By MG News

June 20, 2025 (MLN): Israel and Iran’s air war entered a second week on Friday, and European officials sought to draw Tehran back to the negotiating table after President Donald Trump said any decision on potential US involvement would be made within two weeks.

Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying it aimed to prevent its longtime enemy from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.

Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, said the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

Those killed include the military’s top echelon and nuclear scientists, as per Arab News.

Israel has said at least two dozen Israeli civilians have died in Iranian missile attacks. Reuters could not independently verify the death toll from either side.

Thousands of people joined a protest against Israel in the Iranian capital on Friday after weekly prayers, chanting slogans in support of their leaders, images on state television showed.

“This is the Friday of the Iranian nation’s solidarity and resistance across the country,” the news anchor said.

Footage showed protesters holding up photographs of commanders killed since the start of the war with Israel, while others waved the flags of Iran and the Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected any negotiations with the United States while Israel continues its attacks on Iran, in an interview with state TV broadcast on Friday.

“The Americans have repeatedly sent messages calling seriously for negotiations.

“But we have made clear that as long as the aggression does not stop, there will be no place for diplomacy and dialogue,” said the chief diplomat, who was due in Geneva for talks with his European counterparts.

The head of Russia’s nuclear energy corporation, Alexei Likhachev, said on Friday that Russian specialists were still working at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran and that the situation there was normal and under control.

Likhachev said he hoped Russia’s warnings to Israel not to attack the site had been received by the Israeli leadership.

Russia, which has close ties with Iran, has warned strongly against US military intervention on the side of Israel.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon’s Hezbollah to exercise caution on Friday, saying Israel’s patience with “terrorists” who threaten it had worn thin.

Katz also instructed the military to intensify attacks on “symbols of the regime” in Tehran, aiming to destabilize it.

“We must strike at all the symbols of the regime and the mechanisms of oppression of the population, such as the Basij (militia), and the regime’s power base, such as the Revolutionary Guard.”

The head of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, said on Thursday that the Lebanese group would act as it saw fit in the face of what he called “brutal Israeli-American aggression” against Iran.

Foreign ministers from Britain, France, and Germany, together with the EU’s top diplomat, will hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday, officials and diplomats said.

The meeting comes as European countries call for de-escalation in the face of Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, and as US President Donald Trump weighs up whether or not to join the strikes against Tehran.

“We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.

European diplomats separately confirmed the planned talks, set to involve French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Thursday after meeting high-level US officials that there is still time to reach a diplomatic solution with Tehran.

Lammy met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House, before talks on Friday in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi alongside his French, German, and EU counterparts.

“The situation in the Middle East remains perilous,” Lammy said in a statement released by the UK embassy in Washington.

“We discussed how Iran must make a deal to avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,” Lammy said.

Israel has targeted nuclear sites and missile capabilities, but also has sought to shatter the government of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Western and regional officials.

“Are we targeting the downfall of the regime? That may be a result, but it’s up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

Iran has said it is targeting military and defense-related sites in Israel, but it has also hit a hospital and other civilian sites.

Israel accused Iran on Thursday of deliberately targeting civilians through the use of cluster munitions, which disperse small bombs over a wide area.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

With neither country backing down, the foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany, along with the European Union foreign policy chief, were due to meet in Geneva with Iran’s foreign minister to try to de-escalate the conflict on Friday.

“Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one,” said British Foreign Minister David Lammy ahead of their joint meeting with Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s foreign minister.

The French, German and British foreign ministers and the European Union’s foreign policy chief are to meet with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Switzerland.

The French government says the meeting is expected to be held in Geneva on Friday afternoon.

This comes amid the conflict between Israel and Iran. Israel has been striking nuclear-related facilities and other targets in Iran. US President Donald Trump has indicated he will decide within two weeks whether to take military action against Iran.

The European side has expressed concerns about Iran’s nuclear development, saying the program significantly exceeds the level of peaceful use. It calls on Iran to seek a diplomatic solution. At the meeting, the European officials will urge Iran to return to the negotiating table.

EU officials say the meeting will take place in coordination with the US.

Israel and Iran exchanged strikes a week into their war Friday, while new diplomatic efforts appeared to be underway as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi headed to Geneva for meetings with the European Union’s top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

Israel’s military says it carried out airstrikes Friday targeting the areas around Kermanshah and Tabriz in western Iran. The military says 25 fighter jets struck “missile storage and launch infrastructure components” Friday morning.

