Trump says Putin called to wish him a happy birthday and talk Iran
"President Putin called this morning to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday, but to more importantly, talk about Iran, a country he knows very well. We talked at length," Trump said in the post.
More: 'They didn't die of the flu': Trump says Iran nuke deal 'hardliners' killed in strikes
Trump said Putin "feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end."
Nevertheless, Trump said he and Putin spent "much less time" talking about Russia's war in Ukraine during the approximately one-hour call. He said that topic "will be for next week."
Trump has embraced a friendly relationship with Putin, a stark departure from former President Joe Biden who helped rally much of the world to condemn the Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Trump has blamed both Putin, long considered a U.S. adversary, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for their countries' war.
More: Iran launches missile counterattack on Israel after punishing airstrikes
In response to Israel's June 13 airstrikes on Iran targeting nuclear sites, Iran launched three retaliatory waves of missiles at targets in Israel as Israelis rode out the attacks in bomb shelters and world leaders discussed the deepening conflict.
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed the call between the world leaders, telling reporters, "Vladimir Putin condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East."
According to Ushakov, Trump described events in the Middle East as "very alarming." The two leaders also said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear program, Ushakov said.
Trump told Reuters on June 13 his administration knew about Israel's plans to attack Iran beforehand. He said he gave Iran a 60-day deadline to agree to a revised nuclear deal with the U.S. After a deal was not reached, Israel attacked on the 61st day.
"We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out," Trump said. "They can still work out a deal, however, it's not too late."
Contributing: Reuters
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
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The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Britain warns against all travel to Israel as fighting with Iran intensifies
Britain has issued a warning against all travel to Israel as tensions with Iran escalated and the two countries stepped up their attacks with a fresh wave of missile strikes from both sides. As Donald Trump called for the two countries to make a deal to end the fighting, the UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice to say it now advised against travel to any parts of Israel. The US president had earlier threatened to respond with 'the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces' after Iran threatened to attack American, UK and French bases if they defended Israel. And a defiant Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would pay a "very heavy price" for the deaths of Israeli civilians, as he visited Bat Yam, a city just south of Tel Aviv hit by deadly strikes. 'Iran will pay a very heavy price for the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children,' Mr Netanyahu said. Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves was forced to state that Britain is not at war, despite the UK sending more RAF jets to the Middle East. But, with at least 10 dead in Israel and millions hiding from the onslaught in bomb shelters across the country, the chancellor said Britain could offer military support for its ally as it fends off Iran's attacks. Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Ms Reeves said: 'We have, in the past, supported Israel when there have been missiles coming in. 'So far, we haven't been involved, and we're sending in assets to both protect ourselves and also potentially to support our allies.' She added: 'It's very early days, and things are moving quickly, but when we urge for de-escalation in the region, that is in part because of the lives at risk… but also because what happens in the Middle East affects us here at home.' With Israel saying it plans to escalate its campaign, Ms Reeves warned that the impact of the conflict would be felt by families in the UK as it pushed up oil prices and threatened to block key trade routes. The UK's travel ban puts Israel in the same category as Iran, with Foreign Secretary David Lammy telling Britons, 'your safety remains our top priority'. Updating its travel advice, the Foreign Office said: 'Iran has launched multiple rounds of missile and drone attacks against Israel. On 13 June, a nationwide state of emergency was declared in Israel. This followed Israeli strikes against nuclear and military facilities in Iran. Israeli airspace remains closed. 