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New York Post
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Benjamin Netanyahu promises great future ‘if we take out Iran' after Israel strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was coy about whether the ultimate goal of the preemptive strikes on Iran is a regime change, but made clear that such a powershift would be a welcome outcome. 'I truly believe we have a great future if we take out Iran,' Netanyahu told Fox News during a special edition of 'Special Report with Bret Baier' on Sunday, during a discussion about the Arab reaction to the strikes. 'Iran has been the systemic, systematic fomenter of wars, sabotage, terrorism,' he added. 'They want to conquer the Middle East. And the one obstacle they've had so far is the state of Israel, because we're the ones fighting the Iranians.' Last week, Israel carried out preemptive strikes on several of Iran's nuclear facilities, killed top military brass, wiped out leading scientists, missile sites and more. President Trump had steered Israel away from assassinating Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Axios and Reuters reported. Netanyahu declined to confirm or deny that. 3 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mused that the collapse of Iran is a possible outcome. Fox News 3 Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled his country since 1989. APAImages/Shutterstock Khamenei is 86 years old, and it is not fully clear who his successor will be. One possible contender, hardliner and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, died in a helicopter crash last year. The Israeli leader also predicted that the Iranian regime could collapse in the wake of Israel's military campaign. 'It could certainly be the result, because the Iran regime is very weak,' Netanyahu said when pressed if regime change is the objective. 'I think it's basically left with two things: its plans to have atomic bombs and ballistic missiles. That's basically what Iran has. They certainly don't have the people, 80% of the people who throw these theological thugs out.' Netanyahu also noted that he has been sending video messages to the people of Iran encouraging them to resist the theocratic regime. 3 Israel recently targeted an Iranian oil depot. Getty Images 'I say to them, your hour of freedom is near. Rise up, be free,' he said of his message. Over the past two years, Israel has made remarkable progress at knocking back some of its top adversaries. Last year, it took out former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and carried out a stunning exploding pager attack that killed off top leaders within the terror group. Then, the Assad regime in Syria fell, and the neighbor's new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has conveyed openness to mending ties with Israel. Israel has also dramatically beaten back Hamas, killing off leaders like Yahya Sinwar. But the Iranian regime, which has backed many of those proxy forces, remains Israel's most capable adversary. Israel's strikes on Iran, which Netanyahu said are 'just the beginning,' came ahead of planned negotiations between Tehran and the US in Oman on Sunday. Those deliberations were ultimately canceled. Trump has publicly predicted that Iran and Israel will 'make a deal' and that the preemptive strikes could hasten such a breakthrough.
Express Tribune
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
US hopes India won't trigger 'regional conflict'
Listen to article Amid unabated warmongering from Indian politicians in step with the rampant war hysteria stirred up by their media following the Pahalgam incident, the US vice president said on Thursday Washington hoped India's response "does not lead to a broader regional conflict." JD Vance – who was touring India when the Pahalgam killings took place – made the statement in a TV interview days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly told his country's armed forces that they had the "complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response." However, the Pakistani leadership has warned of retaliation to any military escalation from the Indian side with army chief Gen Asim Munir saying: "Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response." New Delhi appears to have failed to win the international community to its side as it sought to implicate Pakistan in the Pahalgam incident with offering a shred of evidence. Vance's statement has angered the India media with Times of India writing "US backstabs India, shields Pakistan." "Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict," the US vice president said in an interview on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" show. "And we hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they're responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with," Vance added. Pakistan has already offered a "neutral, transparent, and credible investigation" into what has happened in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam on April 22. At the same time, Islamabad has also denounced India for a "pattern of exploitation" by leveling "baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence." Earlier, Washington had urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions and arrive at a "responsible solution." The US State Department has said it was in touch with the nuclear-armed Asian neighbours at multiple levels and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held calls on Wednesday with Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. European Union The international community has stepped up diplomatic efforts to deescalate the situation. EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Kaja Kallas telephoned Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to discuss the situation. "I urge both sides to show restraint and pursue dialogue to ease the situation. Escalation helps no one," the EU foreign policy chief wrote on X. "I spoke to both Dr S Jaishankar and Ishaq Dar today (Friday) to convey these messages." A statement issued by the Foreign Office said Foreign Minister Dar apprised the EU foreign policy chief of recent regional developments, categorically rejecting India's baseless accusations and inflammatory propaganda. He expressed