Will any Prime Minister 'Love Actually' Donald Trump?
It's been a manic week in global politics. Trump and Musk have officially broken up, Americans have taken to the streets to protest ICE deportations… oh and we're seemingly on the brink of a nuclear war in the Middle East!
To take stock of these rapidly deteriorating news stories, Matt Bevan talks to Dr Emma Shortis, Director of the Australia Institute's International Security Affairs Program, author and host of the podcast After America.
If you have a burning question for Emma or Matt send it to ifyourelistening@abc.net.au and we'll answer it on next week's show!
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Sky News AU
22 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Wild moment Israel struck Iran's state broadcaster studio as Tehran calls on Trump to 'muzzle' Israel and force a ceasefire
Iran's state broadcaster has been bombed by Israel, with the moment caught on camera as Tehran called on US President Donald Trump to 'muzzle' Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and force a ceasefire. The wild moment Iran's state broadcaster was bombed by Israel has been caught on camera as Tehran called for United States President Donald Trump to 'muzzle' Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and force a ceasefire. An Israeli strike hit Iran's state broadcaster - The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) – during a live broadcast on Monday while the head of the UN nuclear watchdog indicated extensive damage to Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant. Footage emerged on social media shortly after the strike showing a hijab-wearing news anchor midway through what appeared to be a segment about the Israeli airstrikes. After the blast, people on set could be heard yelling 'Allahu akbar,' the Arabic phrase for 'God is great'. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the "largest and most intense missile attack" yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. Israeli forces have stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities, while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a lengthy post on X in which he branded Netanyahu a "war criminal". "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu." — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 16, 2025 Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu and push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. Trump has consistently said the Israeli assault could end quickly if Iran agrees to US demands that it accept strict curbs to its nuclear programme. "I'd say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk, and they should talk immediately before it's too late," Trump said at a G7 meeting in Canada. Talks between the US and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. On Monday, Iranian lawmakers floated the idea of quitting the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, a move bound to be seen as a setback for any negotiations. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the latest attack employed a new method that caused Israel's multi-layered defence systems to target each other so missiles could get through. The sudden killing of so many Iranian military commanders and the apparent loss of control of airspace could prove to be the biggest test of Iran's system of clerical rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran's network of regional allies who could once have been expected to rain rockets on Israel - Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - have been decimated by Israeli forces since the start of the Gaza war. -with Reuters
ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
At the G7 summit, Donald Trump says Iran would 'like to talk' about de-escalation
Donald Trump says he believes Iran would "like to talk" about possible paths to de-escalation of the conflict with Israel and that the parties "should talk immediately". "They'd like to talk, but they should have done that before," he said at the G7 summit in Canada. "They have to make a deal and it's painful for both parties, but I'd say Iran is not winning this war. "They should talk and they should talk immediately before it's too late." The comments came after reporting by Reuters and the Wall Street Journal that Iranian officials had reached out to the United States via intermediaries to signal it was ready to discuss de-escalation. Tehran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Mr Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire in return for Tehran's flexibility in nuclear negotiations, according to Reuters. The comments from Mr Trump came as Israel and Iran stepped up the attacks in the four-day aerial war. Iranian state media warned the country was preparing to launch "the largest most intense missile attack in history on Israeli soil". "It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi posted on X, formerly Twitter. "That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was on a "path to victory" in its Operation Rising Lion, which was launched four days ago. "No wonder Iranians want to end the war, they are being hit," he said. The United States president was also asked what it would take for his country to get involved in the conflict militarily, to which the Mr Trump replied: "I don't want to talk about that anymore." "We've always supported Israel. We have for a long period of time, strongly. And Israel is doing very well right now," he said. Mr Trump has consistently said the Israeli assault could end quickly if Iran agrees to US demands that it accept strict curbs to its nuclear program. In Canada, leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the US, along with the European Union, are convening in the resort area of Kananaskis in the Canadian Rockies for the G7 summit. Australia has been invited to be there and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet with Mr Trump on Tuesday (local time). With the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, the event in Canada is seen as a vital moment to try to restore a semblance of unity among democratic powerhouses. In an early sign that they may struggle to reach agreement on key issues, a US official said Mr Trump would not sign a draft statement calling for de-escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict, according to Reuters. CNN is also reporting Donald Trump does not intend to sign the statement, but that the European leaders spearheading the document are still working on the language and "held out hope" the US president would come around. Other diplomats remained hopeful too, saying the conflict would come up in bilateral meetings throughout the summit and a senior European diplomat echoed those comments, saying Mr Trump was yet to make a decision, Reuters added. The draft statement reportedly commits to safeguarding market stability, including energy markets, and says Israel has the right to defend itself. CNN is reporting the statement also says Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said all G7 leaders had agreed they had "to find a way to de-escalate the situation' in the Middle East. Mr Starmer said he had spoken to Mr Trump about the issue, adding: "The risk of the conflict escalating is obvious, I think, and the implications, not just for the region but globally, are really immense, so the focus has to be on de-escalation.' Mr Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today and, while fielding questions about the Middle East conflict and trade, he used the moment to lament Russia's exclusion from the G7. "It was a big mistake," he said. "Putin speaks to me. He doesn't speak to anybody else … he's not a happy person about it. I can tell you that he basically doesn't even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him." ABC/Reuters/AP
ABC News
26 minutes ago
- ABC News
Iran-Israel conflict live: Iranian state broadcaster hit with Israeli airstrike during live broadcast
For the fifth straight day Iran and Israel have attacked each other with waves of missile strikes. An Iranian state television broadcaster was bombed mid-broadcast, with the explosion and aftermath caught on live TV. Follow the latest developments in our live blog. To get updates to your inbox, subscribe to ABC News.
