Amid reports of strikes in southwest Iran: ‘Earthquakes in Qom and Tehran’
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Panic as earthquake hits Iran amid Israel war
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit northern Iran on Friday. The quake was felt in the city of Semnan. It hit at the same time as an attack on an Iranian air defense base. A group of Iranian soldiers were killed in the attack, the IDF said. The strikes may have been in preparation for a missile attack on the base, it said.
The quake, which Iran’s Tasnim news agency said measured 5.2, struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) some 37 kilometres (23 miles) southwest of the city of Semnan, the USGS said.
The earthquake struck Iran alarmingly close to the country’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The tremors from the quake were reportedly felt in the country’s capital, Tehran.
Semnan, the city listed as the epicenter of the earthquake, is located about 145 miles east of the capital of Iran. The shaking of the quake was considered light, with no damage felt.
It hit at the same time as an Israeli missile struck in the country’s southwest, according to local and nearby media outlets.
The strikes hit an Iranian air defense site called Magar in the Behmai province in the country’s southwest, ynetnews.com, an Israeli outlet, reported.
The strikes may have been the same strikes that took out three surface-to-surface missile launchers that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed were “prepared to fire a barrage of missiles toward Israel.”
A “cell” of Iranian commanders and soldiers was also eliminated, the IDF claimed in the tweet. “Additionally, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft identified a group of Iranian soldiers, including an IRGC base commander in western Iran responsible for 15 missile launchers, en route to carry out a launch. The cell was eliminated,” the IDF wrote.
AFP
Iran earthquake strikes near nuclear site amid rumours of Republican Guard ‘testing’
Iran earthquake strikes near nuclear site amid rumours of Republican Guard ‘testing’ 5.1-magnitude earthquake has struck Iran, with its epicenter located near the country’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility. The tremor occurred at a depth of 10km (approximately 6.2 miles) and was timed at around 9:19 p.m. local time. The shockwaves were also felt in Tehran, causing concern among residents. While the tremors were mild and no casualties have been reported, the event has raised eyebrows. An Iranian blogger’s public Telegram channel carried a message suggesting that the tremor could be the result of “testing” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake has struck Iran, with its epicenter located near the country’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, according to the US Geological Survey
(Image: USGS )
Iran was struck by a 5.1-magnitude earthquake dangerously near the country’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province, reports from the U.S. Geological Survey indicate.
The tremor occurred at a depth of 10km (approximately 6.2 miles) and was timed at around 9:19 p. m. local time.
The shockwaves were also felt in Tehran, causing concern among residents.
Semnan, pinpointed as the quake’s epicentre, is situated roughly 145 miles east of Tehran. While the tremors were mild and no casualties have been reported, the event has raised eyebrows.
An Iranian blogger’s public Telegram channel carried a message suggesting that the tremor could be the result of “testing” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), although this claim remains unverified, reports the Mirror US.
Protests outside Iran embassy in London descend into violence as seven arrested READ MORE:
Whilst Iranian outlets have not commented on these alleged tests, they did confirm the occurrence of the quake, with some citing a magnitude of 5.2 or even 5.5 on the Richter scale, slightly higher than the USGS figure.
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Despite the sensation of the quake in Tehran, Iranian media have so far not reported any damage. It is, however, crucial to remember that Iran sits across several tectonic fault lines.
To keep abreast of the latest updates in news, sport, and entertainment, remember you can follow Mirror US on Google News.
A strike coincided with an Israeli missile attack in the country’s southwest, as reported by various media sources.
The strikes targeted an Iranian air defense site known as Magar in the Behmai province in the southwest of the country, with ynetnews.com, an Israeli outlet, covering the incident.
Details on the attacks are still thin on the ground, but they may correspond with the same assaults that neutralised three surface-to-surface missile launchers which the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) alleged were ready to unleash a volley of missiles towards Israel.
The IDF claimed their forces “dismantled” the launchers, announcing it in a video-laden tweet on their official English X page.
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Moreover, the IDF asserted the eradication of a “cell” containing Iranian commanders and troops, in the same online post.
“Additionally, a Remotely Piloted Aircraft identified a group of Iranian soldiers, including an IRGC base commander in western Iran responsible for 15 missile launchers, en route to carry out a launch.
The cell was eliminated,” stated the IDF on Twitter.
Iran hit with 5.1-magnitude earthquake near nuclear site
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake has struck Iran close to the country’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility in Qom Province. The quake occurred at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) and was recorded at approximately 9:19 p.m. local time.
