Latest news with #NYTIMESJERUSALEM
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Trump teases Iran talks next week, says nuclear programme set back ‘decades'
US President Donald Trump speaking during a Nato summit news conference in the Netherlands, on June 25, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (left) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. PHOTO: NYTIMES JERUSALEM - President Donald Trump said on June 25 that the United States would hold nuclear talks with Iran next week, teasing the possibility of a deal even after boasting that recent US strikes had crippled the Islamic republic's atomic programme. Mr Trump - speaking during a Nato summit in the Netherlands - credited the unprecedented US attacks with the 'total obliteration' of Iran's nuclear capabilities, and said they had set the country's programme back 'decades'. But leaked US intelligence cast doubt on that assessment, saying the strikes had likely delayed Tehran by just a few months. Before the agreement of a ceasefire on June 24, Israel had pounded Iranian nuclear and military sites over the course of 12 days of war, while Iran launched waves of missiles at its regional arch foe in their deadliest-ever confrontation. The United States joined the fray in support of its ally, hitting two nuclear facilities with massive bunker-buster bombs over the weekend, while a guided missile from a submarine struck a third. 'They're not going to be building bombs for a long time,' said Mr Trump, adding the strikes had set back the programme by 'decades' and that the ceasefire that he declared was going 'very well'. He later told reporters that Israel and Iran were 'both tired, exhausted', going on to say that talks were planned with Iran 'next week'. 'We may sign an agreement. I don't know,' he added. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had said on June 24 his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, but that it would continue to 'assert its legitimate rights' to the peaceful use of atomic energy. 'Still early' Israel's military said on June 25 it was 'still early' to assess the damage the war caused to Iran's nuclear programme. 'I believe we have delivered a significant hit to the nuclear programme, and I can also say that we have delayed it by several years,' said Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, Mr Esmaeil Baqaei, acknowledged to Al Jazeera that its 'nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure'. But US media on June 24 cited people familiar with a Defence Intelligence Agency report as saying the American strikes did not fully eliminate Iran's centrifuges or enriched uranium stockpiles. The strikes sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings, according to the report. Israel had said its bombing campaign, which began on June 13, was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. Its commandos had also operated inside Iran during the conflict, Israel's army chief publicly acknowledged for the first time on June 25. 'The forces operated in secret deep within enemy territory and created operational freedom of action for us,' chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in a televised address. 'The same intensity' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an address to the nation after the ceasefire, announced that 'we have thwarted Iran's nuclear project'. 'And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,' he said. Iranian lawmakers on June 25 voted in favour of suspending cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, state television reported. 'The International Atomic Energy Agency, which refused to even marginally condemn the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, put its international credibility up for auction,' parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to the broadcaster. The decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation. In an interview with the Al Araby Al Jadeed news outlet, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran remained committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty but that it had failed to 'protect us or our nuclear programme', adding without elaborating that Iran's approach towards the regime 'will undergo changes'. 'Finally, we can sleep' While Iran and Israel have been locked in a shadow war for decades, their 12-day conflict was by far the most destructive confrontation between them. Israeli strikes hit nuclear and military targets – killing scientists and senior military figures – as well as residential areas, prompting waves of Iranian missile fire on Israel. Tehran remained relatively quiet on June 25, with many shops still shuttered and only some restaurants open, though there was more life on the streets than during the height of the war. 'Thank God, the situation has improved, the ceasefire has been reached, and people have returned to work and their lives,' said one resident, a 39-year-old salesman who gave his name as Saeed. Others, however, were uncertain whether the peace would hold. 'I really don't know... about the ceasefire but honestly, I don't think things will return to normal,' said 28-year-old Amir. Some Israelis, meanwhile, welcomed the truce. 'Finally, we can sleep peacefully. We feel better, less worried, for the kids, for the family. And I hope it stays that way,' said Mr Yossi Bin, a 45-year-old engineer in Tel Aviv. Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, according to the health ministry. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Israel says it assassinated Iran's most senior military commander
