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CNA938 Rewind - Iran-Israel truce: Possibility of a violation and what would Trump do?

CNA938 Rewind - Iran-Israel truce: Possibility of a violation and what would Trump do?

CNAa day ago

CNA938 Rewind
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A truce appears to have taken hold between Israel and Iran, despite initial violations by both sides. Meanwhile, a preliminary US intelligence assessment says the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities may have set back Tehran's programme by only a matter of months. What is the possibility of another ceasefire violation and what would US President Donald Trump do in response? Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman chat with Professor Lawrence Rubin from the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology to find out.

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Iran says no plan for new US nuclear talks, plays down impact of strikes
Iran says no plan for new US nuclear talks, plays down impact of strikes

CNA

time37 minutes ago

  • CNA

Iran says no plan for new US nuclear talks, plays down impact of strikes

TEHRAN: Iran on Thursday (Jun 26) denied it is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States after the end of a 12-day war with Israel, and accused Washington of exaggerating the impact of US strikes. The most serious conflict yet between Israel and Iran derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, yet President Donald Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff expressing hope "for a comprehensive peace agreement". But Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shut down what he said was "speculation" that Tehran would come to the table and said it "should not be taken seriously". "I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations," he said on state television. "No plan has been set yet to start negotiations." Araghchi's denial came as Iranian lawmakers passed a "binding" Bill suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. In a televised speech - his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel - Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran's "victory" over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating "slap". "The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration," Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran's nuclear programme had been set back by decades. The strikes, he insisted, had done "nothing significant" to Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Araghchi, for his part, called the damage "serious" and said a detailed assessment was under way. Trump said key facilities, including the underground Fordow uranium enrichment site, had been " obliterated" by American B-2 bombers. Posting on his Truth Social platform, he dismissed speculation Iran might have removed enriched uranium prior to the raid, saying: "Nothing was taken out ... too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!" He added that satellite images showed trucks at the site only because Iranian crews were attempting to shield the facility with concrete. Khamenei dismissed such claims, saying "the Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America". Both sides have claimed victory: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "historic win", while Khamenei said Iran's missile retaliation had brought Israel to the brink of collapse. US DEFENCE In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates. A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran's nuclear programme may be less severe than initially claimed - possibly delaying progress by only a few months. That contrasts with statements from senior US officials. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be "rebuilt over the course of years". Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accused the media of misrepresenting the operation. He said the United States used massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Fordow and another underground site, while submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles targeted a third facility. "President Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating - choose your word - obliterating, destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities," Hegseth said. Doubts remain about whether Iran quietly removed some 400kg of enriched uranium from its most sensitive sites before the strikes - potentially hiding nuclear material elsewhere in the country.

The high cost of Trump's brain drain
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The high cost of Trump's brain drain

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Severe consequences The consequences could be severe. Since 2000, US-based researchers have won around two-thirds of the Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics, and medicine – and 40 per cent of those laureates were immigrants. Notably, nearly half of immigrant US-based Nobel Prize winners completed their graduate studies at US universities. These scholars not only advanced groundbreaking research and enhanced their institutions' prestige but also served as teachers and mentors to both American and international students, attracting a new generation of academic talent. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Moreover, these cross-cultural interactions help American students gain a deeper understanding of other societies while giving their international counterparts firsthand experience of life in the US. Many of those who study in America later return to their home countries and rise to prominent positions in government, academia, and the private sector. As at 2024, 70 heads of state or government had completed part or all of their higher education in the US. Until recently, these benefits were widely acknowledged across the US political spectrum. A well-functioning system – the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme (SEVP) – allowed certified institutions to admit foreign students. SEVP enabled graduates on student visas to remain in the country for up to three years to gain work experience. But in a stunning display of ignorance and malice, the Trump administration tried to strip Harvard of its ability to enrol international students and even instructed US consulates not to process visa applications for those planning to attend the university – a move that was recently blocked by a federal court. This uncertainty is deeply unsettling for current and prospective students. Those who had planned to begin their studies in September may now find it is too late to enrol elsewhere for the upcoming academic year. A decline in international-student enrolment will not only hinder research at US institutions by shrinking the pool of talented assistants; it will also weaken the global pipeline of future scientists, diminishing the depth and quality of research worldwide. Strong link What Trump and his acolytes fail to grasp is the strong link between the excellence of American universities and the country's record of innovation. An analysis from 2022 found that more than half of US startups valued at over US$1 billion had at least one foreign-born founder, and in half of those cases the founder first came to the country as a student. Some Trump supporters have argued that barring foreign students from enrolling at Harvard and other private universities would create more opportunities for American students. But while a few additional spots might open up, the impact will likely be minimal. In fact, since a significant share of international students pay full tuition, their absence would reduce the resources available for financial aid. Foreign students have been effectively subsidising American students receiving assistance – a vital source of financial support that would now be lost. Those lost revenues pale in comparison to the broader contributions of Harvard and the higher-education system. University education has long been a major US export, with far more international students coming to the country than Americans going abroad. In the 2023-24 academic year alone, foreign students contributed an estimated US$44 billion to the US economy. To be sure, Harvard and other universities are not immune from criticism. But discouraging or restricting foreign enrolment would be a profound loss for American and international students and faculty alike. By attacking leading universities, the Trump administration is undermining one of America's crown jewels and dealing an unprecedented blow to the engine of US competitiveness. PROJECT SYNDICATE The writer, a former World Bank chief economist and former first deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, is senior research professor of international economics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and senior fellow at the Centre for International Development at Stanford University.

While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 27, 2025
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 27, 2025

Straits Times

timean hour ago

  • Straits Times

While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 27, 2025

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