A week of Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said Friday.

Here’s the latest:

Britain working to provide charter flights to evacuate nationals

The British government says it is working with Israeli authorities to provide charter flights to evacuate U.K. nationals.

The U.K. says the flights will leave from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv once airspace reopens. The number of flights will depend on demand.

Israel has closed the airport “until further notice” amid its week-old war with Iran, stranding tens of thousands of Israelis abroad, and moved the jets of the country’s three airlines to Cyprus.

Britain has evacuated family members of embassy staff from Israel but has not advised U.K. nationals in Israel and the Palestinian territories to leave the country.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that for those who want to leave, land routes out of Israel remain open and British staff will provide support, including transport to nearby airports for onward commercial flights.

Hezbollah supports demonstrate in support of Iran

Hundreds of supporters of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs after Friday afternoon prayers to demonstrate in support of Tehran in the ongoing Israel-Iran war.

Demonstrators carried the Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags as well as that of Hezbollah, and chanted “death to America” and “death to Israel.” Some also chanted pledges of allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is revered as religious authority by many Shiite Muslims.

Hezbollah suffered severe losses in a war with Israel that ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November and has so far remained on the sidelines the Iran-Israel war.

Macron says diplomats will offer to negotiate with Iran

French President Emmanuel Macron said European top diplomats will make a “comprehensive, diplomatic and technical offer of negotiation” to Iran in Geneva on Friday as a key response to the “threat” represented by Iran’s nuclear program.

“No one can seriously believe that this threat can be met with (Israel’s) current operations alone. Why? Because there are some plants that are highly protected and because today, no one knows exactly where’s the uranium enriched to 60%. So we need to regain control on (Iran’s nuclear) program through technical expertise and negotiation,” Macron said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot will coordinate with U.K. and German counterparts in Geneva before they meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“It’s absolutely essential to prioritize a return to substantial negotiations, including nuclear negotiations to move towards zero (uranium) enrichment, ballistic negotiations to limit Iran’s activities and capabilities and the financing of all terrorist groups and destabilization of the region that Iran has been carrying out for several years,” Macron insisted.

Macron also reiterated his call for Israel’s strikes on energy and civilian infrastructures and on civilian populations in Iran to be stopped. “There’s no justification for that,” he said.

Thousands demonstration in Iraq to show support for Iran

Thousands of supporters of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets on Friday in Sadr City, on the outskirts of Baghdad, in response to a call by al-Sadr to show support for Iran in its conflict with Israel.

The demonstration began after Friday prayers with protesters wearing white burial shrouds in a symbolic gesture of readiness to sacrifice. Some burned Israeli and U.S. flags.

The protest comes during escalating regional tensions. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have so far largely stayed out of the fray in the Israel-Iran war but have threatened to attack U.S. forces and interests in Iraq and the region if Washington launches direct attacks on Iran.

Italy organizes transport

Italy is organizing special ground convoys and flights to help Italians leave Iran and Israel. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani convened Middle East ambassadors in Rome on Friday to discuss the safety and needs of Italian embassy personnel and other Italians in the region. The foreign ministry said ground convoys were being organized to bring Italians out of Iran to neighboring countries. A special charter flight was scheduled for Sunday to depart from Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt to bring out any Italians from Israel, where the main airport remains closed until further notice.

Israeli airstrikes in western Iran

Israel’s military said it carried out airstrikes Friday targeting the areas around Kermanshah and Tabriz in western Iran.

The military said 25 fighter jets struck “missile storage and launch infrastructure components” Friday morning. There had been reports of anti-aircraft fire in the areas.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge the losses, though it has not discussed the damage done so far to its military in the weeklong war.

Moscow is ‘extremely concerned’

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Moscow is “extremely concerned” by the tensions in the Middle East. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the annual event designed to showcase Russia’s economic prowess and court investors, Peskov said the Middle East “right now is plunging into the abyss of instability and war.”

“And the war that we are witnessing is fraught with geographic expansion, the involvement of many participants and unpredictable consequences,” Peskov said. “We are not on the other side of the ocean, this region is directly on our border. And in addition to the fact that this situation inevitably has a negative impact on the global economy, on energy markets and so on, it is, of course, potentially dangerous for us.”

Peskov added “there is always hope and always a possibility for diplomatic efforts,” and stressed Moscow has “condemned the escalation of violence in the region” and called for a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. He noted, however, that “for now, Israel’s desire is to continue the hostilities, at least that is how they officially declare their intentions.”

