Urgent worldwide warning for all Americans amid fears of Iranian ‘sleeper cells

The US State Department issued a ‘worldwide caution’ to Americans traveling abroad amid rising fears of an Iranian attack.

‘The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,’ the State Department said on Sunday.

‘There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.’

President Trump stunned the world by bombing Iran’s three nuclear weapons factories on Saturday night in an act that has seen the US officially join Israel’s offensive on the hardline Islamic nation.

The warning came hours before the US Embassy in Qatar issued a ‘shelter in place’ order to Americans in the Middle East nation.

The embassy warned the 15,000 American residents in Qatar, which also hosts 19 US military facilities, to shelter ‘out of an abundance of caution’, amid fears of an imminent retaliation from Iran.

The national terror threat alert system was also ominously raised in response to strikes President Trump ordered on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night.

Days before the strikes, Trump was reportedly threatened by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that he would unleash sleeper cell terrorists on US soil if the president green-lit the attacks.

Trump received a communiqué from the regime just days before he ordered US military strikes on its nuclear facilities, sources told NBC News, which was delivered through an intermediary at the G7 summit in Canada last week.

The US State Department issued a ‘worldwide caution’ to Americans, warning of ‘potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad’. Pictured: Beachgoers enjoy a day out in Tel Aviv, Israel on Monday

President Trump seen aboard Air Force One last week as he left the G7 summit early, reportedly after receiving a communiqué from the Iranian regime that it would unleash sleeper cell terrorists on US soil if he attacked Iran – which he did so days later

In its warning, the State Department said that although there are ‘no specific credible threats,’ low-level cyber attacks against US networks are likely.

‘Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020,’ DHS said.

‘The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland.’

Following the State Department’s caution to Americans around the world, the head of the department, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said Iran would face Trump’s wrath if they activate sleeper cells or proxy militias on US targets or interests.

‘We’ll impose costs on Iran if they attack American personnel, whether they do it directly, or whether they do it through some of these proxies that they try to hide behind,’ Rubio said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pictured right in the Situation Room alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, warned that Iran would face Trump’s wrath if they activate sleeper cells or proxy militias on US targets or interests

Trump departed the G7 meeting early after receiving the sleeper cell threat, and he told reporters on Air Force One he planned to hold ‘early’ meetings with his security team in the White House Situation Room.

The president called for people to ‘evacuate’ Tehran, before he ultimately struck three nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

After the US deployed B-2 bombers to drop more than a dozen ‘bunker busters,’ Iran’s foreign minister called the strikes ‘outrageous’ and said that Tehran ‘reserves all options’ to retaliate.

On Monday, it emerged that Iranian officials are said to be considering removing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from power after Trump waded into the conflict.

Two sources involved in talks told The Atlantic that officials are now contemplating deposing the Ayatollah, but said it’s just ‘one idea’ among many ‘plots’.

‘Everybody knows Khamenei’s days are numbered,’ one official told the American outlet. ‘Even if he stays in office, he won’t have actual power.’

Iranian officials had sought to displace the 86-year-old supreme leader even before the U.S. intervention due to his age and longstanding health concerns, the sources said.

On Monday, it emerged that Iranian officials are said to be considering removing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei from power after Trump waded into the conflict

Vice President JD Vance said that he blames former President Joe Biden’s weak border policies for exacerbating the sleeper cell threat, as large numbers of undocumented people were allowed into the US illegally, ‘some of whom we know are on terrorist watchlists.’

He said 1,504 Iranian nationals were encountered at the southern border during the Biden administration, and 729 were released.

On Monday, Republican Tom Cotton, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News that Americans ‘have a right to be concerned’ about the threat of terrorist sleeper cells.

‘Joe Biden had a wide-open border policy for four years, we know that terrorists tried to enter our country,’ Cotton said. ‘Iran has a long history of terrorizing America.’

The Arkansas senator pointed to intelligence that said Iran was behind attempts on President Trump’s life last year, as well as the fatwa Iran put on journalist Salman Rushdie that also resulted in an assassination attempt on him in 2022.

‘It is important that we remember, Iran did not become a terrorist state because Donald Trump bombed their nuclear bunkers, he bombed their nuclear bunkers because they’re a terrorist state,’ he continued.

‘And we cannot allow a terrorist state to have nuclear weapons.’

Topline One day after the U.S. bombed Iran, the State Department began advising Americans to “exercise increased caution” while out of the country—but that language signals a relatively low risk. getty

Key Facts

Late Sunday, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution for U.S. citizens abroad, warning of the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad and advising Americans to “exercise increased caution.” The verbiage “exercise increased caution” is consistent with Level 2 on the State Department’s tiered risk assessment scale, which ranges from Level 1, “exercise normal precautions,” to Level 4, “do not travel.” Of the 21 countries under a State Department Level 4 “do not travel” advisory, six are located in the Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Most other Middle East destinations—including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—are under Level 2 advisories, the same as France, Germany, Italy and many Western European nations. On Monday, the State Department posted a notice to U.S. citizens seeking to depart Israel or the West Bank to “take the first available option, even if it is not your first choice of destination.” The State Department has not updated any other country-specific travel advisories since the U.S. bombed Iran Saturday. Also on Monday, the U.S. embassy in Doha, Qatar, issued a shelter-in-place security alert for U.S. citizens—even as the State Department has Qatar on a Level 1 travel advisory.

What Is The Difference Between A Worldwide Caution And A Travel Advisory?

The State Department issues a worldwide caution when there is a broad elevated risk for U.S. citizens abroad. The last two times the U.S. issued worldwide cautions were in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, and in August 2022, after the U.S. drone strike killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan. In contrast, the State Department has a much more tailored travel advisory for every country with a tiered risk assessment ranging from Level 1 to Level 4, which pertain to long-term or chronic threats. A third type of notification—a security alert—is issued by U.S. embassy or consulate to provide real-time safety and security information for situations that may be temporary in nature.

How Is The Conflict Between Israel And Iran Impacting Global Travel?

The conflict “has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” the State Department says in its worldwide caution. Israel’s attack on Iran on June 13 forced Iran, Iraq, and Jordan to close their airspaces. Since then, as Israel and Iran continue to launch missiles at each other, hundreds of flights scheduled to pass through the Middle East were canceled or diverted. Some airlines are rerouting flights to avoid the affected airspace, which leads to longer flight times and potentially higher fares. Others are temporarily suspending service. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar, and United Airlines and Air Canada have temporarily stopped flying to Dubai.

