Trump urges Iran to make nuclear deal before 'more brutal' Israeli attacks
US President Donald Trump urged Iran on Friday to make a deal on its nuclear programme before it faced more attacks from Israel that he said would be "even more brutal."
"There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end," Trump said in a post on his social media platform.
"Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left."
Israel launched an array of strikes against dozens of Iranian targets on Friday, hitting nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders during the start of an operation to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Israel said it had struck Iranian nuclear targets to block Tehran from developing atomic weapons, even as the Trump administration was preparing to hold a sixth round of talks on Sunday on Tehran's escalating uranium enrichment program.
Trump said Friday he had given Tehran a 60-day ultimatum, which expired on Thursday, to make a deal. He encouraged Tehran to take advantage of a "second chance."
Amid his push for diplomacy, the US president praised Israel's attacks in brief telephone interviews with television outlets early Friday.
Trump told CNN that "The people I was dealing with are dead, the hardliners."
Trump is scheduled to attend a security meeting at the White House at 11am (1500 GMT).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Damage to Iranian nuclear sites so far appears limited, experts say
US President Donald Trump told Reuters on Friday it was unclear whether Iran still has a nuclear program following Israeli strikes, but experts say the damage to the country's nuclear facilities so far has appeared limited. Israel's attacks succeeded in killing Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists and striking military command and control facilities and air defenses, but satellite imagery did not yet show significant damage to nuclear infrastructure, several experts said. "The first day was aimed at things that you would get through surprise - killing leadership, going after nuclear scientists, air defense systems, the ability to retaliate," said nuclear expert David Albright at the Institute for Science and International Security. "We can't see any visible damage at Fordow or Isfahan. There was damage at Natanz," said Albright, referring to Iranian nuclear sites. But "there's no evidence that the underground site was destroyed." UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council on Friday that the above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Iran's Natanz nuclear site had been destroyed and Iran had reported attacks on Fordow and Isfahan. Grossi said electricity infrastructure at Natanz was also destroyed and the loss of power to a cascade hall may have damaged centrifuges there. But he said the level of radioactivity outside Natanz remained unchanged and normal. The sprawling Natanz nuclear complex is Iran's main uranium enrichment facility. The site includes a vast underground uranium enrichment plant and a smaller, above-ground pilot enrichment plant. In a telephone interview with Reuters, Trump said it was unclear whether Iran still has a nuclear program following the Israeli strikes. "Nobody knows," Trump said. "It was a very devastating hit." Two regional sources said at least 20 Iranian military commanders were killed in the attack, a stunning decapitation reminiscent of Israeli attacks that swiftly wiped out the leadership of Lebanon's once-feared Hezbollah militia last year. Iran also said six of its top nuclear scientists were killed. Albright said his analysis was based on the latest available images from about 11.20am Tehran time (0750 GMT). He added there may also have been drone strikes on tunnels to underground centrifuge plants and cyber attacks that did not leave visible traces. "In terms of visible damage, we don't see much and we'll see what happens tonight," he said, adding that he believes Israel's strikes were still in an early stage. Albright said the status of Iran's stocks of enriched uranium was not known and that it was possible Israel had avoided major attacks on nuclear sites due to concerns about harming international inspectors who were there. Albright said there were thousands of centrifuges at the underground plant at Natanz and knocking out the electrical supply would bring into play a backup battery system. He said it was likely that Iran was shutting down the centrifuges at the underground site in a controlled manner, which was a big operation. "Batteries ... last a while, but eventually they will run out and if the centrifuges spin down in an uncontrollable manner, a lot will break," he said. Israel warns of prolonged operation Israel said it targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon. Military and nuclear experts said that even with massive firepower, military action would probably only temporarily set back a program the West fears is already aimed at producing atom bombs one day, although Iran denies it. Jeffrey Lewis, a non-proliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said damage at the Natanz facility appeared "moderate." "Israel destroyed the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, as well as some support buildings associated with power supply," he said. Lewis added Israel also hit a support building - possibly for power supply - near two underground nuclear enrichment facilities. "The underground enrichment halls, as well as the large underground facility nearby in the mountains, do not appear damaged." It was unclear what damage was sustained at the key Fordow nuclear facility, which could be used to develop nuclear weapons and is buried deep underground. "It has always been the conventional wisdom that Israel may not have the ordnance to destroy Fordow without American military support," Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, told a podcast. The United States is better equipped than Israel to destroy such targets with its most powerful bunker buster bombs, the 30,000-pound (14,000 kg) Massive Ordnance Penetrator. If Iran decides not to negotiate a nuclear deal, the U.S. could use its B2 bombers and those bombs to destroy Fordow, Dubowitz said. Decker Eveleth, a strategic analyst with the CAN Corp research group, said the overall aim of Israel's campaign was still unclear. "They may be successful at dismantling Iranian command and control, destroying air forces (and) hitting a variety of targets related to the Iranian missile program," he said. "(But) if their core objective is prevention of a nuclear breakout, can they destroy enough of Iran's nuclear infrastructure to actually prevent that from happening?"