Quiet in Iran’s capital

Iran’s capital experienced an unusually quiet weekend on Friday, as many residents had left the capital following the Israeli airstrikes that began last week.

Streets were empty with little traffic. Shops stood closed. Those who remain in the city seem to largely be choosing to stay indoors as the war between Israel and Iran continues.

Foreign minister says Iran not seeking negotiations during strikes

Iran’s foreign minister says his country is not seeking negotiations with anyone as long as Israel continues its strikes on Iran.

“In the current situation, as the Zionist regime’s attacks continue, we are not seeking negotiations with anyone,” said Abbas Araghchi during an interview aired Friday by Iranian state television.

He added: “I believe that as a result of this resistance (by Iran), we will gradually see countries distancing themselves from the aggression carried out by the regime, and calls for ending this war have already begun, and they will only grow stronger.”

Spain says citizens evacuated safely

Spanish citizens who requested to be evacuated from Iran landed safely in Armenia, Spain’s Foreign Minister José Albares said Thursday night.

They would soon be flown to Spain, Albares said on X.

Israeli airstrikes reach into the city of Rasht

Israeli airstrikes reached into the Iranian city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported. Social media video posted online appeared to show explosions around the city. The semiofficial Fars news agency reported local air defense systems were firing into the night sky against the Israelis.

Ahead of the strikes, the Israeli military put out a warning urging the public to flee the area around Rasht’s Industrial City, which sits a few kilometers (miles) southwest of the city’s downtown.

The Israelis did not immediately describe what they sought to destroy in the area. However, with Iran’s internet being shut off to the outside world, it was unclear how many people in Iran would be able to see the message.

French foreign minister speaks to US secretary of state

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday evening.

A French diplomatic official said Barrot detailed the purposes of the Geneva meeting and Rubio “stressed the U.S. was ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any time.”

The official, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the issue, said they “jointly stressed the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program to Israel, the region and Europe.”

Tehran fires anti-aircraft weapons

Anti-aircraft batteries began firing Friday morning in Iran’s capital, Tehran. It wasn’t immediately clear what they were firing at.

Khamenei adviser in stable condition

A key security adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now in stable condition, a week after being seriously wounded in an Israeli airstrike, a media outlet close to him reported Friday.

Nour News quoted Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani as saying: “I am alive and ready to give my life away.”

Nuclear agency says Israel damages heavy water reactor

The International Atomic Energy Agency, in an update Friday, said an Israeli strike at the Arak heavy water reactor also damaged key buildings there, “including the distillation unit” there. That makes the heavy water at the site.

Aircraft transporting Iranian foreign minister to talks

An Iranian aircraft bearing a call sign associated with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is now airborne over Turkey. The Airbus A321 of Meraj Airlines took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed. It bore the call sign IRAN05, which Araghchi uses on his official travel.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge his departure, though it typically only does so hours later.

Araghchi is due for talks with European diplomats in Geneva on Friday, the first face-to-face negotiations he has conducted since the Israeli airstrikes began June 13.

German foreign minister says Iran can avoid escalation

Germany’s foreign minister says there is a chance of avoiding further escalation in the conflict if Tehran shows “serious and transparent readiness” to refrain from developing nuclear weapons.

“It is our commitment once again to undertake a very intensive attempt to dissuade Iran permanently from pursuing such plans,” Johann Wadephul said in a podcast released by broadcaster MDR Friday. “If there is serious and transparent readiness by Iran to refrain from this, then there is a real chance of preventing a further escalation of this conflict, and for that every conversation makes sense.”

Wadephul plans to meet Iran’s foreign minister in Geneva Friday along with his French, British and EU counterparts.

Wadephul said U.S. officials support the plan to hold talks, “so I think Iran should now know that it should conduct these talks with a new seriousness and reliability.”

Israel says missile systems and radar destroyed

The Israeli military said it has destroyed missile systems and radar installations around Isfahan. That corresponds to the sound of anti-aircraft fire heard in the area of Isfahan into Friday morning. Iran has not offered any acknowledgment so far of its military losses in the war.

Czech Republic, Slovakia and Australia close their Tehran embassies

The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Australia say they have closed their embassies in Tehran.

The Slovak Foreign Ministry said any remaining diplomats and staffers of the embassy are leaving Iran on Friday.

Australia’s Foreign Ministry said it was evacuating staff and their families due to the “deteriorating security environment.” It also urged Australian citizens still in Iran to leave quickly.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and they agreed to work “closely” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and to pursue peace.