'We recognise this is a fast-moving situation that poses significant risks. The situation has the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning. The current situation has disrupted air links out of the country and may disrupt road links.' Pressed on whether the UK would repatriate citizens stuck in Israel following the closure of Tel Aviv's airport and the mass diversion and cancellation of flights, the prime minister's official spokesman said there were no plans to do so, but it was being kept under review. The conflict was sparked as Iran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel overnight on Friday in response to a series of Israeli attacks on the heart of Tehran's nuclear programme and armed forces. That followed weeks of escalating tensions between the countries over Iran's nuclear programme. In the dramatic scenes which have since unfolded, smoke has been seen rising above Tehran and Tel Aviv, with air sirens sounding across central Israel and the Jerusalem area on Sunday. In a sign that a deal to end the conflict is some way off, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Sunday said that Israel 'will strike the sites and continue to peel the skin off the Iranian snake in Tehran and everywhere, stripping it of nuclear capabilities and weapons systems'. An official said Israel still had a long list of targets in Iran and would not say how long the attacks would go on for. Meanwhile, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said its responses will grow "more decisive and severe" if Israel's attacks continue. In a call for de-escalation, President Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: 'Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal… we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!' That followed a post late on Saturday night in which Mr Trump warned: 'If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before. However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!' It comes as world leaders, including Mr Trump, Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, are gathered in Canada for a crunch G7 summit, which now looks set to be dominated by the conflict in the Middle East.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Israel urges US to join bombing as Iran sends HUGE missile shower: Tower block turns to rubble with at least 13 dead and hundreds more injured amid retaliation strikes that leave Tehran 'burning'
Children are among the at least 13 people who have died in Israel following Iran 's barrage of missiles it sent in the latest round of escalating strikes between the two nations. Iran said Israel struck two oil refineries near Tehran overnight, as well as the headquarters of Iran's Ministry of Defence, while Israel said that the death toll had risen to 10, as emergency workers frantically sift through rubble to try and find injured people. An estimated 200 people in Israel were injured by the strikes. Israeli Raja Khateeb, his wife, and their three daughters were all reportedly among those killed in the Iranian strike on the town of town of Tamra, near Haifa. Iran's ambassador to the UN said that by Friday evening, Israeli strikes had killed 78 and left over 320 wounded. Yesterday, Iran said that 60 people, including 29 children were killed after an Israeli missile brought down a 14-storey block of flats. Separately, the governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan province said 30 troops and one rescuer were killed, while a further 55 were left wounded. The region braced for a protracted conflict after Israel 's surprise bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military sites on Friday killed several top generals and nuclear scientists, and neither side showed any sign of backing down. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the attacks on Israel will end when its 'aggression stops.' He also accused the UN Security Council of 'indifference' over Israel's attacks on Tehran. He claimed in a meeting with foreign diplomats that Western governments have 'condemned Iran instead of Israel despite it being the side that was violated.' He also claimed to have 'solid proof' that American troops have supported Israel's strikes against Iran on Thursday night, the event that directly led to this weekend's escalating violence. He said: 'We have solid proof of the support of the American forces and American bases in the region for the attacks of the Zionist regime military forces.' Iran has since said that most of the people killed and injured in Israel's missile attacks were women and children. Meanwhile, Israel has warned Iranians living near weapons production sites in Iran to evacuate, signalling an imminent escalation in military action. The IDF's Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adrae wrote in a post to X on Sunday: 'For your safety, we ask you to please immediately evacuate the areas of these facilities and to not return until further notice. 'Being in the vicinity of these areas endangers your life', he said, adding that the warning also extended to areas near 'facilities that support weapons production in Iran.' This morning, Israel's president said that missiles sent by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'aimed to kill.' He called Tehran 'evil, pure and deliberate' and said Iran's ideology is 'hatred, chaos, terror, fanaticism'. Writing on X, he said the world 'must stand with Israel for the sake of humanity'. Last night, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address that Israel would 'strike every site and every target of the Ayatollah's regime.' Today, Netanyahu's defence minister Israel Katz said: 'The IDF will attack the sites and continue to peel the Iranian snake's skin in Tehran and everywhere else from nuclear capabilities and weapons systems. 