Putin tells Netanyahu issues surrounding Iran's nuclear programme must be solved through diplomacy
June 13 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin, in separate telephone conversations on Friday, told Iran's president that Moscow condemned Israel's actions against Tehran and told Israel's prime minister that questions around Iran's nuclear programme could only be solved through diplomacy.
A Kremlin statement said Putin told Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian that Russia "condemns the actions of Israel taken in violation of the U.N. Charter" and expressed condolences for those killed.
The statement said Putin, in his conversation with Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu "stressed the importance of a return to the process of talks and resolution of all issues concerning Iran's nuclear programme strictly through political and diplomatic means".
The Kremlin statement said Russia would remain in close contact with both Iran and Israel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Millions expected at ‘No Kings' protests before Trump's military parade
Update: Date: 2025-06-14T11:46:51.000Z Title: Iran warns US against helping stop Iranian strikes on Israel Content: Away from today's protests and there'll be one eye on events in the Middle East as Israel and Iran continue to exchange fire following Israel's attack on Friday. Explosions have been reported in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Tehran today and Iran has warned the United States, United Kingdom and France that their bases and ships in the region will be targeted if they help stop Tehran's strikes on Israel, Iran state media reported on Saturday. The US has said it was not involved in the attack on Iran, describing the Israeli action as unilateral, and it warned Iran and its allies not to target US interests or personnel in the region. Follow the latest from our live coverage of the Israel Iran conflict via the link below Update: Date: 2025-06-14T11:46:51.000Z Title: Content: The weather is being closely monitored and taken into consideration ahead of today's planned parade, but at this point nothing has changed, the Pentagon said yesterday. The statement came in response to weather forecasts which appeared, on Friday at least, to show heavy rain and even thunderstorms heading for Washington DC. Update: Date: 2025-06-14T11:46:51.000Z Title: States to deploy the national guard Content: This week, Trump has deployed national guard and US marine troops to Los Angeles to crack down on protesters who have demonstrated against his ramped-up deportations, defying state and local authorities in a show of military force that hasn't been seen in the US since the civil rights era. Texas governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, deployed his state's national guard to manage protests ahead of No Kings and amid ongoing demonstrations against Trump's immigration agenda. In Florida, Republican governor Ron DeSantis said that people could legally run over protesters with their cars if they were surrounded. he said: 'You don't have to sit there and just be a sitting duck and let the mob grab you out of your car and drag you through the streets. 'You have a right to defend yourself in Florida,' he added. Update: Date: 2025-06-14T11:46:51.000Z Title: Millions expected to rally against Trump before president's military parade Content: Millions of people are expected to turn out for US-wide protests as part of a 'No Kings' event on Saturday – the same day Donald Trump will attend a military parade to honor the 250th anniversary of the US army that coincides with his 79th birthday. The rallies follow a week of protests against anti-immigration raids in Los Angeles, with largely peaceful demonstrations spreading to cities including New York, Chicago, San Antonio and Atlanta. Anger at Trump's deployment of the national guard and marines against the wishes of California officials is likely to swell numbers at today's protests. Meanwhile, the military parade is set to start at 6.30pm ET and is expected to feature thousands of soldiers parading through Washington DC, as well as hundreds of vehicles – including tanks and rocket launchers – dozens of aircraft – including Apache helicopters – plus 34 horses, two mules and one dog. The event has grown extensively in scope and size since US army planners started working on a festival two years ago to mark the day. According to the AP, it will include concerts, fireworks, NFL players, fitness competitions and displays all over the National Mall. The US army expects as many as 200,000 people could attend. The event will cost an estimated $25m to $45m. A survey earlier this week found six in 10 US adults said the parade was 'not a good use' of government money, including the vast majority of people, 78%, who neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Join us as we bring you the latest news and developments from protests across the US and the parade.
