US joins Israel against Iran; Tehran says Trump ‘betrayed' diplomacy
Jun 22, 2025 07:16 PM IST
The US military joined Israel in its bombing campaign against Iran, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities early on Sunday, a move that many thought still had a week to go. US President Donald Trump warned after the US strikes that if Iran chose to retaliate then it will be met with a "greater force" than Sunday's attack. (AFP/Reuters)
The US used B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-buster bombs to attack the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Following the strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to "agree to end this war". Follow Iran Israel war live updates
Trump noted that any retaliation from Iran against the US will "be met with force far greater than what was witnessed" on Sunday. Israel-Iran conflict & US strikes | Top points US has betrayed diplomacy: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran 'strongly condemns' the US attacks on its nuclear sites as a "violation of international law". He held Washington to be "responsible" for the consequences of its act of aggression. Araghchi added that US President Donald Trump did not just betray Iran but "deceived his own nation". The Iranian foreign minister said the US "betrayed diplomacy and negotiations", adding that it is irrelevant to ask Tehran to return to diplomacy. According to him, Washington only understands the language of threat and force. Araghchi affirmed that the US crossed a "very big red line" by attacking Iranian nuclear sites.
ALSO READ | US B-2 bombers flew 37 hours non-stop, refueling mid-air to hit Iran nuclear sites US strikes in coordination with Israeli army: The American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were carried out 'in coordination' with the Israeli military, said the army's spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, adding that they were still assessing damage at the nuclear sites. Iran diplomat to meet Putin on Monday: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that he will travel to Moscow later on Sunday and will hold "serious considerations" with Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,' he said about Iran-Russia ties. Moscow expressed strong condemnation of the US bombing in Iran, calling the attacks "irresponsible" and a "gross violation of international law". India's PM Modi expresses 'deep concern': Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday and expressed 'deep concern' over the escalating tensions in the Middle East region. In a post on X, PM Modi said he reiterated India's call for "immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability". US joined attacks after Israel's 'incompetence': Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said that the American strikes on Iran's nuclear sites show that the US was the "main driver" behind the Israeli strikes. He added that Washington joined Israel's bombing campaign after witnessing the country's "incompetence".
ALSO READ | Donald Trump gave Iran two weeks, struck in two days. Here's why the US President didn't wait Iran says IAEA paved way to aggression: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and its chief, Rafael Grossi, "paved the way to this aggression" of US strikes on Iran. He also called on the IAEA board of governors to condemn the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran mulls closure of Strait of Hormuz: Amid the escalating tensions with Israel and the additional conflict of US strikes on Iran, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi was asked about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He responded, saying that "a variety of options are available to Iran". The Strait, located between Iran and Oman, and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south, is the passage for around one-fifth of the world's total oil consumption. Britain notified of US strikes in advance: British cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds told Sky News that the UK, as a key ally, was notified in advance of the US strikes on Iran. He said, "Whilst the British government, the UK, has not been involved in these attacks, we have been making extensive preparations for all eventualities." Reynolds further stated that the government was working on how to take care of British citizens as well as its military bases, personnel, and infrastructure in the Middle East region.
ALSO READ | Satellite images show trail of destruction at Iran's Fordo nuclear site after US strike Israel took down Iran's 2 F-5 fighter jets: Israel said that it took out two of Iran's F-5 fighter jets, adding that it hit the aircraft at the Dezful airport. The F-5s are part of Iran's ageing fleet of fighter jets. Previously, Israel hit F-14 Tomcats flown by the Iranian military in the war. However, Iran has not acknowledged the losses of aircraft or other material in the war so far. Iran fires biggest ballistic missile at Israel: Following the US strikes on its nuclear facilities, Iran said that it fired one of its biggest ballistic missiles targeting Israel. Iranian state TV showed what seemed like previous test-firing footage of the Khorramshahr-4 missile, with an on-screen caption that it was used on Sunday's barrage on Israel. The ballistic missile has the heaviest payload of Iran's fleet. The missile has a 2,000-kilometre range with a 1,500-kilogram warhead.
(With inputs from agencies)
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