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Some of Iran’s Enriched Uranium Survived Attacks, Israeli Official Says

11 juillet 2025 à 10:17
The assessment came as experts are trying to determine how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program in the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli strikes.

© Reuters

A uranium processing site in Isfahan, which hosts Iran’s nuclear laboratory, seen in 2005.

Some of Iran’s Enriched Uranium Survived Attacks, Israeli Official Says

11 juillet 2025 à 10:17
The assessment came as experts are trying to determine how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program in the aftermath of U.S. and Israeli strikes.

© Reuters

A uranium processing site in Isfahan, which hosts Iran’s nuclear laboratory, seen in 2005.

What’s at Stake as Netanyahu and Trump Meet in Washington

7 juillet 2025 à 13:25
With the fighting in Iran over, President Trump is considering whether to pursue a new nuclear agreement with Tehran. He is also urging a new cease-fire deal to end the fighting in Gaza.

© Ohad Zwigenberg/Associated Press

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s Parliament last month. Mr. Netanyahu will meet with President Trump this week in Washington.

Khamenei Appears in Public for First Time Since Israel War Began

5 juillet 2025 à 18:36
The long absence of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, from public life had fueled speculation about his health and threats to his life.

© WANA News Agency, via Reuters

A photograph released by Iran’s state media on Saturday showing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran Looks to BRICS for Allies, Testing a New World Order

5 juillet 2025 à 05:01
The alliance of emerging economies hopes to offer a counterweight to the United States and other Western powers. But military strikes on Iran are testing its unity.

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

Valiasr Square in Tehran last month. Analysts expect Iran to use the BRICS summit as an opportunity to shore up more explicit support from the group.

Nuclear Inspectors Leave Iran After Cooperation Halted With U.N. Watchdog

4 juillet 2025 à 10:06
The withdrawal of international inspectors comes amid heightened concerns that Iran, battered by Israeli and U.S. strikes, may be driven to try to build a nuclear bomb.

© Joe Klamar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks to journalists shortly after an extraordinary I.A.E.A. board of governors meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna last month.

Nuclear Inspectors Leave Iran After Cooperation Halted With U.N. Watchdog

4 juillet 2025 à 10:06
The withdrawal of international inspectors comes amid heightened concerns that Iran, battered by Israeli and U.S. strikes, may be driven to try to build a nuclear bomb.

© Joe Klamar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks to journalists shortly after an extraordinary I.A.E.A. board of governors meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna last month.

Trump Says Call with Putin Yields No Progress on Ukraine Cease-Fire

3 juillet 2025 à 18:31
The apparent impasse came during a roughly hourlong conversation between the leaders on Thursday morning.

© Pool photo by Maxim Shemetov

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Moscow on Wednesday. He discussed Ukraine and Iran with President Trump by phone on Thursday, the Kremlin said.

Trump Says Call with Putin Yields No Progress on Ukraine Cease-Fire

3 juillet 2025 à 18:31
The apparent impasse came during a roughly hourlong conversation between the leaders on Thursday morning.

© Pool photo by Maxim Shemetov

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Moscow on Wednesday. He discussed Ukraine and Iran with President Trump by phone on Thursday, the Kremlin said.

Pentagon Again Shifts Assessment of Damage to Iran’s Nuclear Program

2 juillet 2025 à 18:51
The appraisal that Iran’s nuclear hopes had been set back 1 to 2 years by U.S. and Israeli bombings was the latest in a shifting series of pronouncements.

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

A billboard showing a variety of missiles in Tehran last year. The Pentagon’s chief spokesman said on Thursday that Iran’s nuclear program had likely been degraded by one to two years by U.S. and Israeli bombing.

Will Trump’s Strikes on Iran Really Stop Its Nuclear Program?

2 juillet 2025 à 12:19
Iran just ended its cooperation with international inspectors, suggesting no post-bombing deal is imminent. That may point to a long game of hide-and-seek, punctuated by military action.

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

Pedestrians passing by an anti-American mural in Tehran in April. With Iran’s leaders downplaying the damage done by the U.S. strikes, experts see little hope of an accord that would satisfy both sides.

Iran Suspends Cooperation With U.N. Nuclear Watchdog

2 juillet 2025 à 11:22
The decision means that international inspectors will not be able to oversee sites. Experts have warned that Tehran could revive plans to build a bomb.