The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Israel's stated aim is the destruction of Iran's nuclear weapons – but the real goal is regime change in Tehran
Israel's campaign to cripple Iran's nuclear programme and decapitate its military with bombardments across the west of the country is part of a comprehensive plan to remove the existential threat Iran posed to the Jewish State. The 'second-order effect' may be no less important - regime change. Israel's been planning this for years. It has shaped the battlefield with assassinations of nuclear scientists, the destruction of Iranian regional proxy militias, bombing of its missile facilities last year. This year, it has slipped Mossad intelligence agency commandos into the country where they've shown Ukrainian levels of innovation and used drones to snuff out Iran's air defences and target missile launch sites. Two more top leaders of the Iranian forces have been slain in meticulously targeted strikes. Politicians, though, have not yet appeared on the Israeli kill lists. That is deliberate. Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly tried to appeal to the Iranian people to rise against the Islamic regime that has ruled over them since 1979. On Friday, as Israel's first waves of 200 aircraft were conducting their first sorties against Iran he broadcast an appeal directly to the Iranian people. "Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you," Netanyahu said. "The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime," he added. "This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard." Iran's regime is oppressive. It hangs poets and journalists, gasses school girls for protesting against being forced to wear head scarves and takes foreigners hostage. It has backed murderous campaigns by Hamas, created the militia-cum-mafia that is modern Hezbollah, and used the Houthis of Yemen to destabilise world trade through the Red Sea. These are 'military' operations, and so, for now, Israel is focusing its efforts on Iran's military officers and capabilities. The message from Israel, though, to politicians and surviving soldiers is that the smart money lies in removing the mullahs who have ruled Iran before Israel kills them, or another revolution sweeps every element of the current system away. 'Pandora's box has been cast wide open with Israel's sweeping overnight air campaign against Iranian targets — an escalation that risks reshaping the strategic landscape of the Middle East. By targeting senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership and nuclear infrastructure deep inside Iranian territory, Israel has signalled a willingness to confront Tehran at a scale and depth previously unseen,' said Burcu Ozcelik, senior research fellow, Middle East security, at the Royal United Services Institute. The exiled son of Iran's last shah, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, blamed the Israeli attacks on Iran's supreme leader, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying it was "Khamenei's war, not Iran's." In a statement shared online, Pahlavi appealed directly to Iran's military, police, and intelligence personnel, urging them to "separate yourselves from this corrupt and incompetent leadership" and "join the people." He said that the Islamic Republic's leadership 'values neither your lives nor the future of Iran… The solution is the overthrow of the Islamic Republic through street protests and nationwide strikes,' he said. Iran has fired 200 ballistic missiles in four waves against Israel in its first round of retaliation. Most have been shot down, but at least three Israelis have been killed by the counterattacks. This provoked Israel Katz, Israel's defence minister, to threaten the kind of revenge that would destroy any hope of an uprising against the Islamic regime "The Iranian dictator is taking the citizens of Iran hostage, bringing about a reality in which they, and especially Teheran's residents, will pay a heavy price for the flagrant harm inflicted upon Israel's citizens. If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn," Katz raged. Israel has said that its campaign, which has already involved attacks on 150 sites, could take a week or even two. The military aim is clear – the total destruction of Iran's nuclear programme and the emasculation of its conventional military capabilities. With every wave of ballistic missiles Iran fires, its inventory falls and Israel's ability to identify launch sites increases. Israel says it has killed nine nuclear scientists but avoided other civilian casualties. Iran's state media has said that 60 civilians, including 20 children, have been killed by Israel so far. Israel's campaign in Gaza has shown that a Katz-style blitzkrieg of Iran is not a threat that the Jewish State is afraid of carrying out. So far, Israel has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, at least half of whom have been women and children in Gaza. The Trump administration has protected Israel from much of the criticism for its operations in Gaza. But when it comes to Iran, there is unanimity in what western leaders would like to see as an outcome. They all want to see a regime change no matter how much they call for 'restraint'. Prising Iran out of its close relationship with Moscow, which is its biggest civilian nuclear power backer and which supports its operations in Ukraine, would be a huge bonus. Regime change in Iran could bring an oil-rich nation with an ancient culture, an educated population, that sits at the centre of geopolicy, would be an ideal outcome for the west. Tehran knows this, which is why it's threatened to attack British and French interests if they get involved in even helping to defend Israel against its rockets. Paris and London, meanwhile, are sitting back and enjoying the demise of Iran's nuclear programme while hoping to see the 'second-order effect' of Israel's Operation Rising Lion emerge as a revolution in Iran.