How Often Does The State Department Update Travel Advisories?

The State Department says it reviews Level 1 and 2 travel advisories at least every 12 months and Level 3 and 4 advisories at least every six months.

How Can Americans Stay Safer While Out Of The Country?

The State Department advises travelers to check specific guidance for the country they plan to visit the U.S. government’s general travel site. The government also recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), a free service that alerts the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of a traveler’s plans to visit. In case of an emergency, the embassy will contact the traveler and provide important travel updates and alerts.

Further Reading

U.S. Strikes Iran: Putin Condemns ‘Unprovoked’ Strike As Trump Hints At Regime Change In Tehran (Live Updates) (Forbes)

WASHINGTON- The US State Department has issued a worldwide security alert for American travelers due to escalating tensions from the Israel-Iran conflict, causing significant travel disruptions.

Singapore Airlines (SQ) and British Airways (BA) have canceled flights to Dubai International Airport (DXB), and airspace closures are affecting the region.

The alert, prompted by recent US military actions, advises heightened caution as demonstrations and safety risks rise for US citizens abroad. Travelers are urged to stay informed and avoid high-risk areas like Tel Aviv (TLV) and Tehran (THR).

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Peak Travel Advisory – Home Check-in Service; Photo- Emirates

US Warning for Travelers

The US State Department issued a global security alert on June 22, 2025, urging American citizens traveling or living abroad to exercise increased caution due to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.

The alert follows US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which have heightened regional tensions and disrupted air travel across the Middle East.

The conflict has led to airspace closures over Israel, Iran, and Iraq, stranding travelers and prompting widespread flight cancellations.

The State Department emphasized the potential for anti-American demonstrations, advising travelers to consult travel advisories and security alerts on travel.state.gov before planning trips.

The conflict escalated after Iran launched 27 missiles at Israel on June 22, 2025, in retaliation for US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. This has caused significant operational challenges for airlines, with Singapore Airlines (SQ) canceling flights to Dubai (DXB) and British Airways (BA) suspending services from London Heathrow (LHR) to Dubai (DXB) and Doha (DOH).

The closure of Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) and Iranian airspace has forced carriers to reroute flights, increasing travel times and fuel costs.

Photo: CHEN AI | JetPhotos

Flight Disruptions

The Israel-Iran conflict has shuttered key Middle Eastern airspace, severely impacting commercial aviation. Iraq suspended all civilian flights, while Jordan and Bahrain also imposed temporary airspace restrictions.

Airlines like Emirates (EK) and Qatar Airways (QR) canceled flights to Iraq, Iran, and Syria, with detours routed through Egypt or Turkey adding significant delays.

Data from FlightRadar24 shows no commercial flights over Iran, Iraq, Syria, or Israel on June 23, 2025, highlighting the scale of disruption. Travelers are advised to confirm flight statuses directly with airlines and expect potential cancellations through late June.

The US Embassy in Israel, closed on June 23, 2025, has urged citizens to use land crossings to Jordan, such as the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, despite long delays. Egypt’s Taba crossing remains open 24 hours for departures from Israel.

However, the State Department warns against travel to high-risk areas, including Israel (Level 4: Do Not Travel) and Iran, where consular assistance is limited due to the closure of the Swiss Protecting Power office in Tehran.

Emirates Airbus A350-900 | Photo: Clément Alloing

Safety Measures

Bahrain, a strategic US ally hosting the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and approximately 9,000 defense personnel, issued public safety guidance on June 22, 2025. The Bahraini Interior Ministry advised citizens to avoid unnecessary travel on main roads to ensure efficient access for authorities.

A 70% work-from-home policy was implemented across government agencies to reduce public exposure amid heightened security concerns. Bahrain’s proximity to Iran underscores its vulnerability to regional instability.

Kuwait activated an emergency plan on June 22, 2025, to maintain financial and service operations, reflecting proactive measures to ensure stability.

The UAE, another key US partner, remains fully operational, with the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Consulate in Dubai (DXB) monitoring developments.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed engaged in diplomatic discussions with global leaders to address the conflict’s impact on regional security, emphasizing de-escalation efforts.

Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai; Photo- Emirates

Recommendations for US Travelers

The State Department recommends enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive real-time security updates. Travelers should avoid large gatherings, monitor local news for breaking developments, and locate the nearest bomb shelter in high-risk areas like Israel.

Comprehensive travel insurance, including medical evacuation coverage, is advised due to unpredictable security incidents.

The US Embassy in Israel suggests downloading the Home Front Command Red Alert app for real-time missile and rocket attack notifications.

For those in Iran, departure options are limited to land borders with Azerbaijan, Armenia, or Turkey, as Iranian airspace remains closed.

The State Department’s crisis intake form at mytravel.state.gov allows US citizens to request consular assistance, though direct government-assisted departures from Iran are unlikely due to the lack of diplomatic relations.

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article

Americans traveling abroad are being urged to exercise caution worldwide, as the war between Israel and Iran has resulted in travel disruptions globally.

The U.S. State Department issued a warning to those traveling around the world, citing the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens.

“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” the State Department said in its Worldwide Caution advisory. “There is potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”

Last week, the State Department warned U.S. travelers to not travel to places like Israel, Gaza and the West Bank because of armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest.

HUNDREDS OF US CITIZENS EVACUATED IRAN WITH ‘NUMEROUS’ ISSUES AHEAD OF STRIKE ON NUCLEAR SITES: REPORT

The threat comes as terrorist groups , lone-actor terrorists and other violent extremists continue to plot possible attacks in those areas with little to no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets and local government facilities.

Government officials in Turkey have also been cautioned to maintain a low profile and avoid personal travel to the country’s southernmost provinces.

The alert issued on Sunday reads, “Negative sentiment toward U.S. foreign policy may prompt actions against U.S. or Western interests” in Turkey.

US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL TELLS GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES TO SHELTER IN PLACE AMID IRAN STRIKES

It adds that activities in the past have included demonstrations, calls for boycotts of U.S. businesses, anti-U.S. rhetoric and graffiti.

If traveling abroad, the State Department advised reviewing its website for alerts pertaining to the specific destination being visited.