© Joe Klamar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Iranian officials criticized Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for saying that there was no evidence of a systematic effort to build nuclear bombs only after Israel began its military attacks.

‘The Bomb Lady’ and the Forerunner of the ‘Bunker Buster’ Used in Iran

30 juin 2025 à 19:51
While a child in wartime Vietnam, Anh Duong vowed to one day help the soldiers who saved her. She and her Navy team helped revolutionize American munitions.

© Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Anh Duong led a team of U.S. military scientists that created an explosive in the same family as the bunker buster used in Iran.
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • CIA says US strikes dealt years-long blow to Iran’s nuclear program, AP reports
    CIA Director John Ratcliffe told U.S. lawmakers that recent American military strikes dealt a major blow to Iran’s nuclear program by destroying the country’s only metal conversion facility, a U.S. official told Associated Press on June 29. Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the intelligence, the official explained that Ratcliffe outlined the significance of the strike during a classified briefing last week, calling it a major setback that would take Tehran years to rec
     

CIA says US strikes dealt years-long blow to Iran’s nuclear program, AP reports

29 juin 2025 à 22:17
CIA says US strikes dealt years-long blow to Iran’s nuclear program, AP reports

CIA Director John Ratcliffe told U.S. lawmakers that recent American military strikes dealt a major blow to Iran’s nuclear program by destroying the country’s only metal conversion facility, a U.S. official told Associated Press on June 29.

Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the intelligence, the official explained that Ratcliffe outlined the significance of the strike during a classified briefing last week, calling it a major setback that would take Tehran years to recover from.

Ratcliffe also told lawmakers that most of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium likely remains buried under rubble at the Isfahan and Fordo nuclear sites, two of the three key facilities targeted by U.S. strikes.

While the uranium may still be intact, the official emphasized that the destruction of the metal conversion facility has left Iran without a crucial component needed to build a nuclear weapon. "You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during the NATO summit. "We can’t even find where it is, where it used to be on the map. You can’t even find where it used to be because the whole thing is just blackened out. It’s gone. It’s wiped out."

President Donald Trump has continued to defend the operation, which came just before a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect last Tuesday.

"It was obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before," Trump said in an interview with Fox News. "And that meant the end to their nuclear ambitions, at least for a period of time." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that assessment, stating the sites were “destroyed.”

A preliminary report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, however, concluded the strikes inflicted significant damage but did not completely demolish the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on CBS’ "Face the Nation" that three major Iranian nuclear sites with “capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.”

However, he cautioned against overstating the damage. “Some is still standing,” Grossi said, adding, “If they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.” He emphasized that inspectors must be allowed in to fully assess the extent of the destruction. “Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,” he said.

The destroyed metal conversion facility, located at the Isfahan nuclear site, had played a central role in Iran’s nuclear weapons development. The facility’s function—to convert enriched uranium gas into dense metal—is a critical step in producing the explosive core of a nuclear bomb. Ratcliffe emphasized this point during the classified hearing, describing the facility’s elimination as a strategic win that effectively undercuts Iran’s ability to weaponize its uranium.

Ratcliffe also told lawmakers that the 12-day U.S. assault severely weakened Iran’s air defense systems. According to the U.S. official, the CIA director explained that Iran now lacks the capability to defend against future Israeli airstrikes, making any attempts to rebuild its nuclear program highly vulnerable.

‘It’s time to move your bill’ — Senator says Congress will soon vote on new Russian sanctions after talks with Trump
“For the first time yesterday the president told me... he says, ‘it’s time to move your bill’,” Graham said in an interview with ABC News, stressing that it would be Trump’s purview as to whether the bill would ultimately be signed into law.
CIA says US strikes dealt years-long blow to Iran’s nuclear program, AP reportsThe Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat
CIA says US strikes dealt years-long blow to Iran’s nuclear program, AP reports

U.N. Inspector Says Iran Could Enrich Nuclear Fuel in ‘Matter of Months’

29 juin 2025 à 16:33
The assessment widens the divide with President Trump, who has claimed that Tehran has given up its nuclear ambitions after a U.S. attack.

© Evgeniy Maloletka/Associated Press

An analysis by Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on the U.S. attack in Iran is consistent with reports that the strike set back the Iranian nuclear program by only a few months.

Trump Warns U.S. Will Strike Again if Iran Resumes High-Level Uranium Enrichment

27 juin 2025 à 16:59
The president said such an outcome was unlikely, describing Iran as exhausted from the damage it had suffered and eager to speak with the United States.