“There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,” Wong said from Adelaide on Friday.

Russia dismisses US nuclear claims

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed claims the U.S. might use nuclear weapons in Iran as “speculation” in comments to state news agency Tass on Friday morning.

“There is a lot of speculation now,” Tass quoted Peskov as saying. “Such a turn of events would be catastrophic, but there is so much speculation that it is impossible to really comment on it.”

Britain’s foreign secretary says situation in Middle East ‘remains perilous’

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the “situation in the Middle East remains perilous,” after meeting Thursday at the White House with his U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff.

“We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,” Lammy wrote in a post on X.

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Israel-Iran conflict live updates: Iran has launched a fresh wave of attacks against Israel, with missiles targeting the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was struck yesterday. The air strikes reportedly hit a tech park in the city and fires were reported near a Microsoft office read more

A missile is intercepted over Tel Aviv on June 20, 2025, after a Iran fired a fresh salvo of missiles. AFP

With neither country backing down, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, along with the European Union foreign policy chief, were due to meet in Geneva with Iran’s foreign minister to try to de-escalate the conflict on Friday. “Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one,” said British Foreign Minister David Lammy ahead of their joint meeting with Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s foreign minister. For earlier Israel-Iran conflict updates, you may follow this live coverage page

His comments come amid talk from both Iran, Israel and the US about whether or not Hezbollah will be activated to support Iran with attacks against Israel.

“I am 200 per cent sure Lebanon will not enter a war,” Berri told the network, “because it has no interest in doing so and would pay a heavy price.” “Iran does not need us,” he added. “It is Israel that needs support.”

Lebanon’s Nabih Berri, the influential Parliament speaker, highest-ranking Shia politician in the country and close ally of Hezbollah, told MTV News last night that he is ‘200% sure’ Lebanon will not enter the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

The upcoming meeting in Geneva is aimed at getting Iran to the negotiating table and solving its conflict with Israel with diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear programme.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has spoken to US State Secretary Marco Rubio ahead of his meeting with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva. The meeting will also be attended by the UK and German foreign ministers.

Israel has struck several nuclear facilities in Iran. The heavy water reactor, as originally designed,d would have been able to easily produce plutonium that could eventually have been used in a nuclear weapon, though Iran denies seeking such weapons.

“As mentioned in yesterday’s update, while damage to the Khondab Heavy Water Production Plant was initially not visible, the Agency later assessed that key buildings at the facility were damaged, including the distillation unit,” the body said in a statement.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Israeli missile attacks hit the Khondab Heavy Water Production Plant in Iran’s Arak.

“There is no room for negotiations with us until Israeli aggression stops,” he told State TV, according to Reuters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that the country’s leadership will not hold talks with the US as it is a “partner to Israeli crime against Iran”.

“President Trump’s two-week ‘thinking window’ on whether to join Israel’s war against Iran is no cooling-off period — it’s a ticking volatility clock.”

“Crude still calls the shots, and volatility’s the devil in the room — and every trader on the street knows we’re two headlines away from chaos,” said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.

Both main oil contracts were down around two per cent but uncertainty prevailed and traders remained nervous.

Oil prices have tumbled, and equity traders fought to end a volatile week on a positive note after Donald Trump said he would consider, over the next two weeks, whether to join Israel’s attacks on Iran.

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said, “The Iranians planned this morning a larger barrage at Beersheba. Before the launch, we identified preparations of three primed launchers… we destroyed them.”

The Israel Defense Forces have said that Iran had planned a larger missile attack on Beerasheba this morning, but the army foiled its attempt successfully.

Here’s what has happened so far on the eighth day of Israel-Iran conflict:

Araghchi “will intervene in person… at the beginning of the council’s afternoon meeting” at 1300 GMT, Pascal Sim told a press briefing. A UN spokeswoman added that Daniel Meron, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, would speak to reporters shortly beforehand.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will address the United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday, a spokesman for the UN’s top rights body said.

He added: “I believe that as a result of this resistance (by Iran), we will gradually see countries distancing themselves from the aggression carried out by the regime, and calls for ending this war have already begun, and they will only grow stronger.”

“In the current situation, as the Zionist regime’s attacks continue, we are not seeking negotiations with anyone,” said Abbas Araghchi during an interview aired Friday by Iranian state television.