The quake occurred at a depth of 10km (6.2 miles) and was recorded at approximately 9:19 p. m.
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local time, with tremors felt as far away as Tehran, the nation’s capital.
Semnan, pinpointed as the epicentre, lies roughly 145 miles east of Tehran. The impact of the quake was deemed light, with no immediate reports of damage.
Speculation is rife on social media, with an Iranian blogger’s public Telegram board suggesting that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) might be “testing” something, although these claims remain unconfirmed, reports the Mirror US.
Near Tehran, an earthquake occurred amid continued Israeli strikes on Iran
Iran reported earthquakes of magnitude 5.22 in Tehran and Qom province, where the fortified Fordow nuclear facility is located. There were also reports of an attack on an Iranian air defense facility called “Maghar” in Behmai province in southwestern Iran.
Details
An earthquake of magnitude 5.22 occurred in Tehran and Qom province. It is there that the fortified Fordow nuclear facility is located, against which Israel, which is currently conducting active airstrikes on Iran, is directing its efforts. The depth of the earthquake was approximately 10 km.
Currently, Israeli strikes on targets in Iran continue. In particular, an attack was launched on the Iranian air defense system “Maghar” in Behmai province in southwestern Iran.
Supplement
In Karachi, more than 200 prisoners escaped from prison, taking advantage of the panic after the earthquake. The administration allowed prisoners to go into the yard, which led to a mass escape.
In Isparta province, an earthquake of magnitude 5.8 occurred. A 14-year-old girl died from a panic attack, and more than 60 people were injured.
Ready to consider diplomacy once aggression is stopped: Iran FM
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. Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, said the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Iran is ready to “consider diplomacy” again only once Israel’s “aggression is stopped,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following talks with his European counterparts on Iran’s nuclear programme. A 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook northern Iran on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, as Israel pounded the country with repeated waves of air strikes. Iraq says 50 Israeli warplanes planes violated its airspace shortly before a UN meeting on the Israel-Iran conflict on Friday. Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful, while Israel says it is a threat to Israel’s existence and that it has used cluster munitions on Iranian soil to target Iranian nuclear sites. Iran’s foreign minister backs the continuation of discussions with Germany, France, Britain and the EU and would be prepared to meet again in the near future.
Trump to decide within two weeks on possible military involvement
European leaders push for Iran’s return to negotiations
Trump to decide within two weeks on possible military involvement
Israel accuses Iran of using cluster munitions
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 programme 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. 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.
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.
1:00am
Europe powers urge Iran to keep up diplomacy despite Israeli strikes
European powers on Friday urged Iran to revive diplomatic efforts with the United States to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme, but Tehran warned it could only consider diplomacy once Israel halted its bombardment of the Islamic republic.
British, French, German and EU top diplomats held talks in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, giving diplomacy a chance one week after Israel started its bombardment.
“The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that the Iranian side is ready to further discuss all the important questions,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in a statement alongside his European counterparts.
“It is of great importance that the United States takes part in these negotiations and the solution,” he added.
Reuters
12:45am
5.1-magnitude quake rattles northern Iran amid Israel war: USGS
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook northern Iran on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, as Israel pounded the country with repeated waves of air strikes.
The quake, which Iran’s Tasnim news agency said measured 5.2, struck at a depth of 10km some 37km southwest of the city of Semnan, the USGS said.
AFP
12:15am
Iran FM says ready to ‘consider’ diplomacy ‘once the aggression is stopped’
Tehran is ready to “consider diplomacy” again only once Israel’s “aggression is stopped”, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following talks with his European counterparts on Iran’s nuclear programme.
“Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed… We support the continuation of discussion with” Britain, France, Germany and the European Union “and express our readiness to meet again in the near future,” Araghchi told reporters following the talks at a Geneva hotel.
AFP
12:01am 21/6/2025
Iran foreign minister backs further talks with Europe
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday Tehran backed the continuation of discussions with Germany, France, Britain and the EU and would be prepared to meet again in the near future following talks in Geneva.
Reuters
11:00pm
Arab League foreign ministers will convene an extraordinary meeting in Istanbul on Friday to discuss Iran-Israel conflict, regional diplomatic source says
Reuters
10:45pm
Iraq says 50 Israeli warplanes planes violated its airspace
Iraq’s representative to the United Nations said 50 Israeli warplanes planes violated Iraqi airspace shortly before a UN meeting on the Israel-Iran conflict on Friday.