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

People gathering in support of Iran’s Armed Forces in Tehran on Tuesday. President Trump fielded questions on Iran in the White House briefing room at a news conference on Friday.
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • 'Without question' — Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again, halts plans to ease sanctions
    The United States would consider bombing Iran again if the country's nuclear program once again became of concern, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters during a press briefing on June 27.When asked whether Trump would consider bombing Iran if the country were able to enrich uranium to a concerning level, Trump responded: "Sure. Without question, absolutely."On June 21, the United States conducted strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, dropping over a doz
     

'Without question' — Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again, halts plans to ease sanctions

27 juin 2025 à 16:55
'Without question' — Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again, halts plans to ease sanctions

The United States would consider bombing Iran again if the country's nuclear program once again became of concern, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters during a press briefing on June 27.

When asked whether Trump would consider bombing Iran if the country were able to enrich uranium to a concerning level, Trump responded: "Sure. Without question, absolutely."

On June 21, the United States conducted strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, dropping over a dozen bunker buster bombs on the sites and causing significant damage to the country's nuclear program.

"Turned out to be unbelievable," Trump said of the strikes on June 27, despite mixed reports on the success of the strikes.

A leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, reported by CNN, found that the strikes did not destroy the core of Tehran's nuclear program. Instead, the intelligence suggests the attacks likely delayed Iran's progress by "a few months."

Despite the leak, Trump administration officials have rebuffed reports that the strikes did not fully fulfill its object, amid reports of Iran having possibly moved its enriched uranium away from the sites.

"The objective was to eliminate enrichment in Iran… and he achieved that objective," U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on June 24, adding that he personally reviewed damage assessments and saw "no doubt" that key nuclear infrastructure was destroyed.

Trump's comments on future attacks comes as Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplayed the success of the strikes, claiming victory over Israel and the United States.

"I SAVED (Khamenei) FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH," Trump wrote on Truth social on June 27, adding that he has halted plans to potentially ease sanctions on Iran. "The sanction are BITING," Trump wrote.

"Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them," he added.

On June 24, Trump announced that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had come into effect, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and a retaliatory Iranian attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia
Key developments on June 27: * Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian drones reportedly strike 4 fighter jets in Russia * North Korea deployed 20% of Kim’s elite ‘personal reserve’ to fight against Ukraine in Russia, Umerov says * Pro-Palestinian activists reportedly destroy military equipment intended for Ukraine * Zelensky signs decree to synchronize Russia sanctions
'Without question' — Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again, halts plans to ease sanctionsThe Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk
'Without question' — Trump says US would consider bombing Iran again, halts plans to ease sanctions




Fate of Iran’s Enriched Uranium Is a Mystery

26 juin 2025 à 19:42
U.S. intelligence agencies had long assessed that, faced with the possibility of an attack on its nuclear facilities, Iran would try to move its stockpile.

© Hasan Sarbakhshian/Associated Press

Some of the uranium was believed to be held at the Natanz enrichment facility, seen here in 2007.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Says Nuclear Facilities ‘Seriously Damaged’

26 juin 2025 à 20:55
The assessment came hours after the country’s supreme leader had downplayed the damage the U.S. strikes had caused.

© Martial Trezzini/Keystone, via Associated Press

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, speaking to the media after an Iran-European Union nuclear meeting in Geneva last week.

Centrifuges at Iran’s Fordo ‘No Longer Operational’ After U.S. Strikes, Nuclear Watchdog Says

26 juin 2025 à 18:50
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency said that there was “no escaping significant physical damage” after a U.S. strike on the Iranian facility.

© Maxar Technologies, via Associated Press

A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies on Tuesday shows damage at Fordo enrichment facility in Iran after U.S. military strikes on the site.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei Makes First Public Comments in Almost a Week

26 juin 2025 à 12:15
In a video, the Iranian supreme leader downplays damage to the country’s nuclear program, after not being seen publicly for nearly a week.

© IRIB News, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A screen grab of a video of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, that was broadcast on Iranian state media on Thursday.

Where Is Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?

25 juin 2025 à 21:09
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not been seen publicly or heard from in nearly a week. That absence has surprised and unnerved everyone from political insiders to the general public.

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

Officials have said Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been sheltering at a bunker and refraining from electronic communication to prevent assassination attempts against him.

