Australia to commence negotiations on security, defence with EU
SYDNEY, June 18 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday the country would commence negotiations on a security and defence partnership with the European Union.
"We see this as an important framework for our current and future cooperation in areas like defence industry, cyber and counter-terrorism," Albanese told a news conference in Kananaskis where he is attending the G7 summit.
Ministers from both sides will progress the talks in the coming weeks, Albanese said, adding he expected discussions to be concluded "pretty quickly".
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South Wales Guardian
12 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Trump warns Tehran as agency says strikes damage Iran's underground nuclear site
The air strikes came as President Donald Trump warned residents of Tehran to evacuate and suggested the US was working on something 'better than a ceasefire'. Mr Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington: 'I'm not looking at a ceasefire. We're looking at better than a ceasefire.' When asked to explain, he said the US wanted to see 'a real end' to the conflict that could involve Iran 'giving up entirely'. He added: 'I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.' Mr Trump's cryptic messages added to the uncertainty in the region as residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves and the UN nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its underground section, and not just the surface area. Later, Mr Trump said the US knows where Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding but does not want him killed 'for now'. Mr Trump urged, in a social media posting, Iran's 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER' as the conflict continues to escalate. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Mr Trump added. 'He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.' Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran's top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites and ballistic missile programme is necessary to prevent its adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel. The Israeli military said a new barrage of missiles was launched on Tuesday. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday it believes that Israel's first aerial attacks on Iran's Natanz enrichment site had 'direct impacts' on the facility's underground centrifuge halls. 'Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,' the watchdog said. Located 135 miles south-east of Tehran, the Natanz facility was protected by anti-aircraft batteries, fencing and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Iran: Based on continued analysis of high resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at change to report at Esfahan and Fordow. — IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) June 17, 2025 The underground part of the facility is buried to protect it from air strikes and contains the bulk of the enrichment facilities at Natanz, with 10,000 centrifuges that enrich uranium up to 5%, experts assess. The IAEA had earlier reported that Israeli strikes had destroyed an above-ground enrichment hall at Natanz and knocked out electrical equipment that powered the facility. However, most of Iran's enrichment takes place underground. Although Israel has struck Natanz repeatedly and claims to have inflicted significant damage on its underground facilities, Tuesday's IAEA statement marked the first time the agency has acknowledged impacts at the site. Iran maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites have set the country's nuclear programme back a 'very, very long time', Israel has not been able to reach Iran's Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried deep underground. Echoing an earlier Israeli military call for some 330,000 residents of a neighbourhood in downtown Tehran to evacuate, Mr Trump on Tuesday warned on social media that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!'. Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Israel. People have been fleeing since hostilities began. Asked why he had urged for the evacuation of Tehran, Mr Trump said: 'I just want people to be safe.' Downtown Tehran appeared to be emptying out early Tuesday, with many shops closed. The ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, something that only happened in the past during anti-government demonstrations or at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea, a popular holiday spot where a large number of middle and upper-class Iranians have second homes. Long lines also could be seen at petrol stations in Tehran. Printed placards and billboards calling for a 'severe' response to Israel were visible across the city. Authorities cancelled leave for doctors and nurses, while insisting everything was under control. The Israeli military meanwhile claimed to have killed someone it described as Iran's top general in a strike on Tehran. Iran did not immediately comment on the reported killing of Gen Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, part of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Iran has named other generals to replace the top leaders of the guard and the regular armed forces after they were killed in earlier strikes. Before leaving the summit in Canada, Mr Trump joined the other leaders in a joint statement saying Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon' and calling for a 'de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza'. French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that discussions were under way on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but Mr Trump appeared to shoot that down in his comments on social media. Mr Macron 'mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a 'cease fire' between Israel and Iran', Mr Trump wrote. 'Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.' Mr Trump said he was not ready to give up on diplomatic talks, and could send vice president JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet the Iranians. 'I may,' he said. 'It depends on what happens when I get back.' Israeli military spokesperson Brig Gen Effie Defrin said on Monday his country's forces had 'achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran's skies'. The military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran's total, including multiple launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles towards Israel. It also destroyed two F-14 fighter planes that Iran used to target Israeli aircraft, the military said. Israeli military officials also said fighter jets had struck 10 command centres in Tehran belonging to Iran's Quds Force, an elite arm of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran. Israel's military issued an evacuation warning for a part of central Tehran that houses state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by the guard. It has issued similar evacuation warnings for parts of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon ahead of strikes.