strong concern over India's decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treatya clear violation of the treaty obligations and international law. Reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to peace and regional stability, Dar reiterated Pakistan's proposal for an independent and transparent investigation. Kallas stressed that both sides should exercise restraint and underscored the importance of dialogue to maintain peace and stability in the region. Diplomatic push Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also reached out to key regional allies to enlist their support for defusing the situation. He held separate meetings with the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait and discussed the rapidly evolving regional situation, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam incident. He reaffirmed Islamabad's principled stance against terrorism. "Pakistan has made tremendous sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and condemns it in all its forms," he said. He warned that India's attempts to escalate tensions aim to distract Pakistan from its domestic counter-terrorism and economic recovery efforts. The prime minister highlighted that his government remains focused on stabilising the economy with the support of friendly nations, and India's aggressive posture was both unjustified and detrimental to regional peace. He urged brotherly nations to use their influence with India to help ensure peace and stability in South Asia. The ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait expressed support for Pakistan's position and reiterated their commitment to promoting peace and security in the region. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dar called up his Panamanian counterpart Javier Eduardo Martinze-Acha Vasquez to brief him on India's "inflammatory propaganda and its illegal unilateral actions against Pakistan," including New Delhi's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. FM Vasquez called for restraint from both sides and reaffirmed, alongside Dar, their shared commitment to global peace as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. Dar also held a similar discussion with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, informing him of the measures taken by Pakistan's National Security Committee in response to India's actions. He reiterated Pakistan's determination to protect its sovereignty and vital interests while contributing to regional stability. FM Rasmussen stressed the importance of restraint from both parties. "The two leaders agreed to maintain close contact on regional and global developments, particularly at the UNSC, as non-permanent members," the Foreign Office said. (With additional input from Agencies)
Hans India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
India's response to Pahalgam should not be a war: Vance
Washington: US Vice President JD Vance has said that Washington hopes that India will respond carefully to avoid broader regional conflict following last week's terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. He also said that the US hoped Pakistan would cooperate with India to hunt down Pakistan-based terrorists. In an interview with Fox News, Vance made his public remark on the attack, which left 26 people dead. Notably, Vance and his family was in India on a four-day visit when the carnage - the worst since the Pulwama attack on CRPF personnel in 2019 - took place. "Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict," Vance said on Fox News's 'Special Report with Bret Baier' show.
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Hope India's response does not lead to broader conflict, says V-P Vance
For the second day in succession, the US conveyed its understanding of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack with Vice-President J D Vance saying his country hopes it will not lead to a 'broader regional conflict' — and that the US expects Islamabad to 'cooperate' with New Delhi to 'hunt down' terrorists 'sometimes operating from their soil'. Vance is the latest senior representative of the US administration, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, to spell out the US line on the terror attack that killed 26 people. Vance and his family were in India on a four-day visit when the attack — the worst since Pulwama in 2019 —took place in J&K on April 22. Asked on the Fox News show, 'Special Report with Bret Baier', if he was 'worried about India and Pakistan', Vance said, 'Well, sure, I'm worried about any time you see a hotspot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers.' Pointing out that the US has 'obviously been in close contact with our friends in India and Pakistan', the Vice-President said, 'Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that does not lead to a broader regional conflict.' Vance said, 'And we hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they're responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with. That's how we hope this unfolds, we're obviously in close contact. We'll see what happens.' Vance's statements assume significance in the backdrop of US Defence Secretary Hegseth's call Thursday with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Underlining the 'strong support' of the US in India's fight against terrorism, Hegseth told Singh that Washington stands in solidarity with New Delhi and 'supports India's right to defend itself'. The call between Singh and Hegseth came hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. In that call, Jaishankar said 'the perpetrators, backers and planners of the Pahalgam terrorist attack must be brought to justice'. Statements from the Jaishankar-Rubio and the Hegseth-Singh calls and now Vance's statement suggest support from the US, in tune with US President Donald Trump 's initial remarks on 'both sides figuring it out'. Trump was also the first world leader to call up Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was in Saudi Arabia when the attack took place. India is viewing these statements in a 'positive manner', as it weighs options on how to respond to the attack beyond diplomatic measures, sources said, adding that Washington's expression of support gives confidence to New Delhi on the next steps. Speaking on trade talks with India in the interview with Fox News, Vance said 'good negotiations' were currently on. India is among the countries negotiating with the US to avoid high import taxes, most of them on pause right now. 