The advisory comes after President Donald Trump ordered military strikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities in what officials are calling “Operation Midnight Hammer.”

US WARNS VENEZUELA NOW POSES ‘HIGHEST RISK’ FOR AMERICAN TRAVELERS

After the bombing, Iranian officials warned of retaliation against the U.S.

The State Department often issues alerts and travel advisories for Americans overseas.

The travel advisories range from “exercise normal precaution” to “Do Not Travel,” which is reserved for parts of the world where there is ongoing conflict, ethnic or religious discrimination or where U.S. citizens are generally not welcome.

Other reasons for alerts include crime rates, health concerns and piracy in some parts of the world.

A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the U.S. struck the underground nuclear facility, near Qom, Iran June 22, 2025. MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES/Handout via REUTERS

Key Updates-

Iran vows retaliation, fires missiles at Israel

US Department of Homeland Security warns of heightened threat

Iran considers closing Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil shipments

Trump raises idea of regime change in Iran

The world braced for Iran’s response after the US attacked key Iranian nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.

Iran vowed to defend itself a day after the US dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs onto the mountain above Iran’s Fordow nuclear site while American leaders urged Tehran to stand down and pockets of anti-war protesters emerged in US cities.

As the Iran-Israel war took a new turn, here are the real-time updates:

10:50pm

Iran launches six missiles toward US bases in Qatar: Axios

Axios, citing an Israeli official, reported on Monday that Iran had launched six missiles toward US bases in Qatar.

Axios had earlier reported that Iran was preparing to fire missiles at the bases.

Reuters

10:45pm

Several explosions heard over Qatar capital Doha, Reuters witness says

Sounds of several explosions were heard over Qatari capital Doha, a Reuters witness said on Monday, following Tehran’s threats to retaliate against the US’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The blasts could be heard in central Doha and in Lusail north of the Qatari capital, and projectiles could be seen moving across the night sky, reports AFP.

Reuters/AFP

10:00pm

Qatar suspends air traffic as precautionary measure: statement

Qatar temporarily suspended air traffic around the country, its foreign ministry said Monday, after nearby Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites.

“The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region,” the foreign ministry said. Qatar is home to the United States’ largest base in the region.

AFP

9:20pm

Explosions heard near Iranian city of Ahvaz: media

AFP

9:10pm

Israeli army urges Tehran residents to avoid military sites

The Israeli army said Monday that it would keep up its strikes on targets in the Iranian capital, urging residents to stay away from security installations for their own safety.

The army “will continue to strike military targets in the Tehran area in the coming days,” read a statement posted in Persian on X, adding: “For your safety, we urge you to keep your distance from the regime’s weapons manufacturing facilities, military headquarters, and the security institutions”.

AFP

9:00pm

France says strike on Evin prison, which put French prisoners in danger, is unacceptable

French Foreign Affairs minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday that the Israeli strike on Tehran’s Evin prison, which put French prisoners in danger, was unacceptable.

He added on X that he called for the immediate end of all strikes to enable negotiation and that he had asked for consular access to the two citizens.

Reuters

8:45pm

Trump tells everyone to keep oil prices down after Iran attacks

US President Donald Trump expressed a desire on Monday to see oil prices kept down amid fears that the aftermath of the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities could cause them to spike.

“Everyone, keep oil prices down, I’m watching! You’re playing into the hands of the enemy, don’t do it,” Trump wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform.

Trump followed up with another post addressed to the U.S. Department of Energy, encouraging it to “drill, baby, drill” and saying, “I mean now.”

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright responded, “We’re on it!” in a post on X.

Reuters

7:41pm

Iranian foreign minister says he had good meeting with Putin and discussed in detail development of situation in Middle East: RIA

Reuters

7:40pm

Trump ‘still interested’ in Iran diplomacy: White House

Donald Trump thinks Iranians should overthrow their government if it refuses to negotiate on its nuclear programme, but the US president is “still interested” in diplomacy, the White House said Monday.

“If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution, which the president is still interested and engaging in, by the way, why shouldn’t the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime that has been suppressing them for decades?” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News.

US bombers attacked Iran’s heavily guarded and secretive nuclear enrichment sites over the weekend, joining Israel’s military campaign to destroy the Iranian nuclear programme.

AFP

7:30pm

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, visits Hezbollah’s office in Tehran, Iran, October 1, 2024. File photo: Reuters

Mojtaba Khamenei is one of the most influential figures in the Iranian clerical establishment headed by his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and among the figures seen as a candidate to succeed him as leader of the Islamic Republic.

A mid-ranking cleric who studied under religious conservatives in the seminaries of Qom, Mojtaba is a hardliner with close ties to the Revolutionary Guards, the force mandated to safeguard the Islamic Republic led by Khamenei since 1989.

Carrying the clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam, Mojtaba, 55, has never held a formal position in the Islamic Republic’s government, exercising his influence behind the scenes as the gatekeeper to his father, according to Iran watchers.

Reuters

7:15pm

Israel power supplier reports damage near ‘strategic’ facility

Israel’s state power company reported supply disruptions on Monday after damage near a “strategic infrastructure facility” at an undisclosed location, as Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles.

“Due to damage near a strategic infrastructure facility of the Israel Electric Corporation… disruptions in electricity supply are being reported in several communities in the area,” the IEC said in a statement, without specifying the cause.

Avraham Rabukhin, head of the grid division for the Tel Aviv and Coastal district, later told AFP that a missile fell near one of the company’s facilities.

Journalists were allowed to film the area of the strike, but under Israel’s military censorship were ordered not to publish any information about the location.

AFP

7:10pm

Iran’s supreme leader sent his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday to ask President Vladimir Putin for more help from Russia after the biggest US military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution over the weekend.

US President Donald Trump and Israel have publicly speculated about killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and about regime change, a step Russia fears could further destabilise the Middle East.

While Putin has condemned the Israeli strikes, he has yet to comment on the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites though he last week called for calm and offered Moscow’s services as a mediator over the nuclear programme.

Reuters

7:05pm

Oil majors evacuate some personnel in Iraq, oil operations not affected

Oil majors Eni, BP, and Total Energies operating in Iraqi oilfields have evacuated a number of their foreign personnel, Iraq’s state-run Basra Oil Company said in a statement on Monday.

However, oil operations in Iraq’s southern oilfields have not been affected, with exports averaging 3.32 million barrels per day, two oil officials told Reuters.