Iran’s foreign minister says his country is not seeking negotiations with anyone as long as Israel continues its strikes on Iran.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), approximately 25 fighter jets were involved in the operation, which struck more than 35 sites reportedly used for storing and launching missiles.

The Israeli military says it carried out a series of airstrikes this morning targeting missile infrastructure in Iran’s Tabriz and Kermanshah regions.

In Israel, sirens sounded after missiles were launched from Iran, the army said, while police said they, emergency response teams and bomb disposal experts were operating “at the site of a projectile impact” in a southern city.

On the ground, Israel’s military said it struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a centre for the “research and development of Iran’s nuclear weapons project”.

Israel, saying Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, launched a massive wave of strikes a week ago, triggering an immediate retaliation.

European foreign ministers will hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday, as President Donald Trump mulls the prospect of US involvement in the Iran-Israel war.

Streets were empty with little traffic. Shops stood closed. Those who remain in the city seem to largely be choosing to stay indoors as the war between Israel and Iran continues.

Iran’s capital experienced an unusually quiet weekend on Friday, as many residents had left the capital following the Israeli airstrikes that began last week.

No footage has emerged, and the IDF has not yet provided any comment on the reported event.

It is unclear whether the incident occurred adjacent to a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center, although one is located nearby.

Media outlets in Gaza report that around 20 people were killed and dozens more injured by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) gunfire this morning while waiting for humanitarian aid in the Nitzanim Corridor area of central Gaza.

“As part of the Ministry of Transportation’s Operation ‘Safe Return’, a passenger ship bringing Israelis from the Port of Limassol in Cyprus docked today… at the Ashdod Port with over 1,500 Israelis on board,” the army said in a statement.

Israel’s army said that a first boat carrying Israelis stranded abroad due to the Iran-Israel war arrived Friday with 1,500 citizens aboard.

Maersk said in a statement that it made the decision “after carefully analysing threat risk reports regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran — particularly the potential risks of calling Israeli ports and their implications for the safety of our crews”.

Danish shipping giant Maersk announced Friday that it was temporarily suspending vessel calls in Israel’s Haifa port due to the country’s conflict with Iran.

Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, expressed hope that Pakistan would stand by Iran amid rising regional tensions.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge the losses, though it has not discussed the damage done so far to its military in the weeklong war.

The military said 25 fighter jets struck “missile storage and launch infrastructure components” Friday morning. There had been reports of anti-aircraft fire in the areas.

Israel’s military said it carried out airstrikes Friday targeting the areas around Kermanshah and Tabriz in western Iran.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will later Friday meet Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva “to make a complete diplomatic and technical offer for negotiations,” Macron told reporters, adding that France and allies Germany and the UK were “putting a diplomatic solution on the table”.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said France and other European powers would make an offer to Iran of a diplomatic solution to end the escalating conflict with Israel.

“It is essential to prioritise a return to substantive negotiations (with Iran) which include nuclear — to move to zero enrichment (by Iran of uranium) — ballistics, to limit Iranian capacities, and the financing of the all the terrorist groups that destabilise the region,” Macron told reporters on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called for the resumption of talks over Iran’s nuclear programme and urged Israel to halt strikes on the country’s “civilian infrastructure.”

“The spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage,” his office quoted him as saying in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The Iran-Israel air war could spark a surge in migration that would affect Europe and the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Friday.

Peskov added “there is always hope and always a possibility for diplomatic efforts,” and stressed Moscow has “condemned the escalation of violence in the region” and called for a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. He noted, however, that “for now, Israel’s desire is to continue the hostilities, at least that is how they officially declare their intentions.”

“And the war that we are witnessing is fraught with geographic expansion, the involvement of many participants and unpredictable consequences,” Peskov said. “We are not on the other side of the ocean, this region is directly on our border. And in addition to the fact that this situation inevitably has a negative impact on the global economy, on energy markets and so on, it is, of course, potentially dangerous for us.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Moscow is “extremely concerned” by the tensions in the Middle East. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the annual event designed to showcase Russia’s economic prowess and court investors, Peskov said the Middle East “right now is plunging into the abyss of instability and war.”

Erdogan said the solution to the nuclear disagreements with Iran was “through negotiations”. He said the violence had “raised the threat to regional security to the highest level” and Turkey was “making efforts to end the conflict”.

“The spiral of violence triggered by Israel’s attacks could harm the region and Europe in terms of migration and the possibility of nuclear leakage,” his office quoted him as saying in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Israel, saying Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, launched a massive wave of strikes a week ago, triggering an immediate retaliation.

