US, Iran mull restarting nuclear negotiations: US envoy – DW – 06/25/2025
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said early discussions between the two countries appear "hopeful." A preliminary report found US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites set back the country's nuclear program by only a few months.A preliminary US intelligence assessment reportedly found that Iran's nuclear program has only been set back by a few months following US strikes on Iran's key nuclear facilities, according to Reuters.
According to the assessment, Tehran would be able to restart its nuclear program in months, Reuters said, citing three unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The assessment are at odds with US President Donald Trump's assertions that the US strikes "fully obliterated" Iran's nuclear program.
The initial damage assessment was first reported by CNN, which asked the White House for comment, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying the "alleged" assessment was "flat-out wrong."
"Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration," she was quoted as saying.
Trump has denied the news on his Truth Social platform. In a post written in capital letter, he described CNN as "fake news," saying the reporting aimed to "demean one of the most successful military strikes in history." He maintained that Iran's nuclear sites are now "completely destroyed."
The US' Sunday strikes on Iran used conventional weapons as well as bunker-busting bombs, believed to be the only bombs capable of destroying Iran's underground Fordo nuclear site.
The extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities and sites remains unclear.
The US and Iran are in early discussions about resuming negotiations over the Iran's nuclear program, US special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox news.
"The conversations are promising. We're hopeful," Witkoff says in an interview with Fox News. "Now it's time to sit down with the Iranians and get to a comprehensive peace deal."
Witkoff said US and Iran are engaged in both direct talks and through intermediaries about getting back to the table after Israeli and US strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.
A new round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran was slated for June 15, but Israel struck Iran two days earlier, triggering a war that saw the US strike three nuclear facilities in Iran, before Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday.
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Despite reported violations in the first hours, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran seems to be holding, after US President Donald Trump put out a sharp reprimand against both countries.
On Tuesday, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington and Tehran were in early discussions over resuming nuclear talks which were derailed by the Israeli strikes on Iran and the consequent war.
Meanwhile, an early intelligence assessment reportedly found that Iran's nuclear program was only set back by a few months, following the American strikes on three Iranian facilities. The findings, which are ongoing, are at odds with Trump's assertions that Iran's nuclear program was "fully obliterated."
Follow for the latest news on the ceasefire, the aftermath of the war, as well as news, videos and analyses from the wider Middle East region.
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Kenya: Thousands rally on anniversary of deadly protest – DW – 06/25/2025
Security forces fortified Kenya's government buildings with razor wire ahead of a march marking one year since anti-Ruto protesters stormed the parliament. Kenyan officials closed the parliament and the presidential office in Nairobi on Wednesday as thousands took to the streets to mark one year since the deadly unrest which allegedly saw plainclothes police officers fire at anti-government protesters. At least 60 people died last June as security forces clashed with protesters angry over tax hikes and economic hardship. While last year's protests eventually subsided after President William Ruto withdrew controversial tax proposals, public anger over police violence remains high. The death of a blogger in police custody earlier this month has further fueled discontent. Despite fears of police crackdowns and attacks by state-backed groups, crowds — mainly young men — marched through the capital on Wednesday. Some waved national flags and held placards bearing images of people killed in last year's protests. Chants of "Ruto must go" echoed through the crowd, underscoring growing frustration with the president, who came to power in 2022 promising swift economic recovery. Authorities closed roads into Nairobi's central business district in advance and fortified government buildings with razor wire. Many schools and businesses shut down for the day, bracing for potential violence. The interior ministry issued a warning telling protesters not to "provoke police" or try to enter restricted areas. Activists and families of victims called for peaceful demonstrations to commemorate the deadliest day of the unrest. Others issued a more confrontational call to "Occupy State House" — referring to the president's official residence. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Fresh demonstrations this month were sparked by the death of 31-year-old blogger and teacher Albert Ojwang in police custody. Six individuals, including three police officers, were charged with murder on Tuesday in connection with Ojwang's death. All pleaded not guilty. Ojwang's case has intensified scrutiny of police conduct, with many Kenyans still grieving the deaths. Police had initially claimed Ojwang died by suicide, but the narrative shifted after an autopsy indicated he was fatally assaulted. President Ruto later acknowledged that Ojwang "died at the hands of the police," calling the incident "heartbreaking and unacceptable." Ruto's promise of Kenya's recovery has fallen flat for many, as corruption, inflation, and youth unemployment continue to plague the country. While Ruto backed down on last year's controversial finance bill after weeks of unrest, critics say little has changed. Human rights groups report scores of abductions or disappearances of government critics, with dozens still unaccounted for since last year. Activists also accuse the government of reviving tactics reminiscent of Kenya's authoritarian era in the 1980s and 1990s.
