18 June 2025: Iran says it won't surrender, warns Trump of irreversible harm if US intervenes
India Today Podcasts Desk
UPDATED: Jun 18, 2025 19:05 IST
On News at 7, this 18th June, Jamshed Qamar Siddiqui brings you the day's most crucial headlines. Iran says it won't surrender against Israel. Meanwhile, Israel attacked Iran, which killed 585 people. However, during the G7 Summit, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau had the conversation about Hardeep Singh Nijjar with PM Modi.
Produced by- Garvit Srivastava
Sound mix - Rohan Bharti
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
32 minutes ago
- India.com
Iran Israel war: Trump only announced Iran-Israel ceasefire... the real work was done by this Muslim nation
Iran Israel war: Trump only announced Iran-Israel ceasefire... the real work was done by this Muslim nation | Details US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran has 'now come into effect'. He also warned the two arch enemies in the Middle East not to violate the truce deal after Iran fired several waves of missiles at Israeli territories in the last few hours. How important was Donald Trump's role Although the ceasefire has been announced by Trump, this Muslim has played an important role in stopping the war between Iran and Israel. Prime Minister of this Arab country, has convinced Iran for the ceasefire proposed by the US. According to a report by India Today, a senior official said that US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance contacted the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani and asked him to mediate between Israel and Iran. He was given the task of talking to Iran by Trump. This nation is Qatar. Trump has also thanked the Emir of Qatar for mediating the ceasefire. After this, Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani contacted Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran and obtained his consent for the proposed ceasefire. How Qatar talked to Tehran According to the report, Trump told the Qatar Emir that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire. In such a situation, he should also persuade Iran to stop fighting so that this conflict ends. Soon after this, the Prime Minister of Qatar spoke to the Iranian government and succeeded in getting commitment from Tehran for ceasefire conditions. A senior Iranian official admitted that Tehran has accepted the ceasefire mediated by Qatar. Qatar has mediated in the Iran-Israel war at a time when it itself has been caught in its grip. Iran had launched a missile attack on the US Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar on Monday night. Iran carried out this attack in response to the US airstrikes. After Iran targeted the US military base in Qatar, a state of emergency was declared in the entire country and the government had asked people to stay in safe places. After Iran's missile attacks on Israel, America jumped into this fight on 22 June. America attacked Iran's nuclear sites with bunker buster bombs. In response to these attacks, Iran fired missiles on American military bases in West Asia on Monday. This had created the fear of this fight spreading throughout West Asia.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
No country has dared to target US army bases, we did it: Iran envoy warns Trump
Iran's ambassador to India said Tehran's attack on US military bases in Qatar and Iraq were unprecedented and warned President Donald Trump that it would not hesitate to act again. In a strongly worded interview with India Today, Dr Iraj Elahi said Iran had anticipated the entry of the US into its conflict with Israel and had prepared accordingly."No country, in history, has targeted US military bases. Iran has done it. You can count it as a symbolic response but if the US repeats this unlawful action, it will receive the same response," the Iranian envoy said. advertisementOn Monday, Iran launched missiles at US airbases in Qatar and Iraq in response to strikes on three of its key nuclear sites on Saturday. However, most of the missiles were intercepted and there was no major damage. Hours later, Trump announced that Israel and Iran had negotiated a ceasefire, halting a "12-day war" that left hundreds dead in Tehran as both nations engaged in tit-for-tat Dr Elahi made it clear that Iran was ready to respond decisively to any further Israeli action."(Benjamin) Netanyahu is not reliable. He launched a military aggression against Iran, and he also targeted residential areas, ambulances, hospitals. He did not pay attention to international or humanitarian laws. We are ready to respond to any action by Israel," he justified its June 13 attack on Iran by claiming that it was dangerously close to acquiring nuclear weapons, viewing it as an existential Elahi, however, emphasised that Tehran was a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and possessed no nuclear weapons."Iran is a member of the NPT. Iran does not have any nuclear weapons. The unlawful regime in Israel has attacked Iran under the pretext that Iran has enriched uranium. This is ridiculous. Israel is affecting the stability of the region," he further the hostilities, Iran had threatened to withdraw from the treaty, which is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear Iranian envoy asserted that despite Israel activating the Iron Dome and other air defence systems during the conflict, missiles fired by Tehran were able to reach "targets inside Israeli territory"."It was not just the Iron Dome. There were different defence systems that were active in Israel during this war. But despite all this, our missiles reached the targets in Israeli territory," Dr Elahi underscored that while Iran was not seeking the expansion of the war, external powers "should not intervene and enter the playground".- Ends
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
How India uses underground caves to store crude oil for crisis
It is feared that Iran might attempt to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict with Israel and the US. This could result in supply shortages and a surge in oil prices, and impact India, the world's top crude importer, like other buyers. Amid fears of a wider conflict following Israeli and US strikes on Iran, gas and crude prices have already soared. However, India is not exactly losing sleep over the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri noted, India's diversified crude supply sources and the fact that a significant portion does not pass through the Strait of Hormuz offer a level of cushion. What Puri didn't refer to is that India's comfort is further bolstered by its strategic crude oil reserves, stored in underground rock caverns at three key maintains several million metric tonnes of crude oil as part of its Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) in rock caves or caverns in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Two more such sites for SPR are coming up in Odisha and is how any escalation in the crisis in the Middle East could choke oil supply, and how India is prepared to deal with HORMUZ CHOKE WARNING, AS TENSIONS WITH ISRAEL DRIVE UP CRUDE PRICESadvertisementThe escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, already in its 12th day, has injected volatility into global oil markets. That's largely attributed to the region's one of the world's top oil exporters, sits on the Strait of Hormuz. Several other Persian Gulf nations, just east of the strategic chokepoint, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq, rely on this narrow passage, just 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest, to ship the bulk of their crude same applies to major natural gas too. Gulf nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq are among the key exporters of gas Iran's Parliament (the Majlis) approving the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday in response to US attacks, the threat has undeniably intensified concerns over potential supply disruptions, including for the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, relies on imports for about 80% of its crude oil needs. And, India is showing a steady rise in demand. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is a narrow chokepoint through which a significant portion of the world's oil and gas exports pass. (Image: India Today) Brent crude prices, one of the two global benchmarks, surged to $78.93 a barrel, with analysts like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan warning of potential spikes of up to $140 if the Strait was blocked. However, Brent has since cooled to $71.48 a barrel, as has the other benchmark, the US' West Texas Intermediate (WTI) two benchmarks, Brent and WTI, are widely used to set global oil prices, and they reflect supply-demand trends in international markets. Brent is used mostly as crude traded in Europe, Asia, and Africa, making it more relevant to India, whose oil purchases largely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while WTI is primarily used in the INDIA SHIELDS ITSELF FROM OIL SUPPLY SHOCKSHowever, despite the odds, India remains somewhat resilient in navigating these challenges, with Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri citing the nation's critical shield against price shocks and supply which heavily relies on imports, has significantly diversified its crude oil imports over the years to mitigate risks from the volatile Middle East (West Asia).The United States, Nigeria, Angola, and Brazil have emerged as viable suppliers, even as shipments from here involve navigating longer sea routes through the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, or around the Cape of Good Hope, adding to transportation time and diversification of imports has also helped India bypass the Strait of which has continued purchasing oil from Russia despite Western sanctions, is now likely to increase its imports to a two-year high of 2.2 million barrels per day. That will surpass India's combined purchases from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, according to data by global trade analytics firm tensions have disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, it has never been fully closed during past wars and conflicts in the region. As of 2024, India had 10 Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) refineries, three private-sector refineries, and one joint-venture refinery. The country's refining capacity increased from 215.066 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in April 2014 to 256.816 MMTPA in April 2024. (Image: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) Indian refineries allow them to adapt swiftly to supply disruptions. Long-term agreements with countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Russia further ensure stable supplies, reducing India's vulnerability to geopolitical ROCK CAVERNS: INDIA'S STRATEGIC OIL LIFELINEAnd while dodging these volatility-driven disruptions, it is a convention among oil-importing companies, including those in India, to time their crude purchases strategically, given the transactions involve spending of valuable foreign exchange. This is where India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), stored in underground rock caverns, come into Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), managed by the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL) under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, form the cornerstone of the country's energy security. At present, there are three underground rock caverns, located 90 metres below the surface and stretching up to a kilometre in length, with a height equivalent to a 10-storey building. A map showing India's strategic crude oil storage: existing underground caverns and upcoming reserve facilities. (Image: Vashu Sharma/India Today) India's LPG cavern in Visakhapatnam, reaching 196 metres below mean sea level, is one of the deepest underground fuel storage facilities in the three facilities hold a total of 5.33 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil, roughly equivalent to India's daily consumption of about 5 million from these three, work is also underway to build additional storage 2021, the Centre approved the establishment of two more commercial-cum-strategic petroleum reserve facilities with a total storage capacity of 6.5 MMT at Chandikhol (4 MMT) in Odisha and Padur (2.5 MMT) in Karnataka, to be developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, says ministry press LONG CAN INDIA'S BUFFER OIL STOCK LAST?India's reserves presently store 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil, which translates to roughly 38 million stockpile is sufficient to cover about 10 days of the country's total crude oil consumption at 2019-2020 levels. Once Phase II is complete, India's overall crude stash is expected to rise enough to meet up to 22 days of national oil in caverns isn't the only reserve that India has. The stock with oil marketing companies can further boost this buffer stock."India currently consumes around 5 million barrels of oil per day. So, this reserve is enough to meet about 9 to 10 days of crude demand if there are no imports. Of course, commercial stocks with oil marketing companies can extend this buffer further, up to around 74 days when combined. But if imports stop completely, we cannot run the country for long," Sumit Pokharna, vice president at Kotak Securities told Fortune combination places India in a relatively comfortable position amid global supply reserves act like shock 2020, when oil prices plunged sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic, India used the crisis to buy crude and store it in its underground rock caverns. It saved approximately Rs 5,000 crore, the ministry INDIA STORES STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES IN CAVERSCaverns are the best when it comes to securing strategic crude a densely populated and geopolitically sensitive country like India, underground rock caverns provide a secure, space-efficient, and cost-effective solution for storing strategic crude oil. They are naturally shielded from aerial attacks, sabotage, and natural disasters, unlike above-ground tanks. Caverns also minimise evaporation losses and reduce environmental underground rock caverns are sealed and equipped with monitoring systems to prevent oil from seeping out or getting contaminated by water or other elements. They also have emergency protocols in place to detect and tackle any potential concept of storing crude in caverns, originally developed in Sweden as a wartime safeguard, was later adopted by countries like Finland, Japan, and South use of underground rock caverns for crude began taking shape in India in 1998 under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It was driven by hard lessons from the 1990 Gulf India continues to assess new sites for expanding its strategic reserves, a process that remains ongoing until the country's dependence on fossil fuels, something the petroleum ministry now prioritises reducing, is significantly lowered.- EndsMust Watch