Abbas Kadhom Obaid Al-Fatlawi, charge d’affaires of Iraq’s U.N. mission, told the UN Security Council the aircraft came from the Syrian-Jordanian border areas.
“Twenty airplanes started, followed by 30 airplanes heading to the south of Iraq, and they flew over Basra, Najaf and Karbala cities,” he said.
“These violations are violations of international law and the UN Charter,” he said, adding: “They also constitute a threat to the sacred sites and regions which might cause strong popular reactions, considering the importance of these holy sites for our peoples.”
Reuters
10:25pm
Army chief tells Israelis to prepare for ‘prolonged’ Iran war
Israeli’s military chief Eyal Zamir said Friday that his country should be “ready for a prolonged campaign” against Iran, as the longtime foes exchanged fire for the eighth day.
“We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history to remove a threat of such magnitude, against such an enemy. We must be ready for a prolonged campaign,” Zamir said in a video statement to Israelis, adding that “the campaign is not over. Although we have made significant achievements, difficult days still lie ahead.”
AFP
10:20pm
Israeli strike on south Lebanon kills one: ministry
The Lebanese health ministry said an Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed one person on Friday, as Israel said it killed a member of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes on Lebanon despite a November ceasefire with Hezbollah and an unprecedented bombing campaign it launched on Iran last week.
In a statement carried by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, the ministry said that an Israeli drone strike on a vehicle killed one person near the southern village of Abbassiyeh.
AFP
10:10pm
UK police arrest men on suspicion of assault near Iran’s London embassy
British police arrested eightmen on Friday, including seven on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, following reports of an altercation involving pro and anti-Iranian protesters at a location close to the Iranian embassy in London.
London’s Metropolitan Police said a man had been taken into custody after he was arrested on suspicion of breaching conditions temporarily banning protest gatherings in the area until Sunday.
“Seven other men remain in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm,” the police said in a statement.
Local media reported the arrests took place at a protest against the Iranian leadership.
Reuters
10:05pm
Several explosions reported in Southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan province: IRNA
Reuters
10:00pm
Iran missile barrage leaves 19 injured in Israel’s Haifa: hospital
Missiles fired from Iran on Friday left at least 19 people injured in the northern Israeli port of Haifa, a local hospital said, on the second week of war between the arch foes.
Iran has been firing daily missile salvos at Israel for the past week, since a wide-ranging Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear installations and military bases triggered war.
At least one projectile appeared to evade Israel’s air defences, slamming into an area by the docks of Haifa where it damaged a building and blew out windows, littering the nearby ground with rubble, AFP images showed.
A spokesman for the city’s Rambam hospital said 19 people had been injured, with one in a serious condition.
AFP
9:50pm
Britain’s UN ambassador urges restraint in Israel-Iran conflict
Britain’s ambassador to the United Nations on Friday urged all parties in the Israel-Iran conflict to protect civilians and said restraint was vital to prevent further escalation.
“This is a dangerous moment for the entire region, and further escalation is in no one’s interest. Civilians must never be targeted, and we deplore the loss of civilian life,” Ambassador Barbara Woodword told the UN Security Council.
“Restraint is vital to protect further escalation and loss of life. … Military action cannot put an end to Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” Woodword said.
Reuters
9:40pm
Iran arrests two foreign national ‘Mossad agents’ in Karaj, West of Tehran: Tasnim
Reuters
9:15am
US sanctions target those providing Iran with defence machinery, Houthi oil trading
The Trump administration said on Friday it had issued fresh Iran-related sanctions targeting eight entities, one vessel and one person for their alleged role in providing sensitive machinery for Tehran’s defense industry.
“The United States remains resolved to disrupt any effort by Iran to procure the sensitive, dual-use technology, components, and machinery that underpin the regime’s ballistic missile, unmanned aerial vehicle, and asymmetric weapons programs,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.
“Treasury will continue to degrade Iran’s ability to produce and proliferate these deadly weapons, which threaten regional stability and global security,” he added in a statement announcing the action.
Reuters
9:00pm
Researchers at Israel’s prestigious Weizmann Institute of Science have been scrambling to save their experiments after an Iranian missile destroyed a building containing dozens of cutting-edge laboratories.
The missile struck the institute’s campus at Rehovot, on the southern periphery of Tel Aviv, in the early hours of Sunday, damaging multiple buildings and prompting researchers to clamber into the ruins to save samples even as fire raged.