The measures taken come as the world awaits Tehran’s response to the US attack on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic with clashes between Israel and Iran, which borders Iraq, flaring up.

Reuters

7:00pm

Germany’s Merz sees no reason for him to criticise Israeli, US attacks on Iran

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that there was no reason for him to criticise attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.

Reuters

5:40pm

Israel says striking Iranian security command centres

Israel’s military said Monday it was striking command centres of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards and other domestic security forces responsible for “maintaining the regime’s stability”.

“These forces consist of various corps and command centers and are responsible, on behalf of the Iranian regime’s military, for defending the homeland security, suppressing threats, and maintaining the regime’s stability,” it said in a statement.

AFP

4:50pm

Israel targeting Tehran’s Evin prison with air strikes: defence minister

Israel’s defence minister said the army was targeting Tehran’s notorious Evin prison Monday as it carried out fresh strikes on the Iranian capital.

The military “is carrying out strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government repression in the heart of Tehran. Among the targets… (is) Evin Prison (which holds political prisoners and dissidents)… and additional regime-related targets,” Israel Katz said in a post on X.

AFP

[03:50pm]

Iran foreign minister thanks Putin for condemning US strikes, says Russia is on ‘right side of history’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for condemning U.S. strikes on Iran, telling him Russia stood on “the right side of history”.

Araqchi made the comments at the start of Kremlin talks with Putin and told the Russian leader that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked him to convey their best wishes to Putin.

Reuters

[03:30pm]

Israel attacks Iran’s Fordo nuclear site: Iranian media

Israel carried out a fresh strike on Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site south of Tehran, a media outlet in the country reported.

“The aggressor attacked the Fordo nuclear site again,” Tasnim news agency reported, quoting a spokesperson for the crisis management authority in Qom province where the site is located.

The latest attacks come a day after the United States launched unprecedented strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities including Fordo and sites at Isfahan and Natanz.

AFP

[03:25pm]

Russia ‘condemns’ and ‘regrets’ US strikes on Iran

The Kremlin Monday said it “condemns” and “regrets” US strikes on Iran over the weekend, as Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.

“There has been a new escalation of tensions in the region, and, of course, we condemn this and express our deep regret in this regard,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

AFP

[03:20pm]

IAEA chief expects ‘very significant damage’ at Iran’s Fordow site

U.S. bombing probably caused “very significant” damage to the underground areas of Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment plant dug into a mountain, though no one can yet tell the extent, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday.

“Given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme(ly) vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred,” Grossi said in a statement to an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors.

Reuters

[01:50pm]

Blasts heard in Jerusalem after Israel army warning of Iran missiles

Israeli security forces look on as a digger clears the rubble of a destroyed building at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles at the country following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

Loud explosions were heard in Jerusalem on Monday, after the Israeli military warned a fresh barrage of missiles had been launched from Iran.

Around 10 minutes after announcing the missiles had been identified, the military said “additional missiles were launched” towards Israel and urged people to take cover.

The Magen David Adom rescue service reported no immediate casualties.

AFP

[12:50pm]

Israeli military says it attacked 6 airports in Iran

The Israeli military carried out air strikes on at least six airports in western, eastern and central Iran.

In a statement posted on its Hebrew account on X, Israel said that remotely manned aircraft destroyed 15 Iranian aircraft and helicopters. An image attached in the post listed the Mehrabad, Mashhad and Dezful airports as among those targeted.

“The strikes damaged runways, underground bunkers, a refuelling plane and F-14, F-5, and AH-1 aircraft belonging to the Iranian regime,” it said.

“The air force disrupted the ability to take off from these airports and the operation of the Iranian army’s air power from them.”

[12:30pm]

Trump started this war, we will end it, says Iranian military

Recent hostile action by the United States expanded the scope of legitimate targets for Iran’s armed forces, a spokesperson for its Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a video shared on Monday.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari said the U.S. should expect heavy consequences for its actions.

“Mr. Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,” Zolfaqari said in English at the end of his recorded statement.

Reuters

[11:30am]

Iran and Russia are coordinating their positions on the current escalation, Iranian foreign minister says

Iran and Russia are coordinating their positions on the current escalation in the Middle East, the TASS news agency reported on Monday citing Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, who is visiting Moscow.

Reuters

[11:10am]

Israel says striking military sites in west Iran

Israel’s army said it was striking military sites in western Iran’s Kermanshah on Monday, as fighting between the two foes raged for the 11th day.

The Israeli air force “is currently striking military infrastructure sites in Kermanshah in Iran”, a military statement said.

AFP

[10:10am]

US urges China to keep Iran from shutting key trade route

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China Sunday to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.

Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s early Sunday attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.

AFP

[09:40am]

North Korea condemns US strikes on Iran: state media

North Korea condemned on Monday US strikes on Iran, calling it violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the “reckless valor of Israel”.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea strongly denounces the attack on Iran by the US which severely violated the UN Charter with respect for sovereignty,” said a spokesperson of the North’s foreign ministry, according to a statement carried by the state news agency.

AFP

People hold signs as they demonstrate in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2025 against US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. AFP

[09:20am]

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans over Mideast conflict

The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.

“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.

AFP

[08:20am]

Trump says US strikes caused ‘monumental damage’ to Iran nuclear sites

President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that US strikes had destroyed Iranian nuclear sites, after other officials cautioned that the extent of damage was still unclear.

“Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” Trump wrote on social media, without sharing the images he was referencing.

“The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” he added.

AFP

US Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, stand guard at a protest condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, outside the Westwood Federal Building in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, on June 22, 2025. AFP

6:15am

Israel army says carried out strikes on military targets in Iran

The Israeli army said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets, including missile launch and storage sites, on Sunday.

“Approximately 20 (Israeli airforce) fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes using over 30 munitions on military targets in Iran,” the Israeli army said in a statement posted to Telegram.

The attacks were carried out on “storage and missile launching infrastructure sites”, as well as “military satellites and radar sites”, it added.

It came after the United States carried out massive air strikes that Washington said had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program, though some officials cautioned that the extent of the damage was unclear.

Israel also struck several parts of northwest Iran on Sunday, Iranian media reported, as fighting between the arch enemies raged.

At least three people were killed on Sunday after an Israeli strike hit an ambulance in central Iran.

