's nuclear sites." Inspectors have not been able to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities since the first strikes on them by Israel on June 13. Grossi added the UN nuclear body would hold an "emergency meeting" at the organization's headquarters in Vienna on Monday in response to the US strikes. Meanwhile, the IAEA wrote on the social media platform X that it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran after the US strikes. "Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran... the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time," the watchdog said on X. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the world was "safer" after the US strikes on Iran. He spoke about the strikes on US broadcaster Fox News' show "Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo." Rubio warned Iran against retaliating against the US, saying such an action would be "the worst mistake they've ever made." "I think the world today is safer and more stable than it was 24 hours ago," he said, warning Iran that it risked further reprisals if it insisted on maintaining a "secret" nuclear program. Iran has said its nuclear program serves exclusively civilian purposes. Rubio accused Iran of entering into "fake negotiations" ahead of the strikes in a bid to "play" US President Donald Trump. Officials from the US and Iran had been scheduled to meet on June 15, but that meeting was canceled after Israel launched attacks on Iran on June 13. US Vice President JD Vance said his country was only at war with Iran's nuclear program, adding that the program had been pushed back following US airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump. "We're not at war with Iran. We're at war with Iran's nuclear program," Vance said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press with Kristen Welker." "I think that we have really pushed their program back by a very long time," Vance said. "I think that it's going to be many, many years before the Iranians are going to be able to develop a nuclear weapon." The US had been in diplomatic talks with Iran about Tehran's nuclear program, but Vance accused Iran of not negotiating in good faith, which he said served as a catalyst for US strikes. "We don't want a regime change," Vance added. "We do not want to protract this... We want to end the nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here. "I actually think it provides an opportunity to reset this relationship, reset these negotiations and get us in a place where Iran can decide not to be a threat to its neighbors, not to a threat to the United States and if they're willing to do that, the United States is all ears," Vance said. Vance explained that Trump made the final decision to strike Iran right before the strikes took place and that Washington has received some "indirect" messages from Tehran since the strikes. He did not elaborate on the content of the messages. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that by bombing nuclear program sites in Iran, the US had "blown up diplomacy." (See entry below) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video America's top military officer, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, told reporters on Sunday that overnight US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities had included 14 massive ordnance penetrator or "bunker-buster" bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft. Caine called "Operation Midnight Hammer" the largest B-2 operational strike in US history, explaining that seven B-2 stealth bombers had flown 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran and refueled mid-air several times along the way to carry out the mission. Despite claims from President Trump and Secretary of Defense Hegseth that Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated", Caine said a battle damage assessment was still ongoing. He said US troops in the region were given no advanced warning and remain on high alert. The general said initial assessments indicated "extreme damage and destruction" at three Iranian nuclear sites. Caine said the US troops had used deceptive tactics and completed their mission of delivering some 75 precision-guided weapons to targets inside Iran undetected — maintaining the element of surprise throughout. Adding that "no other military in the world could have done this," Caine advised Iran to refrain from striking back against the US, saying that to do so would be "a poor choice." Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a warning to US military bases in the Middle East after overnight US airstrikes on the country's nuclear sites. "By attacking the peaceful nuclear facilities, [US forces] have de facto put themselves in direct danger," the IRGC said, according to the Fars news agency. Iran, it said, would "use options beyond the understanding... of the agressor front, and the aggressors of this land must expect regrettable responses." The overnight US airstrikes ordered by US President Donald Trump targeted nuclear facilities in three locations in Iran, including the well-fortified uranium enrichment plant at Fordo. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The IRGC also said it would continue to target Israel, which has been hit by multiple waves of missile and drone attacks since Israel struck Iran on June 13. The United States has many bases around the Persian Gulf, including in Bahrain and Qatar. Some are located relatively close to Iran, which could make them targets of retaliation. Around 40,000 members of the US military are currently stationed in the region. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday called military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities "an incredible and overwhelming success" that had "obliterated Iran's nuclear ambitions." Hegseth said neither Iranian troops nor civilians had been targeted in the US operation. Just hours after the airstrikes on Iran, Hegseth echoed President Trump, claiming the US "seeks peace." He went on to say, "We will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners or our interests are threatened." Hegseth praised Trump for the operation, which he said had been months in the making: "The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen." Iranian media have reported "massive" blasts in the southern city of Bushehr, home to Iran's only nuclear reactor. Iranian authorities have not yet reported any problem at the plant, which is operated with Russian assistance. The cause of the blasts was not immediately clear. China's Foreign Ministry has criticized the US attacks on Iran, saying they "escalate tensions in the Middle East" and go against the UN Charter. Among other things, it said it condemned the targeting of nuclear facilities supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency. "China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible," the ministry said in a statement. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the US attacks on nuclear sites were the result of an "irresponsible" decision that goes against international law. "The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb attacks, whatever the arguments it may be presented with, flagrantly violates international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council," the ministry said in a statement. "We call for an end to aggression and for increased efforts to create conditions for returning the situation to a political and diplomatic track," the ministry said.