No one was hurt as the campus was empty overnight, but one part of a building collapsed entirely, while in the remaining part the walls were blown out, exposing a tangle of twisted metal, blasted debris and blackened cement.
Reuters
8:45pm
IAEA warns against strike on nuclear facilities in Iran
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency on Friday warned against attacks on nuclear facilities and called for maximum restraint amid Israel’s strikes on Iran.
“Armed attack for nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with great consequences within and beyond boundaries of the state which has been attacked,” Rafael Grossi, director of the International Agency for Atomic Energy, told the UN Security Council. “I therefore, again call for maximum restraint.”
Reuters
8:40pm
Israeli military says it has struck military infrastructure in Southwestern Iran.
Iranian air defences activated in Bushehr in Southern Iran, reports semi official YCJ news.
8:30pm
Nuclear facilities and material must not be shrouded by the fog of war, IAEA says
Reuters
8:25pm
UN chief urges parties to ‘give peace a chance’ on Iran-Israel war
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded Friday with all sides to “give peace a chance” in the Iran-Israel conflict, warning that the violence could spiral out of control.
“To the parties to the conflict — the potential parties to the conflict — and to the Security Council as the representative of the international community, I have a simple and clear message: Give peace a chance,” Guterres said, in a veiled reference to the United States, which is considering intervening militarily to support Israel.
Addressing a Security Council session on the war, Guterres said: “We are not drifting toward crisis — we are racing toward it.”
“We are not witnessing isolated incidents — we are on course to potential chaos,” he said.
“The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control. We must not let that happen.”
AFP
8:20pm
US issues fresh Iran-related sanctions, Treasury website shows
The Trump administration has issued fresh Iran-related sanctions, including on two entities based in Hong Kong, and counterterrorism-related sanctions, according to a notice posted to the US Treasury Department’s website on Friday.
The sanctions target at least 20 entities five individuals and three vessels, according to Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
Reuters
8:15pm
Israel seeks genuine effort on Iran capabilities not more talk, Israel’s UN ambassador says
Israel seeks genuine efforts on Iran’s nuclear capabilities from Friday’s meeting between European and Iranian ministers, not just another round of talks, Israel’s UN ambassador said.
“We have seen diplomatic talks for the last few decades, and look at the results,” Danny Danon told reporters at the United Nations. “If there will be genuine effort to dismantle the capabilities of Iran, then that’s something we can consider, but if it is going to be like another session and debates, that’s not going to work.
“If it is going to be just another round of talks, that’s something which we cannot accept,” Danon said.
Reuters
8:00pm
UK withdraws embassy staff from Iran, Switzerland temporarily closes embassy
Britain said on Friday it was temporarily withdrawing UK staff from its embassy in Iran, and would continue to operate its embassy remotely.
Meanwhile, Switzerland announced the temporary closure of its embassy in Tehran, adding that it would continue to fulfil its role representing US interests in Iran.
“In view of the intensity of military operations in Iran and the highly unstable situation on the ground, the FDFA has decided to temporarily close the Swiss embassy in Tehran,” the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Reuters/AFP
7:30pm
Iranian foreign minister slams Israel ahead of Geneva talks
Irianian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Friday called Israel’s attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran grave war crimes, speaking at the United Nations in Geneva ahead of talks with European counterparts in the Swiss city.
Reuters
7:25pm
Iran-Israel conflict ‘reaching point of no return’: Erdogan
AFP
7:20pm
Israeli rescuers say two injured in Iran missile barrage
Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service reported two people injured by shrapnel on Friday, including a 16-year-old in serious condition, after the latest barrage of missiles fired from Iran.
“MDA medics and paramedics are providing medical treatment and are taking a 16-year-old boy to the hospital in serious condition, with shrapnel in his upper body, and a 54-year-old man in moderate condition with a shrapnel injury to his lower limbs,” the MDA said in a statement, without specifying their location.
AFP
7:10pm
Sirens in Israel due to incoming Iranian missiles: army
The Israeli army said on Friday sirens had sounded across the country after missiles were fired from Iran.
“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.
AFP
7:05pm
Iran fires new missile salvo at Israel: state TV
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.
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.
AFP
7:00pm
Israeli media says initial reports indicate missile impacts in Tel Aviv, the Negev and Haifa
Reuters
6:50pm
Israeli envoy: Geneva talks should demand complete rollback of Iran nuclear programme
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Daniel Meron said he expected European foreign ministers to demand a complete rollback of Iran’s nuclear programme when they meet their Iranian counterpart later on Friday.