AFP

6:05am

Israeli military says missiles launched from Iran towards Israel

Reuters

6:00am

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, at UN headquarters in New York City, US on June 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

The UN Security Council met on Sunday to discuss U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.

“The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Sunday.

“We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.”

5:45am

Air defences activated in Karaj, west of Tehran, to counter Israeli attack, explosions heard: Iranian news agencies

Reuters

5:40am

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans over Mideast conflict

The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.

“There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” and “the Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” said the State Department’s security alert.

AFP

5:30am

Israeli air strikes hit Parchin, location of a large Iranian military complex southeast of Tehran, Nournews reports

Reuters

5:15am

Air defences activated in Iran’s central Tehran districts to counter ‘enemy targets’: Iranian news agencies

Reuters

5:00am

US clearly not interested in diplomacy: Russia’s UN envoy

Russia’s UN envoy today called for immediate cessation of aggressive actions by Israel and US.

He added that US was clearly not interested in diplomacy and has opened a pandora’s box. “No one knows what new catastrophes, suffering it will bring.”

He condemned the “irresponsible, dangerous, provocative actions by US against Iran”.

Reuters

4:30am

Iran tells UN that US has ‘waged a war’ under ‘absurd pretext’

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday slammed the United States for its strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“The United States, a permanent member of this Council… has now once again resorted to illegal force, waged a war against my country, under a fabricated and absurd pretext: preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council.

AFP

4:00am

Trump says ‘why wouldn’t there be a regime change’ in Iran

President Donald Trump hinted Sunday at interest in regime change in Iran, despite several of his administration officials earlier stressing that US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites did not have that goal.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

AFP

3:30am

Israeli strikes attack northwest Iran: local media

Israeli strikes attacked several parts of northwest Iran Sunday, Iranian media reported, as fighting between the two foes raged for the 10th day.

The strikes targeted “two locations in the southwestern part of Tabriz” city, capital of the East Azerbaijan province, ISNA news agency reported, quoting Majid Farshi the province’s crisis management authority chief.

It was not immediately clear what locations were targeted but Farshi said the air-defence systems had been activated to counter the attack.

AFP

3:00am

3 killed after Israeli strike hit ambulance in Iran: media

At least three people were killed Sunday after an ambulance was hit in an Israeli strike in central Iran, local media reported, as fighting raged between the two foes for the 10th day.

“The ambulance… was en route to transfer a patient when it was severely damaged by a drone strike,” ISNA news agency reported quoting Hamidreza Mohammadi Fesharaki, the governor of Najafabad county in the central Isfahan province.

“All occupants of the ambulance — including the driver, the patient, and the patient’s companion — were martyred.”

He added: “The impact of the drone caused the ambulance to veer off course and collide with a passing vehicle.”

AFP

1:40am

UN chief warns of cycle of retaliation after US bombs Iran

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday against yet “another cycle of destruction” and retaliation following the US strikes against Iran, which he said marked a “perilous turn” in the region.

“I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,” the secretary-general told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. “The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.”

AFP

1:30am

Netanyahu says Israel close to meeting its goals in Iran

Israel was very close to meeting its goals in Iran of removing the threats of ballistic missiles and the nuclear programme, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Speaking to Israeli reporters, he said: “We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won’t finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop.”

“I have no doubt that this is a regime that wants to wipe us out, and that’s why we embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat, the ballistic missile threat. We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them,” he said.

Reuters

1:10am

IAEA says entrances to tunnels at Iran’s Isfahan site hit by US strike

Entrances to tunnels at Iran’s sprawling Isfahan nuclear complex were hit in US military strikes overnight, the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement on Sunday.

“We have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said. Officials said before Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13 that much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium was stored underground at Isfahan.

Reuters

1:00am

Israeli military says it is attacking military infrastructure in Tehran and Western Iran.

Reuters

12:40am

Iran’s army says brigade chief, three officers and two soldiers killed in Israeli attack in Western Iran – SNN news.

Reuters

12:30am 23/06/2025

Iran’s atomic energy agency says nuclear sites quickly being rebuilt, activity to continue with greater power – Iranian media.

Reuters

11:30pm

Over 200 places in Tehran hit in Israeli strikes since start of war: official

Over 200 places in the Iranian capital have been hit in Israeli strikes since the start of the war ten days ago, Tehran’s provincial governor said Sunday.

“More than 200 locations have been attacked by the usurping Zionist regime,” governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV.

He said over 120 residential housing units “have been fully destroyed” while 500 others suffered “damages.”

AFP

11:00pm

Iran must not take destabilising action, European leaders say

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday urged Iran not to take any actions that would further destabilise the region following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities overnight.

“We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security,” the government heads of Germany, Britain, France, known as the E3, said in a joint statement.

“We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear program. We stand ready to contribute to that goal in coordination with all parties.”

Reuters

10:45pm

Seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards and two soldiers killed in Israeli attacks on two military sites in the city of Yazd on Sunday, state-run Mizan news agency reports.

Reuters

10:30pm

OIC member states to set up contact group to seek Israel-Iran de-escalation

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said on Sunday it would set up a ministerial contact group to establish regular contact with international and regional parties to support de-escalation efforts after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In a joint declaration following a meeting of the 57-member group’s foreign ministers in Istanbul, the OIC condemned “the aggression of Israel” against Iran, stressing “the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks and their great concern regarding this dangerous escalation”.

It also urged the international community to take deterrent measures against attacks on Iran and “make Israel accountable for crimes committed”.

Reuters

10:20pm

Iran president says US ‘must receive response to their aggression’

AFP

9:55pm

Pakistan condemns Trump’s bombing of Iran – a day after nominating him for Peace Prize

Pakistan condemned on Sunday the strikes ordered on its neighbour Iran by Donald Trump, a day after Islamabad had said it would nominate the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Pakistan on Sunday said Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities violated international law and that diplomacy was the only way to resolve the Iran crisis.

“The unprecedented escalation of tension and violence, owing to ongoing aggression against Iran is deeply disturbing. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Reuters

9:45pm

Iran says ready to defend itself by ‘all necessary means’

Iran said on Sunday that it was ready to defend itself by “all necessary means” after unprecedented US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

“Iran is resolutely determined to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security and people by all necessary means,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X, condemning what he described as an “unconscionable act of aggression — perpetrated by a nuclear-armed state… against a non-nuclear weapon country”.