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
How Iran's 'hybrid attack' network could retaliate against Israel in Europe
Iran can call on networks of criminals and even its own agents smuggled into Europe as migrants to carry out retaliatory attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets, following Friday's strikes by Israel. Tehran has previously relied on regional allies Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas to attack Israel. However, with what Tehran called its 'ring of fire' degraded, it has other avenues further afield, particularly in Europe, to hit back against Israel. These include criminals networks, most notably two based in Sweden run by Kurdish gangsters Rawa Majid and Ismail Abdo, that have been accused of carrying out attacks on Israeli targets. Majid, who is nicknamed the Kurdish Fox, and his Foxtrot network were placed under sanctions by the US and the UK this year for orchestrating an attack on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm. Three Iranian nationals were recently charged in the UK with a plot to attack an individual on behalf of Iran. An official report released in Germany on Tuesday warned that the potential threat from Iran is growing. The findings, which summarised trends in 2024, said Iranian intelligence services can be assumed to be ready to 'pursue the interests of the country's leadership by all means – including acts of violence and even assassinations'. 'The tense security situation in the Middle East and internal tensions within the Islamic Republic of Iran shape its intelligence activities,' the Ministry of Interior document said. 'Activities directed against Germany continue to emanate primarily from the Ministry of Intelligence or MOIS. In addition to the MOIS, the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which also operates as an intelligence agency, is also active in Germany. 'Intelligence services of the Islamic Republic of Iran also use state terrorist means to achieve their goals,' it added. 'This primarily involves the intimidation and neutralisation of opposition members, but also the punishment of 'traitors' or 'defectors'. 'Iran's activities go well beyond spying on the opposition Iranian diaspora and that pro-Jewish and pro-Israeli interests and institutions in Germany are the focus of Iranian activities.' Jason Brodsky, policy director of advocacy group United Against a Nuclear Iran, told The National that European nations need to be 'extra vigilant and step up alerts' given that Iran 'has long planned contingency plans for terror operations in the West'. 'That's a risk that everyone should be alert for, especially Israel and the Jewish community, and Iran still retains that capability through the IRGC or its intelligence ministry,' Mr Brodsky said. 'They will also hire criminal networks to foment terror and undertake operations. And there are also Iranian dissidents that the regime targets. These are potential risks to look at and policymakers need to make it clear to Iran that any operations will be viewed as akin to an act of war.' Speaking before Israel's attack, the UK's Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, announced the creation of a 'counter-hybrid taskforce' aimed at combating the activities of states such as Iran. Tehran has been developing hybrid warfare tactics including using cyberattacks, proxies and propaganda. Mr Lammy said Britain's diplomats 'will be ready for this murky new age of sabotage and subterfuge'. Iranian actors and criminals working for them have been known to carry court surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention of carrying out serious violence. Announcing sanctions against Majid and his Foxtrot network, the US Treasury said Iran was 'increasingly' using criminal networks as proxies so it could maintain plausible deniability for operations against its enemies. 'Iran's brazen use of transnational criminal organisations and narcotics traffickers underscores the regime's attempts to achieve its aims through any means, with no regard for the cost to communities across Europe,' said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Iran has sought to assassinate dissidents through other criminal networks, including that of Iranian drug trafficker Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, who had sanctions imposed on him by the US last January. Known as 'the Big Guy', he allegedly organised the attempted murder for hire of two residents of the state of Maryland. Tehran has also used foreign individuals, known in the spying trade as 'disposable assets', to harass opponents of the regime, including employees of Iran International, a London -based dissident television channel. In December 2023, Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, a Chechnya-born Austrian citizen was found guilty of spying on the broadcaster. Iran International was forced to move to new high-security studios after being shut down following alleged threats from the Iranian state. Two Romanian citizens were charged in December 2024 over the stabbing of Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati. Iran International spokesman Adam Baillie said: 'We are watching developments closely and we remain as ever on high alert for the security implications.'