Reuters
6:40pm
Qatar met with energy majors to discuss risks of Israel-Iran war: sources
Qatar held this week crisis talks with energy majors after Israeli strikes on Iran’s huge gas field, which it shares with Qatar, an industry source and a diplomat in the region told Reuters.
Doha was asking firms to raise US, UK and European governments’ awareness of increasing risks to global gas supply, they said.
QatarEnergy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters
6:30pm
Israel’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear installations so far pose only limited risks of contamination, experts say. But they warn that any attack on the country’s nuclear power station at Bushehr could cause a nuclear disaster.
Israel says it is determined to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities in its military campaign, but that it also wants to avoid any nuclear disaster in a region that is home to tens of millions of people and produces much of the world’s oil.
Fears of catastrophe rippled through the Gulf on Thursday when the Israeli military said it had struck a site in Bushehr on the Gulf coast – home to Iran’s only nuclear power station – only to say later that the announcement was a mistake.
Reuters
6:20pm
Countries around the world are taking measures to evacuate their citizens from Israel and Iran as the two nations enter the seventh day of their air war and airspace in the region remains closed.
Here are some of the countries whose citizens have left:
6:15pm
Israel slams UN rights council for giving floor to Iran ahead of nuclear talks
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva has raised “vehement objection” to Iran addressing the Human Rights Council ahead of talks with European counterparts in Geneva to try to de-escalate the conflict, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
“Affording the Iranian foreign minister the floor before this body continues to undermine the council’s credibility and constitutes a blatant betrayal of the many victims of this regime worldwide,” Daniel Meron said in a letter addressed to council president Jurg Lauber.
The council said on Friday said that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was due to be given the floor. Shortly afterwards, he is due to hold talks with the EU foreign policy chief and his counterparts in Britain, France and Germany in order to de-escalate the conflict.
Reuters
6:00pm
Israeli military says it is attacking military infrastructure in Western and Central Iran
Reuters
5:45pm
UK working with Israel to arrange charter flights out of Tel Aviv, Lammy says
Britain is working with Israeli authorities to arrange charter flights for British nationals from Tel Aviv when the airport reopens, foreign minister David Lammy said on Friday.
“As part of our efforts to support British nationals in the Middle East, the government is working with the Israeli authorities to provide charter flights from Tel Aviv airport when airspace reopens,” Lammy said in a statement.
Israel’s main international gateway, Ben Gurion Airport, closed last week due to Israel and Iran’s spiralling air war.
On Monday, the British government advised its citizens in Israel to register their presence with British authorities, saying it was monitoring the situation and considering options for assistance.
Reuters
05:30pm
Germany’s Merz and Turkey’s Erdogan speaks on phone about conflict between Israel and Iran, German government says
05:15pm
Iran said on Friday it would not discuss the future of its nuclear programme while under attack by Israel, as Europe tried to coax Tehran back into negotiations and the United States considers whether to get involved in the conflict.
A week after it began attacking Iran, Israel’s military said it had carried out new strikes on dozens of military targets overnight, including missile production sites and a research organisation involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran.
Iran launched at least one new barrage of missiles early on Friday, striking near residential apartments, office buildings and industrial facilities in the southern city of Beersheba.
Reuters
05:06PM | 20/06/2025
Thousands protest in Iraq against the Iran-Israel war
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.
“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.
“It is an unjust war… Israel has no right” to hit Iran, said protester Abu Hussein.
“Israel is not in it for the (Iranian) nuclear (program). What Israel and the Americans want is to dominate the Middle East,” added the 54-year-old taxi driver.
He said he hoped Iran would come out of the war victorious, and that Iraq should support its neighbour “with money, weapons and protests”.
In Iraq’s southern city of Basra, around 2,000 people demonstrated after the prayers, according to an AFP correspondent.
AFP
04:56PM | 20/06/2025
Thousands protest in Tehran against Israel: state TV
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.
AFP
04:54PM | 20/06/2025
Iran arrests ‘Mossad agent’ sending information on Iranian air defence installations to Israel using WhatsApp messaging app – Iranian state broadcaster reports
Reuters
03:56PM | 20/06/2025
Iran-Israel war could have ‘harmful’ migration impact on Europe, Erdogan warns
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.
“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.