Telegraph
43 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Iran tried to fire 1,000 missiles at Israel but could only muster 100
As Israeli missiles rained down across the country, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, reportedly summoned his national security council for an emergency meeting. There was only item on the agenda: how strongly would – or could – the Islamic regime respond? Iran's military planning was already in disarray. Israel had killed its four most senior general in the meticulously executed opening salvoes of its campaign. Many of the country's first-line air defences and missile bases lay in smouldering ruins. The supreme leader was cautious. He wanted revenge, certainly, but warned that acting hastily could misfire. Others cautioned against provoking a wider war that might draw in the United States, especially now that Iran's ability to defend itself had been severely compromised. Doing too little risked the perception of meek capitulation. An order was given to launch a barrage of up to 1,000 ballistic missiles in a massive show of force intended to prove that Iran was far from a spent force. But in the end, Iran only managed to launch 100 missiles as Israeli strikes had disrupted efforts to move missiles from storage to launchpads quickly. There is no question that Iran's opening barrage brought destruction. Israel's multi-layered air defences, backed by US firepower, intercepted many missiles in the skies above Israel's cities – but not all. At least three people were killed and 21 more injured, according to Israel's emergency services. Iran's used half as many ballistic missiles as it launched last October in retaliation for the assassination Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader, and Israel's incursion into southern Lebanon. But writing Iran off would be premature. Its long-range missile bases have reportedly been destroyed, but by no means all. It may be conserving ammunition in anticipation of a drawn-out campaign. Even with smaller salvos, it can clearly inflict significant casualties. Analysts suggested Iran's primary targets appear not to be Israel military sites but civilian population centres. Tehran has spent years preparing for an Israeli assault, but it is fighting from a far weaker position than it would have liked. Its 'long arm' – the far-flung network of proxy groups meant to encircle Israel in a 'ring of fire' – may not have been amputated but it has been fractured in multiple places. Hezbollah, once the most potent weapon in Iran's deterrence arsenal, has been so badly crippled that it cannot respond – and most likely does not wish to. Its surviving leaders are still seething over what they see as Iran's failure to aid them beyond October's missile strikes, widely viewed within the movement as performative. The fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the main conduit for Iranian weapons, has also severely hampered Hezbollah's efforts to rearm. Hamas, largely leaderless and fighting for its survival, is incapable of inflicting meaningful damage. Even a renewed Houthi campaign against international shipping in the Red Sea would do little to hurt Israel directly. Iran must therefore look to itself and it is unclear whether the mullahs can match their rhetorical bombast with meaningful military results. Tehran certainly appears to have fared worse in the opening salvos. The loss of so many of many senior officers and scientists stemmed from a startling miscalculation. Convinced that Israel would not strike before Iranian nuclear negotiators had met their US counterparts in Oman on Sunday, Khamenei's generals chose to sleep in their own beds rather than in safe houses – a fatal decision. Likewise Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of Iran's aerospace forces, convened a meeting of his senior staff in defiance of a directive banning just such gatherings. All were killed. Those in the military and political hierarchy who remain alive will be looking at last year's Hezbollah precedent with considerable unease. Israel systematically eliminated almost ever single one of the group's top commanders, culminating in Nasrallah himself. Such is Israel's intelligence prowess that many analysts assume Iran's senior leadership has been penetrated and that even Khamenei himself may not be safe. These are hardly ideal conditions in which to plan a war.