Rubio Fleshes Out Trump’s Case That Iran Nuclear Capacity Was Eliminated

25 juin 2025 à 15:43
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S. strikes had destroyed a facility that is key to turning highly enriched nuclear fuel into a working bomb. He railed against a less optimistic U.S. intelligence report.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Iranian nuclear program was set back years.

Iran’s Attack on a U.S. Base in Qatar Is a Nightmare Come True for Gulf States

25 juin 2025 à 09:46
The countries have long worried about being sucked into regional war as they juggle relations with Washington, their security guarantor, while seeking to improve ties with Tehran.

© Karim Jaafar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Iran fired missiles at an American military base in Doha, Qatar, on Monday, in response to U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.

U.K. Says It’s Buying 12 Jets That Can Carry Nuclear Weapons

25 juin 2025 à 08:46
The decision means that Britain’s air force will have a nuclear role for the first time since the end of the Cold War.

© Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

A United States Air Force F-35A stealth aircraft landing at a British Air Force station in Lakenheath, England, in April

'Treasonous' — Trump, Witkoff slam intel leak undermining US strikes on Iran, insist nuclear targets 'obliterated'

25 juin 2025 à 02:01
'Treasonous' — Trump, Witkoff slam intel leak undermining US strikes on Iran, insist nuclear targets 'obliterated'

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff condemned on June 24 the leak of an intelligence assessment that undercuts U.S. President Donald Trump's claims of having "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program.

His remarks follow a leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, reported by CNN, which found that strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, did not destroy the core of Tehran's nuclear program. Instead, the intelligence suggests the attacks likely delayed Iran's progress by "a few months."

"It goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever side it comes out on, is outrageous. It's treasonous," Witkoff said during an appearance on Fox News. "It ought to be investigated, and whoever is responsible should be held accountable."

Witkoff, who served as Assistant to the U.S. president and led peace mission efforts during the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, defended Trump's portrayal of the U.S.-led strikes as a decisive success.

"The objective was to eliminate enrichment in Iran… and he achieved that objective," Witkoff said, adding that he personally reviewed damage assessments and saw "no doubt" that key nuclear infrastructure was destroyed.

The report leaked in media contradicts public statements from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had described the operation as delivering "total obliteration." Trump, for his part, stood by the claim on June 24. "Those targets were obliterated," he said. "That place is demolished."

According to the DIA assessment, though the strikes damaged above-ground infrastructure, most of the centrifuges and the enriched uranium stockpile reportedly remain intact. The assessment also noted that underground sections of the sites, where Iran's most sensitive work is done, were largely unaffected. Two officials told CNN that Iran likely retains operational nuclear facilities that were not targeted.

Witkoff dismissed the report as "preposterous," insisting that the Isfahan conversion facility, critical to Iran's ability to weaponize enriched uranium, was "completely destroyed" by a 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb.

"Without conversion, you can't begin or end enrichment," he said. "They cannot weaponize, even if they've enriched to 90%."

Witkoff also claimed successful targeting of Fordow and Natanz, saying the U.S. dropped more than a dozen bunker busters on the sites that made the facilities inoperable.

The White House acknowledged the assessment’s existence but strongly dismissed it. "This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

"The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration."

Trump, for his part, stood by his assessment of the mission's success. "I think it’s been completely demolished," he said on June 24. "Those pilots hit their targets. Those targets were obliterated, and the pilots should be given credit.” Asked if Iran could rebuild, Trump responded: "That place is under rock. That place is demolished."

While both Trump and Hegseth praised the strikes as decisive, others expressed caution. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said it was "way too early" to determine whether Iran retained nuclear capabilities.

Trump says Putin called him to offer help with Iran
“He (Vladimir Putin) said, can I help you with Iran? I said, ‘no, I don’t need help with Iran. I need help with you,’” Donald Trump said.
'Treasonous' — Trump, Witkoff slam intel leak undermining US strikes on Iran, insist nuclear targets 'obliterated'The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova
'Treasonous' — Trump, Witkoff slam intel leak undermining US strikes on Iran, insist nuclear targets 'obliterated'

The Bombing of Iran May Teach an Unwelcome Lesson on Nuclear Weapons

25 juin 2025 à 00:12
Will America’s pre-emptive strike discourage other countries from pursuing a weapon — or just the opposite?

© Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times

A poster depicting Iranian scientists creating the country’s first hypersonic ballistic missile, on a street in Tehran last year.
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Ukraine calls for an end to Iran’s nuclear program in wake of US strikes
    Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said on June 22 that Iran’s nuclear program must be dismantled to prevent it from threatening the Middle East or the wider world, following U.S. air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.“The Iranian regime’s aggressive actions and long-standing destructive policy aimed at undermining global peace and security – particularly its hostility toward Israel and others – have led to the current situation,” the ministry said in an official statement.These comments come after
     

Ukraine calls for an end to Iran’s nuclear program in wake of US strikes

22 juin 2025 à 12:42
Ukraine calls for an end to Iran’s nuclear program in wake of US strikes

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said on June 22 that Iran’s nuclear program must be dismantled to prevent it from threatening the Middle East or the wider world, following U.S. air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“The Iranian regime’s aggressive actions and long-standing destructive policy aimed at undermining global peace and security – particularly its hostility toward Israel and others – have led to the current situation,” the ministry said in an official statement.

These comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 21 that the U.S. air strikes targeted three nuclear sites in Iran, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, joining Israel's campaign against Iran's nuclear program amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The ministry added that Iran continues to destabilize the region through its support of proxy groups and is complicit in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“Iran is complicit in the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The Iranian regime is providing military assistance to Russia, including the supply of UAVs and technologies that Russia consistently uses to kill people and destroy critical infrastructure,” the statement read.

The ministry noted that although the U.S. and other nations have made peaceful diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, these efforts have ultimately failed to produce meaningful results.

“As early as this spring, the United States warned Iran of the consequences in the absence of constructive steps.”

Ukraine also asserted its unique moral position on nuclear issues, having given up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in the 1990s, and argued that the elimination of Iran’s nuclear ambitions would enhance global safety.

Meanwhile, Moscow has diplomatically backed Iran after Israel launched the initial air strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets on June 13, an operation that sparked further waves of aerial attacks from both sides.

In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged a response from the U.N. Security Council, saying that "the confrontational actions of the U.S. and Israel must be collectively rejected."

Iran’s top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sites
“We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said with reference to Russia.
Ukraine calls for an end to Iran’s nuclear program in wake of US strikesThe Kyiv IndependentNatalia Yermak
Ukraine calls for an end to Iran’s nuclear program in wake of US strikes
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Iran's top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sites
    Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that he plans to travel to Russia on June 22 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.The statement was made during Araghchi's press conference in Istanbul on June 22, according to Associated Press."We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions," Araghchi said with reference to Russia.Araghchi also said that there is "no red l
     

Iran's top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sites

22 juin 2025 à 09:18
Iran's top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sites

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that he plans to travel to Russia on June 22 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The statement was made during Araghchi's press conference in Istanbul on June 22, according to Associated Press.

"We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions," Araghchi said with reference to Russia.

Araghchi also said that there is "no red line" that the U.S. has not crossed in its recent actions against Iran.

Earlier that day, Russia condemned the U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them a violation of international law and Iran's sovereignty, a statement in stark contrast to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged a response from the U.N. Security Council, saying that "the confrontational actions of the U.S. and Israel must be collectively rejected."

Tehran provides Moscow with ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed attack drones for its war against Ukraine as part of Russia and Iran's close strategic partnership.

Russia and Iran have cooperated to develop their own nuclear programs as both countries face Western sanctions. Russia supplied Iran with the Middle East's first nuclear power plant despite objections from the West.

Russia pulls its scientists out of Iranian nuclear plant, as Israeli strikes threaten decades of collaboration
Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have alarmed none more than Russia, the country that first brought nuclear power to Iran in defiance of Western objections. We’re “millimeters from catastrophe,” said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on June 18 in response to a bombing campaign that Israel launched against
Iran's top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sitesThe Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
Iran's top diplomat to meet Putin in Moscow after US air strikes on nuclear sites
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • US conducts air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
    The United States conducted air strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 21, calling the attacks a "spectacular success.""We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air airspace," Trump said.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. attacks and warned they will have "everlasting consequences," with Tehran requesting an emergency U.N. Se
     

US conducts air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites

21 juin 2025 à 20:21
US conducts air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites

The United States conducted air strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 21, calling the attacks a "spectacular success."

"We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air airspace," Trump said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. attacks and warned they will have "everlasting consequences," with Tehran requesting an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.

Israel and Iran have exchanged strikes in recent days as Israel voices concern over Tehran's continued development of nuclear weapons.

The White House has backed Israel, remaining cautious in escalating its role in the conflict. The strikes mark U.S. military involvement in the conflict.