'The Iranian dictator is turning Tehran into Beirut and the residents of Tehran into hostages for the survival of his regime.' Last night, the IDF said they have 'established aerial superiority from western Iran to Tehran'. 'We have created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran,' said Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin. Despite this,t he Institute for the Study of War has said that Israel inflicted 'extremely effective' but not yet 'fatal' damage in its latest analysis/ Satellite imagery analysed by the think tank showed heavy damage to the north-west and north-east corners of the Natanz Nuclear Facility, Iran's primary enrichment facility. Members of Israel's Home Front Command search for missing people under the rubble of a partially collapsed residential building after Iranian ballistic missiles hit Bat Yam, central Israel, 15 June 2025 The IDF has struck what it says was Iran's 'nuclear programme headquarter' Natanz is where Iran produced most of its nuclear fuel. But much of the facility is underground, and is therefore not vulnerable to above-ground attacks. Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday they targeted central Israel's Jaffa with several ballistic missiles in the last 24 hours, the first time an ally of Iran has joined the fray. Tehran has warned Israel's allies that their military bases in the region would come under fire too if they helped shoot down Iranian missiles. However, 20 months of war in Gaza and a conflict in Lebanon last year have decimated Tehran's strongest regional proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, reducing its options for retaliation. Yesterday, Israel targeted Iran's critical energy infrastructure at gas and fuel sites on Saturday, according to a statement from Iran's oil ministry. Images show a fuel depot in the Shahran district of Tehran on fire. Strikes on the South Pars field, the world's largest gas field, and The Fajr Jam Gas Refining Company in the Bushehr province were also reported. Separately, Israel's pipelines and transmission lines in Haifa have been damaged by Iran's missile attacks. Oil Refineries filed a regulatory to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in which it said that no injuries or casualties were reported at the sites, with refining facilities continuing to operate despite a shutdown of some downstream operations. A plume of heavy smoke and fire rise over an oil refinery in southern Tehran, after it was hit in an overnight Israeli strike, on June 15, 2025 It said it is examining the impact of the damage on its operations and implications on its financial results. With Israel saying its operation could last weeks, and Netanyahu urging Iran's people to rise up against their Islamic clerical rulers, fears have grown of a regional conflagration dragging in outside powers. Israel sees Iran's nuclear programme as a threat to its existence, and said the bombardment was designed to avert the last steps to production of a nuclear weapon. Tehran insists the programme is entirely civilian and that it does not seek an atomic bomb. The UN nuclear watchdog, however, reported Iran this week as violating obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. US President Donald Trump said the conflict could be easily ended while warning Tehran not to strike any American targets. 'If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,' Trump said in a message on Truth Social. 'However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict', he added. Trump gave no details of any possible deal. In response, Iran has reportedly approached Oman and Qatar to act as intermediaries with the United States, hoping to broker a ceasefire that would bring an end to Israel's military offensive. A plume of heavy smoke rises over an oil refinery in southern of Tehran, after it was hit in an overnight Israeli strike, on June 15, 2025 On Saturday, Britain deployed more jets to the region after Iran threatened the United States and UK that it could retaliate if they come to Israel's defence. This morning, Rachel Reeves on Sky News said the UK was deploying assets to protect ourselves and 'potentially to support our allies'. She noted that in the past the UK has 'helped protect Israel' from 'incoming strikes'. 'I'm not going to comment on what might happen in the future, but so far, we haven't been involved, and we're sending in assets to both protect ourselves and also potentially to support our allies.' On the economic front she said there were two 'immediate concerns' – energy prices and trade routes. She said oil and gas prices gone up by just over 10 per cent, although were 'still down compared to a few months ago'. 'Of course we are keeping an eye on that,' she said. Ms Reeves said trade routes were very important. 'We've seen disruption there in the past, partly because of the Houthi attacks for example. So that is a cause for concern.' Pressed how bad the situation could be, she said: 'It is very early days and things are moving quickly. But when we urge for de-escalation in the region that is in part because of the lives at risk… but also because what happens in the Middle East affects us here at home. 