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an hour ago
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Turkey Breathes Easier As Iran-Israel Truce Eases Fallout Risk
As the fragile Iran-Israel truce took hold, there was no letup in Turkey's diplomatic efforts Wednesday to prevent any return to a conflict fraught with risk for Ankara's domestic and regional policies. Hours after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met him for talks on the sidelines of a NATO summit for their third conversation in 10 days. Erdogan's "intensive diplomatic efforts" to curb the conflict also involved calls with Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian and top Middle Eastern leaders. "Turkey has been trying very hard to de-escalate the situation, but it's not seen as a credible mediator, neither by Iran nor by Israel," Gonul Tol of the Washington-based Middle East Institute told AFP. Turkey's ties with Israel have been shattered by the Gaza war and Iranians see Ankara as complicit "because it hosts this strategic radar", she said of a NATO early-warning system at Kurecik base in eastern Turkey that can detect Iranian missile launches. Turkey has categorically denied radar data was used to help Israel but its presence has rattled Iran -- with several Iranian military officials warning it could be "the first target" in case of a wider war, she said. Even so, Erdogan reportedly sought to set up US-Iran talks in Istanbul last week, which only failed because Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- in hiding due to assassination threats -- couldn't be reached to approve it, the Axios news site said. Unsettled by the long arm of Israel's reach, Erdogan upped Turkey's deterrence, ordering the defence industry to increase production of medium and long-range missiles. warning Ankara was "making preparations for every kind of scenario". "Concerns about a possible Turkish-Israeli confrontation in the short term seem exaggerated... (but) both would be wise to reduce tensions," said Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). For Turkey, the big fear would be seeing neighbouring Iran plunged into chaos as happened in Iraq and Syria, said Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy. "Ankara absolutely does not want to see Iran descending into chaos, decentralisation or civil war which could create cross-border threats or fresh refugee flows," he told AFP. In Iraq and Syria, destabilisation had created a power vacuum that was used by the Islamic State (IS) group and Kurdish PKK militants "to launch attacks into Turkey", fuelling Ankara's efforts to support both nations' recentralisation, he said. But "the biggest risk" would be another flow of refugees: "If Iran collapses, there's only one country the Iranians will flee to in large numbers: Turkey," he said. On Friday, Erdogan warned Germany's Friedrich Merz the conflict "could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration" although there was no sign of any influx at the Turkish border last week. Turmoil in Iran could also harm Ankara's efforts to draw a line under its decades-long conflict with the PKK, which last month said it would disarm, Tol said. Although most PKK-linked groups embraced the call to disarm, its Iranian affiliate, the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), did not, with Ankara concerned any unrest could embolden recalcitrant Kurdish separatists. "The worry is that this chaos may strengthen the PJAK. There are PKK fractions who are not happy with (founder Abdullah) Ocalan's call who could think: why disarm now when there's so much chaos we can capitalise on," she told AFP. A more immediate concern for Turkey was the economic implications of the conflict, she said, with its crisis-hit economy already "struggling" with rising energy prices while fighting hard to bring down inflation. "But if Iran closed down (the Strait of) Hormuz, that would mean a bigger jump in energy prices and that's something Turkey is deeply worried about," she said. Oil prices spiked during the 11-day conflict as concerns grew that Iran might disrupt supplies passing through Hormuz, peaking on Monday after US warplanes hit Iran. With the ceasefire taking hold, Turkey was breathing easier Wednesday -- although the Iran-Israel crisis remained high on the agenda at the NATO summit.