"A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors," Trump said.

The U.S. president shared a separate post with a screenshot that said, "Fordow is gone."

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had detected no increase in radiation at the targeted sites, while the Iranian state media and officials sought to downplay the damage.

"Iran must now agree to end this war," Trump then said in another post on social media.

Trump later held a live address where he reiterated calls for Iran to join negotiations as the U.S. and Israel demand that Iran abandon its nuclear program.

"This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left," Trump said.

Trump has called for Tehran to negotiate an end to the conflict as Israel and Iran exchange strikes.

The U.S. president hopes that the strikes will push Iran to the negotiating table, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, adding that the U.S. is not planning additional military actions in Iran.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has condemned Trump's decision to conduct air strikes without congressional approval.

"President Trump must provide the American people and Congress clear answers on the actions taken tonight and their implications for the safety of Americans," Schumer said.

Israel asked the U.S. to join military operations targeting Iran’s nuclear program, including a strike on the fortified Fordow uranium enrichment site, Axios reported on June 14, citing two Israeli officials.

Trump suggested in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would consider joining the operation if needed, an Israeli official told Axios.

A White House official denied that claim on June 13. Another U.S. official confirmed that Israel had urged the U.S. to take part, but said Washington is not currently considering involvement.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News on June 13 that "the entire operation… really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordow."

Russia and Iran have cooperated to develop their own nuclear programs as both countries face Western sanctions.

Russia supplied Iran with the Middle East's first nuclear power plant despite objections from the West.

Iran has assisted Russia in its war against Ukraine, providing drones and missiles. Tehran has helped Moscow develop weapons of its own. Russia's Geran drone is modelled after the Iranian Shahed drone.

Russia pulls its scientists out of Iranian nuclear plant, as Israeli strikes threaten decades of collaboration
Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have alarmed none more than Russia, the country that first brought nuclear power to Iran in defiance of Western objections. We’re “millimeters from catastrophe,” said Kremlin spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on June 18 in response to a bombing campaign that Israel launched against
US conducts air strikes on Iranian nuclear sitesThe Kyiv IndependentKollen Post
US conducts air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
  • ✇The Kyiv Independent
  • Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe
    Satellite images reveal that Russia has expanded and modernized at least five nuclear-related facilities near European borders in recent years, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported on June 16, citing new imagery obtained from Planet Labs. One of the most notable developments is in Kaliningrad, where the suspected nuclear weapons storage site has undergone significant reconstruction. Images taken in May 2025 show the addition of triple-layered fencing, new buildings, and advanced communications equip
     

Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe

16 juin 2025 à 04:45
Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe

Satellite images reveal that Russia has expanded and modernized at least five nuclear-related facilities near European borders in recent years, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported on June 16, citing new imagery obtained from Planet Labs.

One of the most notable developments is in Kaliningrad, where the suspected nuclear weapons storage site has undergone significant reconstruction.

Images taken in May 2025 show the addition of triple-layered fencing, new buildings, and advanced communications equipment. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski previously said that up to 100 tactical nuclear warheads might be stored at the site.

Kaliningrad, a militarized Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania, is a key concern for NATO because of its advanced missile systems and expanding nuclear infrastructure.

Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe
A map of the Baltic Sea Region. (Lisa Kukharska / The Kyiv Independent)

The Osipovichi base in Belarus, a former Soviet nuclear storage facility, is also being renovated. Satellite imagery shows new air defense installations and a modernized loading platform for rail-based logistics.

In Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago long linked to Soviet-era nuclear testing, several new buildings have appeared, reinforcing its role as a potential site for future test activities.

On the Kola Peninsula, near the borders with Finland and Norway, Russia has built about 50 storage bunkers for submarine-launched ballistic missiles and constructed a specialized pier for loading those missiles onto submarines, according to the imagery.

Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson responded to the findings, saying Stockholm is "closely monitoring" Russian nuclear capabilities. Sweden officially joined NATO in March 2024 after years of non-alignment, citing escalating Russian threats as a primary reason.

The Kremlin has repeatedly used nuclear threats to pressure Ukraine and Western countries since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

‘Russians lie about everything’ — Ukraine hits out at Kremlin claims after yet another drone strike on Kyiv
“This is a deliberate tactic of terror,” Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, said.
Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near EuropeThe Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Satellite images show expansion at 5 Russian nuclear sites near Europe
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