The Iran-Israel air war could spark a surge in migration that could harm Europe and the region, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Friday.

Tehran Police announced the arrest of an alleged Mossad agent, accused of sending air defence site coordinates to a foreign handler via WhatsApp.

The statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated he will decide within the same two-week period whether the United States will support Israeli military operations against Iran. European leaders are aiming to prevent further escalation by pursuing diplomatic engagement during this period.

Earlier, Lammy emphasized the importance of diplomacy, stating that “a window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution.”

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has arrived in Geneva ahead of planned talks between European foreign ministers and their Iranian counterpart. The discussions are expected to focus on efforts to de-escalate the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

He emphasized that, under international humanitarian law, medical institutions are protected and must not be targeted in conflict.

Dr. Philip noted that Soroka is one of Israel’s largest medical facilities and a Level-1 trauma center serving more than one million residents in the region.

The World Medical Association (WMA) has expressed strong concern over a reported Iranian missile strike that hit Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, southern Israel.

He added that the Iranian government will open its airspace to accommodate the operation, with provisions made to assist Indian students as part of the effort.

Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission to India, Javad Hosseini, said that Iran is working with Indian authorities to facilitate the return of approximately 1,000 Indian nationals through three special flights, starting tonight.

In a statement earlier this week, Sadr condemned “the Zionist and American terrorism” and the “aggression against neighbouring Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen”, referring to Israel’s military operations in those countries.

In Iraq’s southern city of Basra, around 2,000 people demonstrated after the prayers, according to an AFP correspondent.

“No to Israel! No to America!” chanted demonstrators gathered after Friday prayers in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, Moqtada Sadr’s stronghold in the capital, holding umbrellas to shield themselves from Iraq’s scorching summer sun.

Thousands of supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr rallied Friday in Baghdad and other cities against Israel’s war with Iran, AFP correspondents said.

The interception followed the activation of warning sirens in several parts of the southern Golan Heights.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a drone launched toward Israeli territory was intercepted by air defense systems on Friday.

The foreign ministry said ground convoys were being organized to bring Italians out of Iran to neighboring countries. A special charter flight was scheduled for Sunday to depart from Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt to bring out any Italians from Israel, where the main airport remains closed until further notice.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani convened Middle East ambassadors in Rome on Friday to discuss the safety and needs of Italian embassy personnel and other Italians in the region.

Italy is organizing special ground convoys and flights to help Italians leave Iran and Israel.

The protest comes during escalating regional tensions. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have so far largely stayed out of the fray in the Israel-Iran war but have threatened to attack U.S. forces and interests in Iraq and the region if Washington launches direct attacks on Iran.

The demonstration began after Friday prayers with protesters wearing white burial shrouds in a symbolic gesture of readiness to sacrifice. Some burned Israeli and U.S. flags.

Thousands of supporters of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets on Friday in Sadr City, on the outskirts of Baghdad, in response to a call by al-Sadr to show support for Iran in its conflict with Israel.

The protest comes during escalating regional tensions. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have so far largely stayed out of the fray in the Israel-Iran war but have threatened to attack U.S. forces and interests in Iraq and the region if Washington launches direct attacks on Iran.

The demonstration began after Friday prayers with protesters wearing white burial shrouds in a symbolic gesture of readiness to sacrifice. Some burned Israeli and U.S. flags.

Thousands of supporters of the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr took to the streets on Friday in Sadr City, on the outskirts of Baghdad, in response to a call by al-Sadr to show support for Iran in its conflict with Israel.

Macron also reiterated his call for Israel’s strikes on energy and civilian infrastructures and on civilian populations in Iran to be stopped. “There’s no justification for that,” he said.

“It’s absolutely essential to prioritize a return to substantial negotiations, including nuclear negotiations to move towards zero (uranium) enrichment, ballistic negotiations to limit Iran’s activities and capabilities and the financing of all terrorist groups and destabilization of the region that Iran has been carrying out for several years,” Macron insisted.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot will coordinate with UK and German counterparts in Geneva before they meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“No one can seriously believe that this threat can be met with (Israel’s) current operations alone. Why? Because there are some plants that are highly protected and because today, no one knows exactly where’s the uranium enriched to 60%. So we need to regain control on (Iran’s nuclear) program through technical expertise and negotiation,” Macron said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said European top diplomats will make a “comprehensive, diplomatic and technical offer of negotiation” to Iran in Geneva on Friday as a key response to the “threat” represented by Iran’s nuclear program.