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NATO summit: Rutte says US 'committed' to Article 5 – DW – 06/25/2025
NATO chief Mark Rutte said that the US is "totally committed" to the alliance's key Article 5 clause. His comments come a day after Trump appeared to be ambiguous on the mutual defense clause. DW has the latestNATO allies are expected to agree on a historic defense spending pledge on the last day of the alliance's summit, currently underway in The Hague. Before the day's proceedings began, Secretary General Mark Rutte stressed that the US was "totally committed" to NATO and its Article 5 clause. These are the latest developments concerning the NATO summit on Wednesday, 25.06.2025. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that there was no alternative to higher defense spending in view of ongoing threats. "Given our long-term threat of Russia, but also the massive build-up of the military in China, and the fact that North Korea, China and Iran are supporting the war effort in Ukraine, it's really important we spend more. So that will be number one on the agenda today," Rutte told journalists before heading to meet NATO leaders on Wednesday. The Dutch politician also stressed that the United States was "totally committed" to NATO's Article 5, the alliance's mutual defence clause. "For me, there is absolute clarity that the United States has totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article 5," Rutte said. Rutte's remarks came after US President Donald Trump appeared to signal his doubts on the clause on the previous day. Trump had refused to comment on the key Article 5 clause, which says that an attack on one member is an attack on all. "Depends on your definition. There's numerous definitions of Article 5," he said while addressing reporters on Tuesday. The president added that he was "committed" to being a "friend." The ongoing NATO summit in The Hague has entered its second and final day. Yesterday, US President Donald Trump arrived in the Dutch city hoping for a breakthrough in his long-standing demand for European allies to increase defense spending. Members of the US-dominated military alliance are expected to hike their defense spending to 5% of their economic output. We'll be back tomorrow morning with the latest updates here. US President Donald Trump is in The Hague for the NATO summit, where defense leaders are expected to raise their defense spending to 5% of their national output. This could be a big win for the US president who has for years asked European allies to contribute to their national security. Trump has had a rocky relationship with NATO leaders, suggesting at times the US may not defend allies who do not contribute enough to defense spending. Asked whether the US remains committed to NATO's Article 5 clause, Trump told reporters on Air Force One (on his way to Europe) that: "Depends on your definition. There are numerous definitions of Article 5. You know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friends." Still, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised Trump in a personal letter the US leader shared to his Truth Social account. Another big topic will be Russia's war in Ukraine. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were at the Dutch royal palace for dinner together earlier this evening as well. But Trump was seated next to like-minded Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. Their table is shared by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Mark Rutte. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he has no doubt about the US commitment to the alliance's Article 5 mutual defense clause. "I have no doubt that the US is totally committed to NATO, totally committed to Article 5," Rutte told reporters in The Hague. He made the remarks after President Donald Trump, on his way to a summit of NATO leaders, said there were "numerous" definitions of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, Asked later to clarify, Trump said he was "committed to saving lives. I'm committed to life and safety. And I'm going to give you an exact definition when I get there." The EU's top foreign policy representative Kaja Kallas spoke to DW's Alexandra von Nahmen on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, where the diplomat said member states, "can help Ukraine more if they invest more in defense." Kallas said US President Donald Trump has been cajoling NATO states to spend more on defense, "for quite some time." But, she added: "Many didn't just listen, but now, we are in the security situation that we are. And most of the European countries have realized that we actually need to do this." "Times have changed," said Kallas when asked about the fact that Ukraine was not going to be at the top of the NATO agenda this week. "But for Europe, Ukraine is our top priority. And that's why we are committing to helping Ukraine. We are committed to putting more pressure on Russia so that they would also want peace." Asked why Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will be at the summit, won't play a larger role, she simply said, "you know why." Kallas also spoke of the need to put defense production into high gear. "We are also cooperating with the Ukraine defense industry because they have actually created the defense industry from scratch," said Kallas, adding that the Ukrainians have been "very creative and very innovative" and that "there's a lot we can learn from them." Ukraine has been keen on joining NATO as well as the European Union. Its NATO aspirations look highly unlikely to feature prominently in The Hague. Still, Kallas did not close the door on Ukraine's EU bid, saying: "We also have the European [Council] summit coming up this week. We should move with the enlargement track because that is the hope for the Ukrainian people. We need to show that Europe is their family." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video As NATO leaders increase defense spending, they must also commit to upholding human rights and international humanitarian law, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard told DW. 'What counts is the safety and the security of the people, and that cannot just be done through an increase in defense budgets. It must be done by recentering NATO, the UN, and the international community on what matters: the protection of international law,' Callamard said during an interview with DW in The Hague. Member states are expected to agree on a target of spending 5% of gross domestic product on defense, with 3.5% allocated to core military expenditures and another 1.5% directed toward areas such as infrastructure and cybersecurity. Callamard emphasized that the financial burden should not fall solely on ordinary citizens. 