2025-06-22 06:08
Trump warns Iran of more attacks if no peace agreement Iran confirms Fordow site attacked by 'enemy airstrikes' Israel claims coordination with U.S. on Iran strikes Diplomatic efforts to stop hostilities unsuccessful, UN calls strikes dangerous escalation WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said late on Saturday, and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace. After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military campaign against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the conflict and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East. Sign up here. "The strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in a televised address. "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated." In a speech that lasted just over three minutes, Trump said Iran's future held "either peace or tragedy," and there were many other targets that could be hit by the U.S. military. "If peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." The U.S. reached out to Iran diplomatically on Saturday to say the strikes are all the U.S. plans and it does not aim for regime change, CBS News reported. Trump said U.S. forces struck Iran's three principal nuclear sites: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. He told Fox News' Sean Hannity show that six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were fired against other nuclear sites. U.S. B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Fordow is gone." Reuters had reported earlier on Saturday the movement of the B-2 bombers, which can be equipped to carry massive bombs that experts say would be needed to strike Fordow, which is buried beneath a mountain south of Tehran. Given its fortification, it will likely be days, if not longer, before the impact of the strikes is known. An Iranian official, cited by Tasnim news agency, confirmed part of the Fordow site was attacked by "enemy airstrikes." However, Mohammad Manan Raisi, a lawmaker for Qom, near Fordow, told the semi-official Fars news agency the facility had not been seriously damaged. Iranian media quoted Iran's nuclear body as saying there were no signs of contamination after the attacks, and no danger to residents living nearby. Hassan Abedini, deputy political head of Iran's state broadcaster, said Iran had evacuated the three sites some time ago. "The enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres and there are no materials left there that, if targeted, would cause radiation and be harmful to our compatriots," he told the channel. DIPLOMACY UNSUCCESSFUL Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his "bold decision". "History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world's most dangerous regime, the world's most dangerous weapons," Netanyahu said. The strikes came as Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat that has resulted in deaths and injuries in both countries. Israel launched the attacks on Iran saying it wanted to remove any chance of Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. Diplomatic efforts by Western nations to stop the hostilities have so far failed. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Saturday's strikes a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security." Both sides' attacks on energy infrastructure, including by Israel on Iran's South Pars gas field and the risk of a complete shutdown of the OPEC member's oil production, as well as Iran targeting shipping in the Straits of Hormuz, have fueled fears of a spike in oil prices and impacts on economies worldwide. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was due to hold a news conference at the Pentagon early on Sunday. In recent days, Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans have argued that Trump must receive permission from the U.S. Congress before committing the U.S. military to any combat against Iran. Republican Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi applauded the operation but cautioned that the U.S. now faced "very serious choices ahead." One Republican lawmaker, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, simply said, "This is not constitutional." Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it was "absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment." Many in Trump's MAGA movement oppose U.S. entanglement in foreign military operations. Trump ally Steve Bannon said on his War Room podcast that the president's address was probably not what a lot of MAGA supporters wanted to hear, and he called on Trump to offer a "deeper explanation" for why U.S. involvement was necessary. Trump-aligned commentator Charlie Kirk posted on X: "America stands with President Trump." Israel launched attacks on June 13, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons, which it neither confirms nor denies. At least 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in Iran since Israel began its attacks, Iranian state-run Nour News said, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed and 1,272 people injured, according to local authorities. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-israel-launch-new-attacks-after-tehran-rules-out-nuclear-talks-2025-06-21/
2025-06-22 06:02
ISTANBUL, June 22 (Reuters) - Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister said the country was hoping to hold a tender for 5G network services in August, adding that the mobile communication service was expected to start next year. "I think we will hold this tender in August if there are no issues," Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu told reporters in Istanbul during a briefing. Sign up here. "Instead of covering the entire country in the first stage, I think we will cover the densely populated provinces (first) and roll out this process gradually within the framework of the programme, this was the case in 4.5G as well," he added. Asked about the impact on aviation of the Iran-Israel conflict, Uraloglu said Turkish airline companies had seven civilian aircraft stranded in Iran currently and four others in Iraq due to the closure of airspace in the region. "We are following this up through our foreign ministry and MIT (intelligence agency). Given that air traffic is very intense in this region, neither us nor the relevant countries could take that risk," Uraloglu said. "At the first opportunity we will bring them back," he added, referring to the planes, which he said belonged to Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) , opens new tab, its subsidiary AJet, Pegasus Airlines (PGSUS.IS) , opens new tab and Tailwind Airlines. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-hoping-hold-5g-tender-august-minister-says-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 04:28
DUBAI, June 22 (Reuters) - Iran reserves all options to defend itself after U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday on X, saying the attacks were "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences". Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-says-it-reserves-all-options-response-outrageous-us-strikes-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 02:14
CAIRO, June 22 (Reuters) - Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Sunday it would not allow the development of its "national industry" - an apparent reference to the country's nuclear development - to be stopped. It also said the attacks on its nuclear sites violate international law, without clarifying the extent of the damage from the U.S. strikes that President Donald Trump announced earlier. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-atomic-energy-organization-says-it-will-not-allow-nuclear-development-stop-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 00:28