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
NATO Strikes Spending Deal, But Spain Exemption Claim Risks Trump Ire
NATO on Sunday signed off on a pledge to ramp up defence spending before its upcoming summit, but Madrid insisted it would not need to hit the five percent of GDP demanded by US President Donald Trump. The claim by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sets up a potential clash with Trump, who has pressured allies to commit to that headline figure when they meet for the two-day gathering starting on Tuesday in The Hague. Spain had been the last holdout on a compromise deal that sees allies promise to reach 3.5 percent on core military needs over the next decade, and spend 1.5 percent on a looser category of "defence-related" expenditures such as infrastructure and cybersecurity. Multiple diplomats at NATO said the agreement -- set to be unveiled at the summit -- had gone through with the approval of all 32 nations and that there was no exemption for Madrid. But within minutes Sanchez came out saying he had struck an accord with NATO that would see his country keep respecting its commitments "without having to raise our defence spending to five percent of gross domestic product". "We understand the difficulty of the geopolitical context, fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defence investment, if they so wish, but we are not going to do it," he said. NATO diplomats now fear that Spain's position could undermine its carefully choreographed show of unity with Trump in The Hague, which already risks being overshadowed by the US decision to strike Iran. "Not ok," one diplomat said, on condition of anonymity. Madrid's claims came after Sanchez on Thursday threw a last-minute grenade into preparations for the gathering in the Netherlands by taking a strong stand against the agreement. In a blistering letter to NATO chief Mark Rutte, Sanchez said that committing to a headline figure of five percent of GDP "would not only be unreasonable, but also counterproductive". That prompted a warning from Trump that "Spain has to pay what everybody else has to pay." "NATO is going to have to deal with Spain," he told reporters on Friday, calling the country "notorious" for spending less on defence than other alliance members. The outburst from Madrid's centre-left leader also sparked fury from other NATO members desperate to keep Trump -- who has threatened not to protect allies spending too little -- on their side. The pledge is seen as key both to satisfying Trump and helping NATO build up the forces it needs to deter Russia. After several days of wrangling involving Sanchez and Rutte, officials said Spain on Sunday signed off on the pledge. Diplomats said that language around the spending pledge in the summit's final declaration had been slightly softened from "we commit", to "allies commit". They insisted the fundamentals of the deal remained intact and that it applied to Spain. But government sources in Madrid said the linguistic tweak meant only those countries that opted-in were covered by the promise and that Rutte was set to send a letter to Sanchez saying that Spain will have "flexibility". Sanchez is facing a difficult balancing act of aligning with NATO allies and cajoling his junior coalition partner, the far-left alliance Sumar, which is hostile to increasing military spending. Spain has been one of the lowest-spending NATO countries on defence in relative terms. The country is only set to hit the alliance's current target of two percent this year after a 10-billion-euro ($11.5 billion) injection.
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
'Shut Up You Pathetic Little Hypocrite,' Marjorie Taylor Greene Berates AOC After She Called Trump's Iran Attack 'Grounds for Impeachment'
Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed AOC for calling for President Trump's impeachment Sunday. Far-right Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on social media Saturday after the New York congresswoman called for President Donald Trump's impeachment following his attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. "Shut up you pathetic little hypocrite," MTG wrote in an X post shared Saturday night. "YOU fully supported our military and IC [intelligence community] running the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. And you VOTED to fund the Ukraine war under your President with dementia," she continued. In 2022, AOC voted in favor of a $40.1 billion emergency aid package for Ukraine following Russia's invasion. However, in April 2024, she voted against the $60.8 billion Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, arguing that it should not be tied to funding for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's military campaign in Gaza, which she described as genocidal. The bill ultimately passed in the House. "You don't get to play anti-war and moral outrage anymore," MTG added. Shut up you pathetic little fully supported our military and IC running the proxy war against Russia in you VOTED to fund the Ukraine war under your President with dementia. You don't get to play anti-war and moral outrage anymore. — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 22, 2025 Just hours before criticizing AOC, the conservative representative condemned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, writing, "There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear armed nation," she added. "This is not our fight." MTG has turned out to be one of the most vocal anti-war MAGA supporters since the Israel-Iran war began June 13, following an unprovoked strike by Israel. On June 18, she applauded Trump for "giving time for diplomacy to work with Iran and Israel," adding that other U.S. presidents would have already dropped bombs and killed innocent people. Every time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran is a nuclear armed is not our fight. Peace is… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) June 21, 2025 Originally published on Latin Times © Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