'It's why in the Spending Review this week we invested heavily in our defence to keep our country safe.' Last night, the British Jewish community was urged to be on heightened alert last night amid fears of terrorist 'revenge' attacks following Israel's strike against Iran. Synagogues have stepped up security while communities were warned to 'avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public spaces'. The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity set up to protect British Jews, said it was stepping up efforts at synagogues, schools and community buildings. It comes as Tzipi Hotovely, Israel's ambassador to the UK, told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Europe 'owes [Israel] a huge thank you' for its military operation against Iran. She said: 'Our region would have been a place that is not safe for anyone if Iran had accomplished their plan.' But the UK's Foreign Office this morning announced it was advising against all travel to Israel, following the weekend's military escalations. The FCDO pushed Israel from an 'Amber' country to a 'Red' country, putting Israel on the same level as Iran. In Iran, authorities arrested two alleged Mossad spies, who were reportedly caught in the northern Alborz region preparing explosives and electronic devices. 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The Guardian
23 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Macron criticises Trump's threats to take over Greenland during visit
Emmanuel Macron has criticised Donald Trump's threats to take over Greenland as he became the first foreign head of state to visit the vast, mineral-rich Arctic territory since the US president began making explicit threats to annex it. 'I don't think that's what allies do,' Macron said as he arrived in the Danish autonomous territory for a highly symbolic visit aimed at conveying 'France's and the EU's solidarity' with Greenland on his way to a summit of G7 leaders in Canada. The French president said: 'It's important that Denmark and the Europeans commit themselves to this territory, where the strategic stakes are very high and whose territorial integrity must be respected.' Trump has repeatedly said the US needs Greenland, which is strategically located at the crossroads between the Atlantic and the Arctic, for US national security reasons, and has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Polls show the vast majority of Greenland's 57,000 people want independence from Denmark but not to become part of the US. The Danish government has said Greenland 'is not for sale' and only Greenlanders can determine their future. Macron's six-hour visit was 'a signal in itself' and came at the request of both Denmark and Greenland, his office said. It began with talks with the Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers, Mette Frederiksen and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, on a Danish naval frigate. The French president was also due to visit a glacier to see the effects of global heating, and to discuss how to include Greenland in EU action to aid development while 'respecting its sovereignty'. A planned visit to a hydroelectric plant was cancelled. Macron said before the visit that it was aimed at preventing further 'preying' on the territory. In March, the US vice president, JD Vance, visited the Pituffik US military base on the island, criticising Denmark for not having 'done a good job by the people of Greenland' and alleging Copenhagen had neglected the territory's security. Pituffik, on the shortest route for missiles fired from Russia at the US, is essential to Washington's missile defence system; while Greenland's strategic importance has risen amid a race for rare earths and as melting ice opens up new shipping routes. The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, last week appeared to acknowledge that the Pentagon had developed plans to take over Greenland by force if necessary but refused to answer repeated questions about the subject at a congressional hearing. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that agency officials under the US national intelligence director, Tulsi Gabbard, were looking into Greenland's independence movement and sentiment about US resource extraction there. Frederiksen made several visits to Paris after Trump's threats against Greenland, which unlike Denmark is not an EU member but has an association agreement with the bloc. Copenhagen has placed orders for French-made surface-to-air missiles. Florian Vidal of the Paris-based Ifri thinktank said that for Denmark, long one of Washington's most loyal allies in Europe, enlisting the support of the EU's only nuclear power was a way to project hard power towards a suddenly more predatory US. Vidal said: 'The Trump administration's more aggressive posture makes the French vision of Europe, one that is more autonomous, appear more reasonable for Denmark. From a Nordic point of view, France is a military power that counts.' Nielsen said in April that US statements about Greenland to date had been 'disrespectful' and that the island would 'never, ever be a piece of property that can be bought by just anyone'. He said last week that France's support had been evident 'since the first statements about taking our land emerged' and was both 'necessary and gratifying'.