US and Israel held tense phone call on Thursday Israel signals it could act on Fordow before end of Trump's deadline Israel is looking at range of options to strike Fordow WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM, June 21 (Reuters) - Israeli officials have told the Trump administration they do not want to wait two weeks for Iran to reach a deal to dismantle key parts of its nuclear program and Israel could act alone before the deadline is up, two sources said, amid a continuing debate on Trump's team about whether the U.S. should get involved. The two sources familiar with the matter said Israel had communicated their concerns to Trump administration officials on Thursday in what they described as a tense phone call. Sign up here. The Israeli officials said they do not want to wait the two weeks that U.S. President Donald Trump presented on Thursday as a deadline for deciding whether the U.S. will get in the Israel-Iran war, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Israeli participants on the call included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir, according to a security source. The Israelis believe they have a limited window of opportunity to move against the deeply buried site at Fordow, the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear program, said the sources. The U.S. is the only country with the bunker-busting bombs powerful enough to reach the facility, which is dug into the side of a mountain. Reuters reported on Saturday that the United States is moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, reinforcing the possibility that the U.S. could participate directly in an attack. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground, such as the one at Fordow. A person in Washington familiar with the matter said Israel has communicated to the U.S. administration that it believes Trump's window of up to two weeks is too long and that more urgent action is needed. The person did not say whether the Israelis made that point during the high-level call. During the call, Vice President JD Vance pushed back, saying the U.S. should not be directly involved and suggesting that the Israelis were going to drag the country into war, said the sources. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also participated in the call, said a security source. A White House official strongly disputed the characterization of Vance's comments in the call but declined to elaborate. "The Vice President did not say this during the call," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Jerusalem Post reported earlier that a phone call had taken place on Thursday. The prospect of a U.S. strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Trump to power, with some prominent members of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war. Vance has frequently criticized past U.S. involvement in conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan, but has lately defended Trump against Republican critics who urge the administration to stay out of the Iran conflict. Other Republicans, including Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have said they hope Trump will help Israel finish destroying Iran's nuclear program. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to keep the U.S. out of what he called "stupid" foreign wars, has himself seemed conflicted at times about whether to join the Israeli attack on Iran or focus on diplomatic efforts to end Tehran's nuclear program. But his rhetoric in recent days has become increasingly aggressive toward Iran. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. The Israeli Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran's mission to the United Nations also did not immediately respond. STRIKE ON FORDOW INCREASINGLY LIKELY Publicly, Netanyahu has not ruled out Israel attacking Fordow alone, though officials have not provided any details on how that would be achieved. Four sources said it is now increasingly likely that the country will launch a solo military operation. Israeli air superiority over much of Iran makes an operation more feasible, though still risky, said two of the sources. The Israelis feel they have the momentum and have limited time given the costs of the war, one source added. "I don't see them waiting much longer," said the source. It is not clear whether such an operation would involve bombing, ground forces, or both. Two of the sources said that rather than attempting to destroy the entire site Israel could instead do significant damage to it. That could mean focusing on destroying what is inside the site rather than the site itself, said one of the sources, declining to elaborate. Some analysts have speculated that Israel could use special forces to enter Fordow and blow it up from inside. Another scenario being considered, according to a source familiar with the matter, would be to drop a series of munitions in rapid succession in an attempt to breach the fortified site, similar to how the Israeli military killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah last year. Such a strike could be followed by an incursion by special forces, the source said. It is not clear that Israel has munitions powerful enough to penetrate the fortified facility. It is widely believed that to have a high chance of success, U.S. intervention would be needed. But even with the massive firepower of a joint U.S.-Israeli military action, military and nuclear experts believe that a military operation would probably only temporarily set back a program the West fears is already aimed at producing atom bombs one day, although Iran denies it. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/israel-seeks-swift-action-iran-sources-say-with-split-us-administration-2025-06-21/
2025-06-21 23:18
LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Britain is poised to publish a 10-year, multibillion-pound industrial strategy next week aimed at backing priority sectors, creating jobs and driving long-term economic growth. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has been working on a blueprint for the next decade as part of its wider "Plan for Change", under which it seeks to overhaul the country's skills system, support innovation, and channel fresh investment into high-growth areas. Sign up here. Britain has so far pledged more than 1.5 billion pounds ($2 billion) to be delivered through a series of targeted government funds to support skills development, creative industries and sport. Announcing on Sunday 275 million pounds to support the training of thousands in roles such as engineering and defence roles, business minister Jonathan Reynolds said the strategy would be "powered by investing in British people." "It will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour, and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow." Alex Veitch, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed Reynolds' pledge. "The extra cash investment for training in key sectors, such as defence and engineering, has the potential to be a real springboard for growth," Veitch said. The government has previously said it would radically change its approach to defence to address threats from Russia, nuclear risks and cyber-attacks. In February, Starmer pledged the largest sustained increase in British defence spending since the end of the Cold War, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's insistence that Europe take more responsibility for its own security. OTHER PLEDGES The government has also pledged a 380 million-pound boost for creative industries from film to video games, and more than 900 million pounds to stage major sporting events and upgrade grassroots facilities. But business groups say high energy costs remain a serious threat to UK industry and have urged ministers to act. A June report from manufacturing association Make UK warned that without government intervention, Britain's energy-intensive sectors could face long-term decline. It called for measures such as network cost reform, targeted relief schemes and more predictable energy pricing. Finance minister Rachel Reeves acknowledged those pressures in her June 12 spending review, which set out departmental budgets and outlined more than 10 billion pounds of investment in green infrastructure and industrial decarbonisation. She said the government would support energy-efficiency upgrades and back the development of low-carbon technologies and confirmed the creation of a British Industrial Strategy Council to oversee the delivery of the government's growth plans. ($1 = 0.7435 pounds) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/uk-issue-10-year-industrial-strategy-aimed-boosting-growth-2025-06-21/