AFP

9:30pm

US willing to negotiate on Iran nuclear energy: Rubio

The United States would allow Iran to operate nuclear power plants but not enrich its own fuel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday, after a wave of American strikes aimed to wipe out Iran’s nuclear program.

“The Iranian regime should wake up and say ‘OK, if we really want nuclear energy in our country, there’s a way to do it.’ That offer’s still there, we’re prepared to talk to them tomorrow,” he told Fox News.

“Ultimately, they have to make a decision. It’s a very simple decision: if what they want is nuclear reactors so they can have electricity — there are so many other countries in the world that do that, and they don’t have to enrich their own uranium — they can do that,” Rubio added.

AFP

9:45pm

US bombing of Iran started with a fake-out

As Operation “Midnight Hammer” got underway on Saturday, a group of B-2 bombers took off from their base in Missouri and were noticed heading out toward the Pacific island of Guam, in what experts saw as possible pre-positioning for any US decision to strike Iran.

But they were a decoy. The real group of seven bat-winged, B-2 stealth bombers flew east undetected for 18 hours, keeping communications to a minimum, refueling in mid-air, the US military revealed on Sunday.

As the bombers neared Iranian airspace, a US submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. US fighter jets flew as decoys in front of the bombers to sweep for any Iranian fighter jets and missiles.

Reuters

9:00pm

Ukraine says US strikes on Iran justified to stop nuclear ‘threat’

Ukraine said Sunday that US and Israeli strikes on Iran were justified to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, praising the military intervention as a “clear signal”.

“Ukraine is convinced that Iran’s nuclear programme must be stopped so that it never again poses a threat to the countries of the Middle East or any other state,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.

AFP

8:39pm

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint for global maritime that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and subsequently to the Indian Ocean. Photo: Screengrab from Google Maps

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuzfollowing US bombing raids, Iran’s Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure.

Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak after the overnight U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.

The decision to close the strait is not yet final and it was not officially reported that parliament had in fact adopted a bill to that effect.

Instead, a member of parliament’s national security commission Esmail Kosari was quoted on other Iranian media as saying: “For now, [parliament has] come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council.”

Reuters

8:22pm

Underground damage at Iran’s Fordow site is unclear, IAEA’s Grossi tells CNN

While it is clear that US airstrikes overnight hit Iran’s enrichment site buried into a mountain at Fordow, it is not yet possible to assess the damage done underground there, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told CNN on Sunday.

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Grossi leads have not been able to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities since the first strikes on them by Israel on June 13, and Grossi said he hoped they would be able to return to Fordow and other sites as soon as possible.

Reuters

8:20pm

Iran has highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make at least 9-10 bombs: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Iran against retaliating against US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, saying such an action would be “the worst mistake they’ve ever made.”

He said Iran had highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make at least nine or 10 bombs.

Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, made the comments on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” show.

Reuters

8:15pm

US used 7 B-2 bombers for ‘surprise’ Iran attack: top general

Seven stealth bombers were used in the US attack against Iranian nuclear sites, which apparently saw little response by Iran’s military, top general Dan Caine said Sunday.

Describing the complex operation, dubbed “Midnight Hammer,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the “main strike package comprised of 7 B-2 Spirit bombers” flying 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran with multiple aerial refuelings.

“Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise,” Caine added.

AFP

8:00pm

US Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany February 14, 2025. REUTERS

US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday the US was not at war with Iran but at war with its nuclear programme, adding the program had been pushed back by a very long time due to American strikes ordered by President Donald Trump.

Trump said he had “obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites in strikes overnight with massive bunker-busting bombs, joining Israel’s assault against its Middle East rival in a significant new escalation of conflict in the region.

“We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” Vance said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” show

“I think that we have really pushed their programme back by a very long time. I think that it’s going to be many, many years before the Iranians are going to be able to develop a nuclear weapon.”

Reuters

7:57pm

UN Security Council to meet Sunday over US strikes on Iran

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet later on Sunday, diplomats said, after the United States joined Israel’s assault on Iran and hit the country’s main nuclear sites overnight in strikes with massive bunker-busting bombs.

Iran requested the meeting, calling on the 15-member body “to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Israel “do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.”

Reuters

7:45pm

Israeli military says 30 Air Force jets attacked dozens of military targets in Iran using more than 60 munitions on Sunday

Reuters

7:00pm

Tel Aviv shares hit record highs after US strikes Iran nuclear sites

Israeli stocks rose for a sixth session on Sunday to hit fresh all-time highs after US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, which investors believe would likely prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons anytime soon.

The broad Tel Aviv 125 index .TA125 was 1.3% higher, while the blue-chip TA-35 .TA35 was 1.2% higher in afternoon trading.

On the heels of Israeli strikes in Iran, shares rose during all five sessions last week, gaining some 6%, as Israel hit Iranian nuclear and military targets prior to Saturday’s surprise US attacks.

“The destruction of Iran’s key nuclear facilities by the US military is, of course, a positive development … in terms of improving the regional security environment and reducing Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities,” said Mizrahi Tefahot chief markets economist Ronen Menachem. “It’s a game-changer.”

Reuters

6:45pm

An organisation that monitors flight risks warned on Sunday that U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region as some airlines cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha.

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East due to ongoing missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, the latest upheaval to travel in the region.

Singapore Airlines said it cancelled scheduled flights from Singapore to Dubai following a security assessment and British Airways cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha.

Reuters

6:30pm

US strikes ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions: Pentagon chief

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success that have obliterated Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” Hegseth told reporters in a briefing, adding that said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

[06:15pm]

US strikes against Iran nuclear facilities ‘incredible and overwhelming success,’ Pentagon chief says

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success which took months and weeks of positioning to carry out.

Hegseth said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people, but they did obliterate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

[06:04pm]

Iran president condemns US ‘aggression’ in first reaction to strikes

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned US strikes on nuclear sites Sunday, saying in his first response that the attack revealed Washington was “behind” Israel’s military campaign in the Islamic republic.

“This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said, according to IRNA news agency, adding that the United States acted after seeing Israel’s “obvious inability”.

AFP

[05:15pm]

Iran Red Crescent says no deaths in US strikes on nuclear sites

The head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, said there were no fatalities in the US strikes Sunday on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“Fortunately, we did not have any martyrs in last night’s events of the US aggression against Iran’s nuclear facilities,” he said according to state television.