'The brunt of this 5% increase must be carried by the corporate actors who are going to benefit from the increase in defense spending,' she told DW correspondent Jack Parrock. Amnesty International is participating in the NATO Public Forum, which runs parallel to the summit and brings together leaders, officials, security experts, academics, journalists, and NGOs. 'So far, here at the NATO summit, I have not heard one reference to the suffering of the people. Yet Ukrainians are suffering, Palestinians are suffering, Israelis are suffering, Iranians are suffering. We're counting deaths by the thousands and thousands,' Callamard said. US President Donald Trump says he is heading to the NATO summit expecting a calmer atmosphere than recent events in the Middle East. "Heading to NATO where, at worst, it will be a much calmer period than what I just went through with Israel and Iran. I look forward to seeing all of my very good European friends, and others. Hopefully, much will be accomplished!" Trump posted on the social media platform X. Germany's 2025 budget includes funding for 10,000 new military positions and about 1,000 additional civilian posts, the Defense Ministry has said. "We will invest massively in the Bundeswehr," Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. "After decades of neglecting the Bundeswehr, dangerous security gaps have emerged that we must continue to close." The minister called the news "today's message from Berlin" as he headed to the NATO summit in The Hague. "NATO partners' expectations of Germany are high, and quite rightly so," Pistorius added. He confirmed that major investments in air defense were planned. The defense budget is expected to more than double by 2029, rising to €152.8 billion, according to current budget planning. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Berlin plans to turn its Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest army. Pistorius has previously said that Germany could need up to 60,000 more troops. As the NATO summit in The Hague is expected to focus on a single issue — a massive increase in defense spending across the alliance — many of Ukraine's strongest supporters fear the gathering may prove disappointing for Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived on Tuesday and is holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. "For us, it is the most important thing to see NATO and EU countries united," he said, standing alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa. The four leaders met to coordinate their positions ahead of a dinner hosted by the Dutch King. US President Donald Trump will also be in attendance; however, he will not be seated next to the Ukrainian president, a source told DW. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was probably going to meet Zelenskyy in The Hague. However, the Ukrainian leader is not invited to participate in a closed-door leaders' session planned for Wednesday. This stands in stark contrast to the prominent role Zelenskyy played at previous NATO summits in Washington D.C., and Vilnius, and is most likely the result of Trump's antipathy toward the Ukrainian president. US President Donald Trump has sown doubt on his commitment to NATO's core mutual defense pledge as he departed for the key summit in the Netherlands. The two-day summit — opening with a dinner hosted by the Dutch King Willem-Alexander — aims to reassure the US leader on defense spending commitments. Trump's return to office has reignited fears he could undermine the transatlantic alliance. Asked en route aboard Air Force One whether he remained committed to NATO's Article Five mutual defense clause, Trump said, "Depends on your definition. There's numerous definitions of Article Five," adding only that he was "committed to being their friends." NATO members have scrambled to meet his demands by agreeing to spend 3.5% of GDP on core military needs by 2035, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to broader security areas such as cyber defense and infrastructure. Alliance officials insist the buildup is essential to deter Russia, warning that Moscow could recover from its war losses in Ukraine and pose a renewed threat within five years. Europe has finally awakened in response to Russia's war against Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says, describing a generational shift in the continent's security posture. "All of Europe is facing a changing international landscape as we've just heard, rightly so," she told reporters ahead of a two-day summit of the alliance in The Hague. "The security architecture that we relied on for decades can no longer be taken for granted. It is a once in a generation tectonic shift." Von der Leyen said recent actions by European states would have seemed "unthinkable just a year ago." "The Europe of defense has finally awakened," she added. "Tomorrow, the summit will set indeed historic new spending targets for NATO allies." The NATO military alliance's chief Mark Rutte has said it is "unthinkable" that Russia should manage to "outproduce" the Western defence alliance. "We need to do more," Rutte stressed at a defence industry forum ahead of a crunch leaders' summit in The Hague. "It is simply unthinkable that Russia, with an economy 25 times smaller than NATO's, should be able to outproduce and outgun us," the NATO chief stressed. "We must spend more to prevent war. We must win this new war of production." Rutte also said European allies should not be concerned over the United States' commitment to NATO, despite criticism of the alliance from US President Donald Trump. Speaking ahead of a two-day gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, Rutte said: "There is total commitment by the US president and the US senior leadership to NATO," Rutte told a public forum before the formal opening of the summit. The summit and its final statement will be short and focused on heeding Trump's call to spend 5% of GDP on defense — a big jump from the current 2% goal. Rutte described the spending issue as a "this huge pebble in the shoe" and a "huge irritant." "We are not spending enough as Europeans and Canadians, and they want us to equalize with what the US is spending," he said. Meanwhile, Rutte said he "cannot predict" when the three-year war in Ukraine will end. Russia has cited Ukraine's desire to join NATO as one of the reasons why it launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While the escalation in the Middle East will be high on NATO summit's docket, the spotlight is on a massive increase in defense spending. This comes in response to pressure form US President Donald Trump. Read our full explainer here.