The lack of military engagement by Hezbollah, Iran’s long-time and most strategically placed regional ally is being seen as an anomaly in the recent conflict.

One player is missing from the recent tensions between Iran and Israel.

In what appears to be a pivot away from immediate escalation, US President Donald Trump has set a two-week deadline to decide whether the United States will join Israel’s military campaign against Iran or pursue a diplomatic resolution.

Israeli fighter jets struck the headquarters of Iran’s internal security forces and special units in the Tehran area in recent days, the Israel Defense Forces said on Friday. The operation was carried out with what the IDF described as precise intelligence from its military…

“We need to hear the E3’s initiative on the nuclear issue,” the official said, referring to Britain, France, and Germany.

The official also emphasized the increasing importance of European involvement, saying that Iran is currently not open to direct engagement with the United States.

The official noted that Tehran is not prepared to accept a “zero enrichment” demand, especially under ongoing military pressure from Israel.

Iran is open to discussing limits on its uranium enrichment program but will not agree to a complete halt, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, according to a report by Reuters.

“A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the army said in a statement.

The Israeli army said on Friday sirens had sounded across the country after missiles were fired from Iran.

A news anchor described “images in the sky over the occupied territories (Israel) of Iranian missiles arriving”, as the channel broadcast the footage with military music playing in the background.

Iran fired a fresh salvo of missiles at Israel on Friday, state television reported, on the eighth day of the war between the two foes.

Hezbollah suffered severe losses in a war with Israel that ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in November and has so far remained on the sidelines the Iran-Israel war.

Demonstrators carried the Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags as well as that of Hezbollah, and chanted “death to America” and “death to Israel.” Some also chanted pledges of allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is revered as religious authority by many Shiite Muslims.

Hundreds of supporters of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs after Friday afternoon prayers to demonstrate in support of Tehran in the ongoing Israel-Iran war.

“We expect the European foreign ministers to take a firm stance vis-a-vis Iran and demand that there is a complete rollback of the nuclear programme, the dismantling of ballistic missile arsenal and programme, and putting an end to Iran’s regional terrorist activities and active support for its terrorist proxies,” Daniel Meron told journalists outside the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

European foreign ministers must take a “firm stance” in talks Friday with their Iranian counterpart on Tehran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva said.

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Israel and Iran’s air war entered a second week on Friday and European officials sought to draw Tehran back to the negotiating table after President Donald Trump said any decision on potential US involvement would be made within two weeks.

Iran has launched a fresh wave of attacks against Israel, with missiles targeting the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was struck yesterday. The air strikes reportedly hit a tech park in the city and fires were reported near a Microsoft office.

Meanwhile, Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, said the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Those killed include the military’s top echelon and nuclear scientists. Israel has said at least two dozen Israeli civilians have died in Iranian missile attacks. Reuters could not independently verify the death toll from either side.

British, German and French foreign ministers will meet their Iranian counterpart Abbas Argachi in Geneva for nuclear talks, in a first diplomatic sit-down between Europe and Iran as Trump weighs US involvement.

Israel has targeted nuclear sites and missile capabilities, and sought to shatter the government of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Western and regional officials.

“Are we targeting the downfall of the regime? That may be a result, but it’s up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both condemned Israel and agreed that de-escalation is needed, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The role of the United States remained uncertain. Lammy also met Trump’s special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, on Thursday in Washington, and said they had discussed a possible deal.

With inputs from Reuters

GENEVA — Key European foreign ministers will hold talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday in a bid to find an off-ramp from the conflict between Israel and Iran before President Donald Trump decides whether the United States will bomb Iranian nuclear sites. European leaders have been thrown off balance by Trump, who denied U.S. involvement in Israel’s attack only to warn days later that he may join the Israeli military campaign, which has spiraled into a deadly tit-for-tat with mounting civilian casualties and a risk of inflaming the region.

Trump had promised to reach a deal with Iran over its nuclear program and lambasted the era of U.S. interventions in the Middle East, but he has since demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and on Thursday said he now would decide within two weeks whether to join the conflict.

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Friday’s meeting in Geneva — involving France, Britain, Germany and the European Union, which all had a central role in negotiating the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement along with Russia, China and the United States — could pave the way for a more prominent mediation role for European officials who have been sidelined under Trump.

America’s traditional European partners are deeply wary of getting drawn in to a widening conflict and have been working the phones in a bid to contain the rhetoric and carve out a diplomatic path.