AFP

[03:55pm]

Iran FM says to meet Russia’s Putin on Monday for talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that he would travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday following the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“I’m going to Moscow this afternoon” and will hold “serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow” morning, Araghchi said at a press conference in Istanbul on the sidelines of an OIC summit.

AFP

[03:45pm]

Kremlin says Putin has no plans to speak to Trump after US strikes on Iran, but call can be arranged

The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had no plans to speak to U.S. President Donald Trump following U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, but added the call could be quickly arranged, state news agency TASS reported.

Reuters

[03:35pm]

Iran’s foreign minister Araghchi denounces US attack as ‘outrageous’

The Iranian foreign minister has condemned the US’s “brutal military aggression” against what he described as Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme.

“It is an outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the charter of the United Nations and international law,” Abbas Araghchi said during his speech in Istanbul at the OIC summit.

The US attack is a violation of the UN charter

US President Trump has betrayed not only Iran but deceived his own nation

Tehran will continue to defend its sovereignty and people

US is responsible for the consequences of its act of aggression

Tehran calls on UN Security Council to convene for an emergency meeting

The responsibility of the IAEA and its chief Grossi paved the way to this aggression

Calls on IAEA board of governors to condemn the attack on nuclear facilities

Tehran reserves all options to defend its security, interest and people

Reuters

[03:15pm]

Iran says US decided to ‘blow up’ diplomacy with strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the United States and Israel “decided to blow up” diplomacy when they launched strikes on his country’s nuclear sites.

In a post on X, Araghchi said Israel blew up negotiations between Tehran and Washington with its strikes on June 13, while the United States did the same to talks with European powers this week with its strikes on Sunday. Addressing European calls for Iran to return to negotiations, he asked “how can Iran return to something it never left”.

AFP

[03:05pm]

Russia’s Medvedev says Trump started new war for US after attack on Iran

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump had started a new war for the U.S. by attacking Iran.

U.S. forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites, Trump said late on Saturday, and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.

“Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the U.S.,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.

Reuters

[02:55pm]

US strikes on Iran risk ‘war with irreversible consequences’: Red Cross chief

The military escalation in the Middle East risks sparking warfare with irreversible consequences, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday, following US strikes on Iran.

ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric called for civilians and medical personnel to be spared after the US military hit three Iranian nuclear sites, joining its ally Israel’s bombing campaign.

“The intensification and spread of major military operations in the Middle East risk engulfing the region — and the world — in a war with irreversible consequences,” Spoljaric said in a statement.

“The world cannot absorb limitless war.

“Upholding international humanitarian law is not a choice — it is an obligation. Civilians must be spared from the conduct of hostilities.”

AFP

[02:40pm]

Germany calls on Iran to ‘immediately’ resume negotiations with US: govt spokesman

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday called for a swift return to diplomacy after the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran overnight, his spokesman said.

Iran must “immediately enter into negotiations with the US and Israel and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict”, Merz said, according to his spokesman Stefan Kornelius.

The German government believes “large parts of Iran’s nuclear programme have been damaged by the airstrikes”, Kornelius said.

AFP

[02:20pm]

European Council president calls for restraint in Middle East

European Council President Antonio Costa said on Sunday he was deeply alarmed by the situation in the Middle East and urged restraint and diplomacy on all sides.

“I call on all parties to show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety,” Costa said in a post on social media platform X.

“Diplomacy remains the only way to bring peace and security to the Middle East region. Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation,” he said, adding that the EU will continue engaging the parties and partners.

Reuters

[01:40pm]

EU top diplomat urges ‘all sides to step back’ after US strikes

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas called Sunday for de-escalation and a return to negotiations after the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,” Kallas wrote on X, adding Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation on Monday.

AFP

[01:30pm]

IAEA calls emergency board meeting after US bombs Iran nuclear sites

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Sunday he was calling an emergency meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors after the United States said it carried out military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“In light of the urgent situation in Iran, I am convening an emergency meeting of the (International Atomic Energy Agency) Board of Governors for tomorrow,” IAEA chief Grossi said on X.

Reuters

[01:19pm]

Iranian lawmaker says US strikes give Iran legal right to exit nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Iran has the legal right to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) based on its Article 10 following U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, Parliament Foreign Policy Committee Head Abbas Golroo said on X on Sunday.

Article 10 states that an NPT member has “the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.”

Reuters

[01:09pm]

At least three impacts in Israel during Iran missile attacks, 23 hurt

Three areas of Israel including coastal hub Tel Aviv were hit Sunday morning during waves of Iranian missile attacks, with at least 23 people injured, according to rescue services and police.

Several buildings were heavily damaged in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv, with holes torn in the facades of apartment blocks.

“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters at the scene. “Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside.

“Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay.”

AFP

[12:49pm]

UK’s Starmer calls for Iran to return to negotiations following US strikes

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iran to return to the negotiating table and said that stability in the region remained a priority, according to a statement from Downing Street on Sunday, following US strikes on Iran’s three main nuclear sites.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the U.S. has taken action to alleviate that threat,” Starmer said in the statement.

Reuters

[12:45pm]

Iran says nuclear attacks show US ‘will stop at no illegality or crime’ to support Israel

Iran’s foreign ministry said the US attacks Sunday on nuclear facilities showed that Washington “will stop at no illegality or crime” to support Israel.

“It has now become abundantly clear to all that the very regime which enjoys permanent membership in the Security Council is beholden to no principle or morality and will stop at no illegality or crime to serve the aims of a genocidal, occupying regime,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to the United States and Israel respectively.

AFP

[12:30pm]

Iraq warns US attacks on Iran threaten regional peace

Iraq warned on Sunday that the US attacks on its neighbour Iran’s nuclear facilities threaten peace and stability in the Middle East.

Iraq “expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the targeting of nuclear facilities” in Iran, government spokesperson Basim Alawadi said. “This military escalation constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East and poses serious risks to regional stability,” he added.

AFP

[11:55am]

NATO official says watching situation closely after US strikes on Iran

A NATO official told Reuters on Sunday that the alliance is watching the situation closely after U.S. President Donald Trump said American forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites.