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Europe must choose: reform and resilience − or drift into irrelevance
Donald Trump has been called many things but his newest label – the great unifier of Europe – might just stick. That provocative notion may raise eyebrows in Brussels, Paris, or Berlin, but Mr Trump's return could be the shock that finally compels Europe to do what it has long known it must: to become more self-reliant. The world has changed. Russia's war in Ukraine shattered the illusion of permanent peace in the region. China 's economic ascendancy is reshaping global competition. And now, with Mr Trump launching a trade offensive against allies and adversaries alike, one truth is impossible to ignore: no one is coming to Europe's rescue. For too long, Europe has assumed that peace, prosperity and US protection were permanent. That illusion is gone. Mr Trump's transactional approach to alliances – where strength is rewarded and weakness punished – has exposed a hard truth: Europe can no longer outsource its defence. His worldview owes more to 19th-century protectionism than 20th-century idealism. But the implications extend beyond defence. Mr Trump's America is not merely retreating from global leadership – it is actively dismantling the postwar order that enabled Europe's rise. Nato, the World Trade Organisation, the International Monetary Fund – these institutions anchored European prosperity and security. That architecture may not include Europe by default next time. Unless Europe steps up, it risks being left behind. Europe faces a choice: reform and lead or stagnate and drift. The first path begins with taking responsibility for its own defence. That demands more than budget increases, with Germany poised to channel as much as €1 trillion ($1.15 trillion) into defence and infrastructure under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. It means aligning strategic priorities, co-ordinating procurement, and deepening military integration – ideally through a 'coalition of the willing', rather than waiting for unanimity. This group could include the UK, Norway, Canada and, potentially, Switzerland. Europe must also fix its chronic economic underperformance. Between 2014 and 2023, nominal US GDP grew 57 per cent; the euro area just 15 per cent. That gap reflects more than demographics – it points to structural inefficiencies. Fragmented capital markets and limited access to risk capital force many European entrepreneurs to look abroad. A genuine capital markets union would change that, unlocking investment in green tech, artificial intelligence, life sciences and more. It's not just about growth. Innovation is the new battleground. Energy is the third pillar. The war in Ukraine didn't cause Europe's energy crisis, but it exposed the risks of dependence. Swapping Russian gas for American liquefied natural gas won't delivery energy security. Resilience will come from accelerating renewables, upgrading grids, building storage and revisiting nuclear energy – not just for climate goals, but for sovereignty. In this optimistic future, Europe is more integrated, more dynamic and more secure. It competes globally and stands on its own terms. The second path is easier – for now. No hard choices. No integration. Just drift. In that future, defence stays fragmented. Capital remains trapped. Europe continues to punch below its weight. And, as the world grows more volatile, Europe becomes less relevant. We've seen this before. In the mid-1980s, Europe was adrift – weak growth, institutional fatigue, geopolitical anxiety. Then-US president Ronald Reagan's arms race unnerved many after a decade of detente. Europe responded with the 1986 Single European Act, which laid the groundwork for the single market. It streamlined decision-making and revived the integration agenda. Europe rose to the moment then – and it must again. This time, the stakes are higher. The next round of reforms must secure not just prosperity, but sovereignty. Business has a role to play too. Just as industrial leaders helped drive integration in the 1990s, today's chief executives must help shape Europe's renewal − not just because it's good policy, but because a fragmented, inward-looking Europe is bad for business and worse for society. Leaders like Henrik Andersen, chief executive of Danish wind turbine maker Vestas, offer a useful example. He has urged Brussels to align energy, trade and industrial policy – not out of idealism, but because Europe's competitiveness in clean tech depends on it. So what must Europe do − urgently and decisively? First, it must provide for its own defence. With US electoral cycles growing ever more unpredictable, European security can no longer hinge on transatlantic assumptions. A credible defence posture is essential − not to replace Nato, but to rebalance it. Second, Europe must unlock capital and innovation. Fragmented financial markets continue to stifle scale and ambition. While North America accounts for 60 per cent of global scale-ups, the EU claims just 8 per cent. A capital markets union is now critical to mobilise European savings, fund its own innovation, and reduce reliance on US capital. Third, the green transition must accelerate − not simply as a climate imperative, but as a strategy for resilience and sovereignty. Renewables, and where appropriate nuclear, should anchor an energy strategy capable of withstanding geopolitical shocks. And finally, Europe must engage globally with coherence and purpose. It has a foreign minister, but still lacks a foreign policy. That must change. Building stable, values-driven partnerships with powers like India, Saudi Arabia and even China will be essential if Europe is to remain an active shaper − rather than a passive observer − of the global order. It's one of history's ironies: Mr Trump may be the catalyst for European renewal. By making US commitments less reliable, he's made European responsibility unavoidable. By rejecting global rules, he's made European leadership indispensable. This is not just another chapter in Europe's integration story. The world has changed − and with it, the stakes. The time for hesitation is over.