'Modi, the Prime Minister, is a tough negotiator, but we're going to rebalance that relationship, and that's why the President's doing what he's doing,' Vance said. Asked if a deal with India was the first one 'coming through', Vance said, 'I don't know if it'll be your first deal, I think it would be among the first deals for sure. Pretty soon, the President… look, we've got negotiations with Japan, with Korea, we've got negotiations going on with some folks in Europe, and obviously we've got a good negotiation going on in India.' On April 2, Trump had announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on a number of countries, including India and China. However, on April 9, he announced a 90-day suspension of these tariffs until July 9, except for those on China and Hong Kong, as about 75 countries approached America for trade deals. However, the 10 per cent baseline tariff imposed on these countries on April 2 remain in effect, besides the 25 per cent duties on steel, aluminium, and auto components. 'What the President has said is, we just want to rebalance trade. So some of the conversations I've had in India, for example, I think most Americans may not know, may not appreciate this, we have great agricultural products,' Vance said. 'Our farmers are making great things, but the Indian market is effectively closed off to American farmers. So what that means is that it makes American farmers and American consumers more reliant on foreign competitors to grow the food that we eat,' he said. 'What our India deal will do, fundamentally, I think, is open up India to American technology. It will open up India to American farmers. It will create more good American jobs. And it's the kind of trade deal that Donald Trump loves… He (Trump) is not anti-trade. He's anti-unfair trade. He's not entirely the kind of trade where foreign competitors take advantage of us, the Indians, let's be honest, they've taken advantage of us for a very long time,' Vance said.
Observer
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
US officials renew calls for Ukraine, Russia to seek peace
WASHINGTON: Two top US officials have renewed calls on Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace deal, with one saying there was no clear end in sight to the conflict in Ukraine and the other warning that President Donald Trump needed a breakthrough "very soon". The comments, made separately by Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscored the impatience in Trump's administration over the intractability of the war, now in its fourth year. Trump, who had pledged to strike a peace deal on his first day back in the White House before his advisers rowed back, has appeared to side with Russia but made comments more favourable to Ukraine in the run-up to a minerals deal being struck. Vance and Rubio said peace was up to both sides. "It's going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict," Vance said in an interview on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" show. "It's not going anywhere, Bret. It's not going to end any time soon," Vance added. He said that it was difficult to be confident that an end to the war was in sight because the Russians and Ukrainians "have to take the final step." "For the Ukrainians, yes, of course they are angry that they were invaded, but are we going to continue to lose thousands and thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory this or that way?" Rubio said separately on Thursday that Trump would have to decide how much time to devote to resolving the war if there was not a significant breakthrough in negotiations very soon. "I think we know where Ukraine is, and we know where Russia is right now ... They're closer, but they're still far apart," he added during an interview on Fox News' Hannity programme. Rubio has been named as an interim replacement for Mike Waltz, who was ousted as US national security adviser on Thursday in the first major shakeup of Trump's inner circle since he took office in January. It remains to be seen how his ouster could affect Ukraine's turbulent relationship with the Trump administration. Waltz had been one of the main interlocutors with top Ukrainian officials, and, according to a foreign diplomat in Washington, US partners in Europe and Asia saw him as supportive of traditional alliances such as Nato and tempering more antagonistic views toward them from some other Trump aides. Kyiv and Washington signed a deal this week giving the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals, in a move that a top US official said would strengthen Trump's negotiating position with Russia. The agreement will show the "Russian leadership that there is no daylight between the Ukrainian people and the American people, between our goals," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business Network in an interview. The Kremlin has been silent so far on Wednesday's accord, although former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said it meant Trump had "broken the Kyiv regime" because Ukraine would have to pay for US military aid with mineral resources. The Ukrainian parliament must still approve the pact, which will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction. Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who signed the accord, told reporters in an online briefing that would happen in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Russia said on Friday its forces were continuing to create a "security strip" in border areas of Ukraine's Sumy region after driving Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region, just across the border in western Russia. "Units of the North group of forces have completed the rout of Ukrainian Armed Forces formations in the Kursk region," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement. "The creation of a 'security strip' in the border areas of Ukraine's Sumy region continues." Two Majors, a Russian war blogger with over 1.2 million subscribers, said Russia was developing an offensive from Zhuravka to Bilovody, two villages just over the border in Sumy. — Reuters