Reuters

[11:52am]

Israel military launches fresh wave of strikes in western Iran

Israeli security forces and first responders gather at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles at the country following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

AFP

[11:49am]

Kuwait does not detect increase in radioactive traces after US attacks on Iran nuclear sites

Kuwait said its nuclear defence center did not detect an increase in radioactive traces in Kuwaiti airspace and waters following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, the country’s national guard said in a post on X.

Reuters

[11:45am]

Iran says targeted Ben Gurion airport, other sites in attack on Israel

Iran’s armed forces said Sunday they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, after US attacks on key nuclear sites in the Islamic republic.

“The twentieth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 began using a combination of long-range liquid and solid fuel missiles with devastating warhead power,” the armed forces said in a statement quoted by Fars news agency. The targets included the airport, a “biological research centre”, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres, it added.

AFP

[11:25am]

11 hurt after Iranian missiles launched at Israel: rescue services

At least 11 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said.

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement that “11 people were taken to hospital, including one in moderate condition — a 30-year-old man wounded in the upper body by shrapnel.”

Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble that it said was in central Israel, following the two waves of missiles launched at Israel from around 7:30 am (0430 GMT).

AFP

[11:15am]

Iran executes man convicted of being spy for Israel: judiciary

Iranian authorities executed on Sunday a man convicted of being an agent for Israel’s Mossad spy service, the judiciary said, as fighting raged between the two foes for a tenth day.

“Majid Mosayebi… was hanged this morning after going through the full process of criminal procedure and after his sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said, adding that he sought to provide “sensitive information … to Mossad.” Iranian authorities have carried out multiple arrests of people suspected of spying for Israel since its attack on June 13.

AFP

[11:05am]

IAEA says no increase in radiation levels reported after US strikes on Iran

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday there had been no increase in off-site radiation levels reported following U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, including the Fordow site.

Reuters

[10:55am]

Iran launches 30 missiles at Israel: state television

Iran’s state TV announced on Sunday new missile launches against Israel after Tel Aviv’s closest ally the United States bombed several Iranian nuclear sites.

“These live images you are seeing are of a new salvo of Iranian missiles fired on the occupied territories,” said a presenter on air, referring to Israel. Citing “sources”, a presenter said that “30 missiles have been launched at Israel from Iran”.

AFP

[10:45am]

Yemeni Houthi’s response to US attack on Iran ‘only a matter of time’, official says

A Yemeni Houthi official said on Sunday that the Iran-aligned group’s response to the U.S. attack on Iran was “only a matter of time”.

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement’s political bureau, told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV that its ceasefire deal with Washington was before the “war” on Iran.

The group has been launching attacks on shipping lanes and Israel in what it says is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israeli war. It agreed on a ceasefire deal with the United States in May to stop attacking U.S. ships in exchange for an end to Washington’s bombings of the group.

Reuters

[10:25am]

Iran’s Araghchi says US attack will have ‘everlasting consequences’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. AFP file photo

In his first public remarks after the US strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Washington of breaching international law.

“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi said in a social media post.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.”

He added that Iran “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people”.

[10:05am]

Airlines keep avoiding Middle East airspace after US attack on Iran

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, with traffic already skirting airspace in the region due to recent missile exchanges.

“Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week,” FlightRadar24 said on social media platform X.

Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if it results in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times.

Reuters

[09:25am]

Iran says ‘no signs of contamination’ after US attacks on key nuclear sites

AFP

[09:15am]

Saudi regulator says no radiation detected after US strikes on Iran

No radioactive traces have been detected in the environment of Saudi Arabia or other Arab Gulf states following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Saudi Arabia’s nuclear regulator said in a post on X on Sunday.

Reuters

[09:11am]

Hamas condemns ‘blatant US aggression’ against Iran

Palestinian group Hamas condemned “blatant US aggression” against Iran after President Donald Trump said American warplanes bombed Tehran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities.

“The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemns in the strongest terms the blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the group said in a statement issued after Trump announced the United States had joined Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran.

“This brutal aggression is a dangerous escalation,” the Hamas statement added, calling the attack “a flagrant violation of international law, and a direct threat to international peace and security”.

AFP

[08:51am]

Trump warns Iran against any retaliation after US strikes

President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran to not respond after US strikes targeted its main nuclear enrichment facilities in attacks he called a “spectacular military success.”

“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” Trump posted on social media after making an address to the nation from the White House.

AFP

[08:26am]

UN chief Guterres says US strike on Iran a dangerous escalation

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday branded the U.S. strikes on Iran as a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” Guterres said in a statement.

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[08:19am]

Trump says Iran must make peace or “we will go after” other targets

US President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside US Vice President JD Vance (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, DC on June 21, 2025, following the announcement that the US bombed nuclear sites in Iran. AFP

President Donald Trump said US air strikes on Sunday had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities, and warned of more attacks to come if Tehran does not seek peace.

In a televised address to the nation from the White House after the United States joined Israel’s air campaign against Tehran, Trump called the US attacks a “spectacular military success.”

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[08:17am]

Netanyahu congratulates Trump, says US ‘unsurpassed’ after attack on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the annual ceremony at the eve of Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers (Yom HaZikaron) at the Yad LaBanim Memorial in Jerusalem, 29 April 2025. File photo: Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump on Sunday after the president said the US military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.

“Congratulations President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” Netanyahu said in a video message, adding that the attacks demonstrated “America has been truly unsurpassed.”

Netanyahu added that Trump had created a “pivot of history” that will “help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace”.

AFP

[07:15am]

Iranian media says nuclear sites ‘attacked by enemy strikes’

Iranian media said on Sunday that part of the Fordo uranium enrichment facility as well as the Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were attacked, after Donald Trump said the US had bombed them.

“A few hours ago, after Qom’s air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordo nuclear site was attacked by enemy airstrikes,” Tasnim news agency reported, quoting Morteza Heydari, spokesperson for the Qom Provincial crisis management department.

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[06:30am]

US B-2 bombers involved in Iran strikes, US official says

US B-2 bombers were involved in strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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[06:25am]

Trump says US forces bombed Iran nuclear sites; says ‘Fordow is gone’

US forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites in a “very successful attack,” President Donald Trump said on Saturday, adding that the crown jewel of Tehran’s nuclear program, Fordow, is gone.

After days of deliberation, Trump’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign against its major rival Iran represents a major escalation of the conflict.

“All planes are safely on their way home,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, and he congratulated “our great American Warriors.”

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