The Israeli attacks have spurred thousands of Iranians to flee the capital, Tehran, a city of 9.5 million people. PHOTO: ARASH KHAMOOSHI/NYTIMES JERUSALEM – Israel said it had killed a newly installed senior Iranian military official on June 17, just days after his predecessor was slain, further destabilising Iran's military chain of command as the war entered its fifth day. Since Israel began bombing Iran on June 13, it has killed at least 11 senior generals while striking Iranian nuclear sites and missile launchers, in what it calls an effort to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. On June 17 morning, the Israeli military said it had killed Major General Ali Shadmani, describing him as the most senior military commander in Iran. He was appointed to his post four days ago, replacing a general who was killed by Israel on the first day of hostilities. Iran did not immediately comment on Israel's claim about Mr Shadmani. If confirmed, his death would deal yet another blow to Iran's beleaguered military leadership. A senior Israeli defense official said the killing of Mr Shadmani reflected Israel's decades-long effort to infiltrate Iran's intelligence services, as well as the careless mistakes senior Iranian officials have been making as they try to flee Israeli attacks. Later on June 17, the Israeli military launched more airstrikes, with dozens of aircraft bombing the Isfahan area of central Iran, targeting missile launchers, according to Brigadier General Effie Defrin, the Israeli military's chief spokesperson. He said in a televised briefing that Iran still had 'significant capabilities that could cause serious damage.' President Donald Trump declared on June 17 that 'we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran' and called for Iran's 'unconditional surrender' amid growing signs that the United States was considering joining Israel's bombing campaign. Military analysts have said that only the United States has the 30,000-pound bombs and B-2 stealth bombers capable of destroying Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear enrichment site, known as Fordo, which is built into the side of a mountain. Mr Trump, posting on social media, also made a direct threat to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying that 'we know exactly where' he is and calling him 'an easy target.' But he said, 'We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now.' He added, 'Our patience is growing thin.' Earlier on June 17, Mr Trump said he was looking for something 'better than a ceasefire' between Israel and Iran – 'a real end, not a ceasefire.' Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, he insisted that Iran 'give up' and abandon any effort to develop nuclear weapons. 'I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate,' he said. Concerned that the United States might be moving to join Israel's campaign, French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the idea of using force to topple the Iranian government. 'Does anyone think that what was done in Iraq in 2003 was a good idea?' he said to reporters in Canada, where he was attending a Group of 7 summit. 'Does anyone think that what was done in Libya the previous decade was a good idea? No.' France agrees that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain a nuclear bomb and that Israel has the right to defend itself, Mr Macron said. But he criticised Israeli strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure and civilian targets as destabilising for the region. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar said on June 17 that Israel's attack on Iran was 'an uncalculated escalation with serious consequences for regional security, which is already strained and cannot handle further crises.' The Israeli attacks have spurred thousands of Iranians to flee the capital, Tehran, a city of 9.5 million people. The Israeli military had issued an evacuation order for a large part of northeastern Tehran, saying it planned to target 'military infrastructure' in the area. Ms Leili, a teacher who lives in Mazandaran province, north of Tehran, who asked that her last name not be used, said many Iranians had been seeking refuge in the area, leading to shortages at grocery stores, where meat, chicken and cooking oil are becoming hard to find. She said that while she had not stockpiled supplies, 'many others have begun hoarding, likely driven by memories of shortages during the Iran-Iraq war and fears of future scarcity.' Iran also fired missiles at Israel on June 17, although it has significantly scaled back its attacks. In the first days of the war, Iran fired up to 100 missiles in a single night, in salvos of dozens. But overnight, fewer than 30 projectiles breached Israeli airspace, the Israeli military said. A morning salvo on June 17 included just a few missiles – far fewer than in previous waves, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson. Later on June 17, explosions were visible in the sky over Tel Aviv, apparently from Israel's air defenses intercepting more Iranian missiles. A short while later, Israeli officials told residents they were safe to leave bomb shelters. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The slowdown in missile fire may indicate that Israeli strikes have significantly crippled Iran's ability to launch missiles. It could also mean that Iranian leaders are conserving resources in preparation for a long conflict. Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people and wounded more than 1,800 others in Iran, according to the Iranian health ministry. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and about 600 others wounded, according to the government. Iran has severely restricted access to the internet as part of an effort to block what it says are Israelis who have been carrying out covert operations, according to two Iranian officials, one with the Telecommunications Ministry. The Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, said that the internet would be shut down on June 17 night and would be replaced with an Iranian-controlled intranet. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