South Wales Guardian
12 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Israel ‘killed top Iranian general' as Trump warns people to flee Iran's capital
Mr Trump left the G7 summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington DC: 'I'm not looking at a ceasefire. We're looking at better than a ceasefire.' When asked to explain, he said the US wanted to see 'a real end' to the conflict that could involve Iran 'giving up entirely'. He added: 'I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.' Later, he warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the US knows where he is hiding and called for Iran's 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER'. Mr Trump's hard line added to the uncertainty roiling the region on the fifth day of Israel's air campaign aimed at Iran's military and nuclear programme. Residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves, and the UN nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its main underground section, not just an above-ground facility, as previously acknowledged. Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran's military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites and ballistic missile programme is necessary to prevent its adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. Iran has retaliated by launching some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel. – Israel targets more Iranian leaders The Israeli military claimed to have killed another top Iranian general in a strike on Tehran. Iran did not immediately comment on the reported killing of General Ali Shadmani, whom Israel described as the most senior military commander in Iran. General Shadmani was little-known in the country before being appointed last week to a chief-of-staff-like role as head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. That appointment followed the killing of his predecessor, General Gholam Ali Rashid, in an Israeli strike. The Israeli military warned the population to stay close to shelters as Iran fired new salvos of missiles, but officials said most were intercepted. Sirens blared in southern Israel, including in the desert town of Dimona, the heart of Israel's never-acknowledged nuclear arms programme. Iran has fired fewer missiles in each of its barrages, with just a handful launched late on Tuesday. It has not explained the drop in missiles fired, but the decline comes after Israel targeted many Iranian launchers. Meanwhile, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported Israeli airstrikes around the city of Isfahan, with air defences also firing. A series of explosions and anti-aircraft fire boomed throughout Tehran just before 6.30pm. – Shops closed, lines for gas in Iran's capital Echoing an earlier Israeli military call for some 330,000 residents of a neighbourhood in downtown Tehran to evacuate, Mr Trump warned on social media that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran'. Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Israel. People have been fleeing since hostilities began. Asked why he had urged the evacuation of Tehran, Mr Trump said: 'I just want people to be safe.' Downtown Tehran emptied out early on Tuesday, with many shops shuttered, even the ancient Grand Bazaar, which has closed only in times of crisis, such as during the 2022 anti-government protests and the coronavirus pandemic. On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many middle- and upper-class Iranians were headed to the Caspian Sea, a popular getaway spot. Long lines snaked from Tehran's gas stations. Across the city, billboards called for a 'severe' response to Israeli strikes. – Signs that Iran is restricting access to outside world Iranian authorities appeared to be curbing the public's access to the outside world. Phone and internet service appeared disrupted, with landline phones unable to receive or dial international calls. NetBlocks, an internet monitoring group, reported that it had detected a significant drop in internet traffic from the country. Iran, which has crippled important communications tools in past nationwide protests and during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war, did not acknowledge any restrictions. International websites appeared to be blocked, but local websites were functioning, likely signalling that Iran had turned on the so-called 'halal net', its own locally controlled version of the internet aimed at restricting what the public can see. In another sign of restricted access, Iran's state TV on Tuesday urged the public to remove the messaging app WhatsApp from their mobile phones, alleging without evidence that the app gathered user information to send to Israel. In a statement, WhatsApp said it was concerned that 'these false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked at a time when people need them the most'.
Leader Live
24 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Trump meets with military leaders over Iran, after PM insists he wants peace
Mr Trump met with his National Security Council in the White House's situation room shortly after a series of sabre-rattling social media posts, and following his abrupt exit from the G7 summit in Canada. After the high-level meeting, news reports soon followed that the US President was considering joining in Israel's strikes on Iran. Sir Keir earlier said 'nothing' he had heard from the US president suggested Washington was poised to get involved, as western leaders continue to press for de-escalation between the two, long-time foes. But Mr Trump then suggested Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was an 'easy target' whom the US could 'take out' if it chose. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said: 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. 'He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. 'But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.' Without further explanation he also wrote 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' on the platform. And he suggested the US had 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran'. Mr Trump spoke to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, according to a White House official. Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said strikes were taking place around Tehran early on Wednesday after planes had targeted missile launch and storage facilities on Tuesday night. Air raid sirens have been heard in parts of Israel while the US State Department announced it was closing the embassy in Jerusalem for the rest of the week. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said the latest attacks included the use of a hypersonic Fatah missile, while Israel claimed it had killed General Ali Shadmani who it described as Iran's most senior remaining military commander. Mr Trump left the G7 conference in Canada a day early to deal with what he called 'big stuff' and urged Iranian citizens to evacuate from Tehran, which triggered speculation that American forces might join Israeli strikes. Asked whether the US could get involved as the conflict threatens to spiral into all-out war, Sir Keir told reporters with him at the conference in Kananaskis: 'There is nothing the president said that suggests he's about to get involved in this conflict. On the contrary, the G7 statement was about de-escalation.' In a statement on Monday, before Mr Trump's departure, leaders reiterated their 'commitment to peace and stability' but stopped short of calling for a truce between Israel and Iran. In Westminster, not long after the American president's social media posts, Defence Secretary John Healey suggested Mr Trump was 'leading the calls' for a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute's land warfare conference in central London, Mr Healey said British Typhoon fighter jets could be used to help the UK's allies in the region. He said: 'The deployment of Typhoons and other military assets the Prime Minister has announced are part of the moves to reinforce de-escalation in the region, to reinforce security in the region, and may also be used to help support our allies.' Elsewhere, Israel's ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, told LBC her country is 'absolutely not' intending to institute regime change in Iran. 'We are in this military operation for one reason, to defend Israel, to defend the region, to defend the world and to make sure that Iran won't have nuclear capabilities,' she added.