Reuters
03:53PM | 20/06/2025
Israeli defence minister orders intensified attacks on Iran government targets
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that he had instructed the military to intensify attacks on “symbols of the regime” in the Iranian capital Tehran, aiming to destabilise 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,” Katz said in a statement.
Reuters
03:43PM | 20/06/2025
France’s Macron: strikes on energy, civilian infrastructure in Iran-Israel conflict must absolutely stop
Reuters
03:42PM | 20/06/2025
Nuclear scientist killed in Tehran strike, Israeli media report
An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed in a strike on a building in Tehran on Friday, state Israeli broadcaster Kan and other local media reported.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the reports.
Reuters
03:40PM | 20/06/2025
German government spokesperson on NATO summit: Iran will probably be discussed, but we don’t comment on allies’ possible attack plans
Reuters
03:37PM | 20/06/2025
Iran willing to pursue ‘pragmatic’ policy with Europe, diplomat says
Iran is willing to pursue a balanced and pragmatic policy in its dealings with Europe, and engage rationally with both East and West, an Iranian diplomat said in Berlin on Friday.
“Meanwhile, Iran can prove to be a chess piece for Europe to ease the dual pressure between East and West,” said the diplomat, who did not want to be named.
“Despite American displeasure, Iran has shown that it is willing to pursue a wise, balanced and pragmatic policy in its dealings with Europe.”
Reuters
03:33PM | 20/06/2025
Tehran hospital hit by Israeli rocket attack early on Friday, health ministry spokesperson cited by state media
Reuters
02:51PM | 20/06/2025
Iran foreign minister to address UN Human Rights Council
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.
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.
AFP
02:44PM | 20/06/2025
Iran foreign minister to address UN Human Rights Council on Friday: council spokesman
AFP
02:41PM | 20/06/2025
Iran’s Araqchi: Tehran’s ballistic missile programme is non-negotiable
Reuters
02:05PM | 20/06/2025
Iran never targets civilian areas especially not hospitals, as opposed to Israel which has intentionally targeted hospitals in Gaza, Iran’s Araqchi tells state TV
Reuters
01:00PM | 20/06/2025
Iran not prepared for talks with anyone while Israeli attacks continues – foreign minister Araqchi tells state TV
Reuters
12:59PM | 20/06/2025
Iran state media say Ali Shamkhani , close ally of top Iran leader , in stable condition after being injured in Israeli attack, issues message
Reuters
12:57PM | 20/06/2025
IAEA says key buildings damaged at Iran’s Khondab site
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has information that key buildings at Iran’s Khondab heavy water research site were damaged in Israeli strikes, including the distillation unit, it said in an X post on Friday.
The information was an update on an assessment from Thursday, in which the IAEA said the reactor has been hit but there were no radiological effects.
Reuters
12:25PM | 20/06/2025
Israeli defence minister warns Hezbollah against joining conflict with Iran
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanon’s Hezbollah to exercise caution on Friday, saying Israel’s patience with “terrorists” who threaten it had worn thin.
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.
Reuters
12:19PM | 20/06/2025
Five Iranian hospitals suffered damages, patients affected in the past week after Israeli strikes close-by, head of Iran’s emergency services tells state TV
Reuters
11:23AM | 20/06/2025
Russia says any use of tactical nuclear weapons by US in Iran would be catastrophic, TASS reports
Potential use of tactical nuclear weapons by the United States in Iran would be a catastrophic development, Russian state news agency TASS quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying on Friday.
Peskov was commenting on what he called speculative media reports about that possibility.
Reuters
11:19AM | 20/06/2025
Israel army says struck weapons research centre in Tehran
Israel’s military said Friday 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,” as the two foes traded fire for an eighth day.
In a statement, the army said it had “completed a series of strikes in the heart of Tehran: dozens of targets were struck, including military missile production sites and the SPND (Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research) headquarters for research and development of Iran’s nuclear weapons project.”
AFP
10:28AM | 20/06/2025
Israel says it struck dozens of military targets in Iran, including nuclear research site
The Israeli military said on Friday it carried out strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran overnight, including an attack on the Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which it said is involved in Iran’s nuclear weapons development.
Reuters
A Venezuelan government supporter holds a sign with an image of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, while participating in a march in support of Iran amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, in Caracas, Venezuela June 19, 2025. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
10:00AM | 20/06/2025
Israeli army says sirens sounded after missiles launched from Iran
The Israeli army said Friday sirens had sounded in southern Israel after missiles were fired from Iran.
“Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military said on Telegram, adding it was working to intercept them.
AFP