European officials cast the latest diplomacy as an 11th-hour scramble to influence the crisis: to extract greater concessions from Iran, whose position they believe has now been weakened, and to find an off-ramp from Trump’s threats of a bombing campaign and suggestions of regime change.

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The Europeans acknowledge it is a tall order on both fronts. It is far from clear that Trump will heed — or is even listening to — their calls for restraint. And Iran, which says it will not negotiate until there is a ceasefire, may not be willing to accept any ultimatum, officials concede.

At about midday Friday, the Europeans — France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas — gathered at the German consulate in Geneva where they conferred around a table on an outdoor terrace. They planned to meet later Friday afternoon with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi,

But after Trump on Thursday seemed to create a two-week deadline for his own decision on striking Iran, his wavering gave the European bid for diplomacy a small opening, with White House officials watching the Geneva talks for a signals of Tehran’s openness to a deal.

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The talks were being coordinated with Washington, four officials familiar with the planning said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy.

“A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said late Thursday after a trip to Washington, where he met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

At his next stop — Geneva for the Iran meeting — Lammy “will be clear on the need for a diplomatic solution to resolve the nuclear issue for the long term,” his office said in a statement.

Araghchi, in a TV interview Thursday, took a tough line on Trump, saying that he would meet with the three European countries’ ministers but that Tehran would not negotiate “with America as a partner in this crime.”

“We have clearly said that there is no room for dialogue until the aggression stops,” Araghchi said. “If others request to talk with us, we have no problem.”

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The Europeans, who join Washington in saying that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon, are expected to try to persuade Tehran to give guarantees that its nuclear activities would be restricted to civilian purposes, the officials said. Iran previously pledged never to acquire nuclear weapons under the 2015 deal that Trump abrogated in 2018.

One official said the talks would broach the U.S. demand that any deal would have to result in zero enrichment of uranium by Iran. Tehran has rejected this, maintaining that under international treaties, it has the right to enrich nuclear fuel for civilian use.

The official said the meeting was as an effort to avert U.S. involvement that could escalate the conflict, and to gauge whether the Iranians’ stance may be shifting under the pressure of nightly Israeli attacks and heavy losses.

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A second official said the Europeans will seek to broker a “take it or leave it deal” with Iran, in exchange for “regime survival.”

Previous talks contemplated allowing Iran to continue a limited amount of uranium enrichment for civilian energy purposes, but the requirement now would be for “zero enrichment,” the official said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Thursday that France was ready “to resume negotiations on the condition that they can lead to a substantial and durable rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, of its ballistic missile program and its regional destabilization activities.” Barrot said Iranian authorities have expressed a clear “will to resume talks, including with the Americans on condition that a ceasefire can be reached.”

France, Germany, Britain and the European Union were central to negotiations that resulted in the landmark 2015 deal to contain Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief under the Obama administration. After Trump abandoned the deal and reimposed U.S. sanctions, Iran responded by gradually increasing the quality and quantity of its enriched-uranium production.

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The Trump administration mostly shut out the Europeans when he came into office again this year and instead kick-started unilateral negotiations with Iran, which included promises of peace until the Israeli strikes began last week.

French President Emmanuel Macron said at a Group of Seven meeting early this week that Trump had indicated he would seek discussions to stop the hostilities. Soon after leaving the G-7, Trump denied that he was working on a “ceasefire” and warned Iranians to “immediately evacuate Tehran” — the nation’s capital with 10 million residents — putting the world on edge.

Tehran has warned it would retaliate against a U.S. attack by hitting American bases in the region.

Kallas, the E.U. foreign policy chief, has warned that deeper U.S. involvement in the conflict would “definitely drag the region into a broader conflict, and this is in nobody’s interest.”

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Kallas told reporters this week that “the European Union can play and will play its part in reaching a diplomatic solution,” noting that the bloc was in contact with Iranian and Israeli counterparts. “I will spare no efforts in this respect.”

The European calls for de-escalation also do not appear to be moving Israel, which launched its strikes despite Trump’s stated opposition in what appeared to be an effort to derail the U.S. negotiations with Iran.

Though the Europeans all urge de-escalation and agree on restricting Iran’s nuclear program, they are not speaking with a single voice. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this week praised the Israeli attacks and described them as “the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us.” Macron, meanwhile, warned against “regime change because nobody can say what would come after that” and asked whether anyone had learned from the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.