Latest news with #IranianForeignMinister
LBCI
10 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Cyprus says it has been asked by Iran to convey 'some messages' to Israel
Iran has asked Cyprus to convey "some messages" to Israel, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday, adding he expected to speak to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later in the day. He did not say who specifically the messages were from or what they said, although they come after the Cypriot foreign minister spoke to his Iranian counterpart on Friday night. Christodoulides also said he was not happy with what he said was a slow reaction by the European Union to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Israel Doesn't Want Regime Change in Iran, Says FM
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Sunday that the goal of its military campaign in Iran 'is not a regime change.' 'This is for the Iranian people to decide,' Saar said in an interview on CNN. He said the Israeli security Cabinet set the objective as eliminating Iran's nuclear program and minimizing its ballistic missile threat. 'I believe what we are doing, as an ally for the US and for the Western civilization as a whole, is critical for stability in this part of the world,' Saar said, adding: 'If we learn something from our history, when somebody says 'I'm going to eliminate the Jews,' take him at his word.' He said Iran was within six months of being able to build as many as nine nuclear bombs. Iran's foreign minister was scheduled to also be interviewed on CNN but had to cancel at the last minute, the network said.
The Guardian
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
'I never thought I would hear a boom this loud': Iran strikes on Israel kill at least 10
Iran launched a barrage of missiles into Israel on Saturday night, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 100. It is the third day of exchanges of fire between the two countries after Israel hit more than 100 targets in Iran in a surprise attack on Friday. The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Sunday that Tehran did not want the conflict to expand, but that the country would defend itself
ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Wong says Israel has right to self-defence, but urges restraint as Iran pounded
Israel has the right to defend itself, Foreign Minister Penny Wong says, but she has dodged questions over whether its surprise bombardment of Iran is a breach of international law. Seeking to hamper Iran's attempts to develop military-grade nuclear capability, Israel struck military facilities, nuclear scientists, a major gas facility that exports internationally and other targets in a two-day barrage that Iran says has killed 78 people. Iran retaliated with missile launches of its own that killed four people in Israel, with the US helping to shoot down a number of incoming missiles. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened Iran to expect worse to come. It has prompted fears of all-out war in the region, and forced Iran to cancel discussions due to be held with the US on its nuclear program. The foreign minister told ABC Insiders she had spoken with Iran's foreign minister and the Israeli government through its ambassador, urging both to show restraint. "We urge restraint because whatever people's views about what has occurred to date, what happens tomorrow matters to all peoples in the region," Senator Wong said. "I directly put to the Iranian foreign minister: 'We are saying to you, exercise restraint, return to diplomacy and dialogue,' because continuing to escalate this has consequences for all peoples of the region and I think that is a position that so many countries in the world are putting to not only the Iranians, but also to the Israelis." Pushed on whether Israel's attack was legal, the senator said that was not the key concern at hand. "Israel has a right to self-defence. The question here is not a legal proposition, the question here is what do we do now? We know Iran is a threat. We know that its nuclear program poses a threat to international peace and obviously to Israel," she said. "What do we do about it?" Senator Wong warned the situation was "perilous" and "very risky", and expressed her thoughts for Australians and their families in Israel and Iran. A 24-hour consular emergency service has been stood up within the Foreign Affairs Department. The foreign minister said advice was to shelter in place, noting that airspace above the countries was currently closed. "Obviously that informs the advice we are giving," she said. The minister also noted the cancellation of separate talks that were due to be held on progressing a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian Territories, that would see Palestine recognised as a sovereign nation. "We're so far from that right now," she said, "There is a lot more work to be done in the time ahead."
