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06:10 AM EDT Iran claims strike on Mossad center in Tel Aviv Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed to have struck a Mossad center in Tel Aviv, Agence France-Presse reports. In a statement on state television, the Guards said they “struck the military intelligence centre of the Zionist regime’s army, Aman, and the Zionist regime’s terrorist operations planning centre, the Mossad, in Tel Aviv”. The Guards claimed the building was “currently on fire”. There was no immediate response from Israel.

06:01 AM EDT Iran cancels leave for doctors, nurses and emergency staff Iranian authorities have cancelled all leave for medical personnel nationwide. The directive affects doctors, nurses and emergency staff, reflecting heightened concerns over potential retaliation or regional fallout. Across the capital, banners calling for a “severe” response to Israel were prominently displayed, underscoring the government’s mobilization efforts. Long queues formed at gas stations throughout Tehran, as residents braced for possible disruptions. The government has yet to announce any formal measures affecting fuel distribution, but the panic buying is widespread, The Associated Press reported. Black smoke billows from the headquarters of Iranian state television in Tehran following an Israeli attack on June 16, 2025. The attack occurred during a live broadcast, filling the studio with dust and debris and… Black smoke billows from the headquarters of Iranian state television in Tehran following an Israeli attack on June 16, 2025. The attack occurred during a live broadcast, filling the studio with dust and debris and forcing an anchor to run off camera. More Kyodo via AP Images

05:35 AM EDT Trump seeking ‘a real end’ Trump has been speaking to reporters on board Air Force One and said he was “not too much in the mood to negotiate”. “We’re looking at better than a ceasefire,” he said. He was asked what is better than a ceasefire, and responded: “A real end. Not a ceasefire. An end.” “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” he said. “They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal. So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.” When asked why he called for the nine million residents of Tehran to evacuate immediately, Trump said: “I just want people to be safe.” President Trump said on Air Force One that he wants “a real end,” with #Iran “giving up entirely” on its nuclear program. He predicted that Israeli won’t be slowing up its barrage on Iran. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed… pic.twitter.com/z9PLFNdjhj — Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) June 17, 2025

05:30 AM EDT Tom O’Connor: Iran’s Opposition Is Divisive and Divided As Israel continues an unprecedented military operation against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly called on Iranians to overthrow their government, going so far as to indicate that his forces’ operations “could certainly” lead to a regime change effort, Tom O’Connor writes. Now, a number of opposition groups based in the country and abroad are calling for a mass uprising against the Islamic Republic. Yet the Iranian government’s domestic foes are composed of a diverse and largely fractured array of factions, including secular dissidents, militias organized along ethnic lines, Islamist militants and those seeking to restore a monarchy with ancient roots. READ IN FULL: As Israel Eyes Regime Change, Iran’s Opposition Is Divisive and Divided People raise flags of Iran and allied factions in Enghelab Square during a rally in Tehran amid Israeli strikes against Iran on June 14, 2025. People raise flags of Iran and allied factions in Enghelab Square during a rally in Tehran amid Israeli strikes against Iran on June 14, 2025. HOSSEIN BERIS/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images

05:20 AM EDT Meloni urges Trump to negotiate with Iran Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni stressed “the opportunity to reopen the road of negotiations” with Iran during a bilateral meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in Canada, her office said in a statement Tuesday. She also underlined “the necessity in this moment” of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.

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Trump looking for “complete give up” by Iran, Politico pool report

TEL AVIV/DUBAI, June 17 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran and indicated he may send senior American officials to meet with the Islamic Republic as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth straight day.

He made the comments during his midnight departure from Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven nations summit on Monday, according to comments posted by a CBS News reporter on social media platform X.

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Trump predicted that Israel would not be easing its attacks on Iran. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far,” the CBS journalist quoted Trump as saying on Air Force One.

He said “I may”, on the prospect of sending U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet with Iran.

Trump is looking for a “complete give up” by Iran, according to a pool report by Politico.

Washington has said Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran, even as the military confrontation unfolds.

World leaders meeting at the Group of Seven summit called for a de-escalation of the worst-ever conflict between the regional foes, saying Iran was a source of instability and must never have a nuclear weapon while affirming Israel’s right to defend itself.

Trump, who left the summit early due to the Middle East situation, said his departure had “nothing to do with” working on a deal between Israel and Iran after French President Emmanuel Macron said the U.S. had initiated a ceasefire proposal.

“Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late on Monday.

Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that has killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran’s military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in the coming days.

Trump has consistently said the Israeli assault could end quickly if Iran agreed to U.S. demands that it accept strict curbs on its nuclear programme.

“Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump said on Monday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday that a “more powerful” new wave of missiles was recently launched towards Israel, the state news agency reported. A senior Iranian army commander said a new wave of drones would hit Israel.

Three people were killed and four injured in Iran’s central city of Kashan in an Israeli attack, Iran’s Nournews reported on Tuesday.

EXPLOSIONS, AIR DEFENCE FIRE

Iranian media also reported explosions and heavy air defence fire in Tehran early on Tuesday, with smoke rising in the city’s east after an explosion of suspected Israeli projectiles. Air defences were activated also in Natanz, home to key nuclear installations 320 km (200 miles) away, the Asriran news website reported.

Item 1 of 10 A firefighter works to extinguish a fire on a bus following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun [1/10] A firefighter works to extinguish a fire on a bus following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

Doctors and nurses have been recalled from leave to carry out their duties, Iranian media reported.

Khorramabad city MP Reza Sepahvand told the Iranian labour news agency that most incidents happening in Iran are due to “infiltrators” rather than direct action from Israel, adding that 21 people were killed in the western province of Lorestan.

World oil markets are on high alert for any developments in the conflict that could hit global supply.

A shipping incident near the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates early on Tuesday morning was not security related but a result of ships colliding. The UAE coast guard said it had evacuated 24 people from oil tanker ADALYNN following a collision between two ships in the Gulf of Oman, near Hormuz. About a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption passes through the waterway.

Naval sources have told Reuters that electronic interference with commercial ship navigation systems has surged in recent days around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf, which is having an impact on vessels sailing through the region.

Israel’s military said on Tuesday that it killed Iran’s wartime chief of staff. Israel also said it carried out extensive strikes on Iranian military targets including weapons storage sites and missile launchers.

Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said nearly 3,000 Israelis had been evacuated due to damage from Iranian strikes.

Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to urge Trump to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, according to two Iranian and three regional sources.

CHINESE URGED TO LEAVE ISRAEL

“If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. “Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue.”

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East widely believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

With security concerns growing and Israeli airspace closed because of the war, the Chinese embassy in Israel urged its citizens to leave the country via land border crossings as soon as possible.

The conflict escalated on Monday with Israel attacking Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC that the Natanz plant sustained extensive damage, likely destroying 15,000 centrifuges, while Iran’s Fordow plant remained largely intact.

(This story has been refiled to remove repeated words from the headline)

Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Howard Goller, Lincoln Feast and Michael Georgy; Editing by Saad Sayeed, William Maclean

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US President Donald Trump said his early departure from the Group of Seven leaders meeting in Canada has “nothing to do” with working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, instead saying his reason is “much bigger than that.”

In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump later said he wants a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran, including the country “giving up entirely” on the idea of nuclear weapons and their existing nuclear program “wiped out,” rather than simply obtaining a ceasefire in the region, according to CBS.

Trump hasn’t clearly spelled out his next steps as he returns to the US capital.

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While world leaders met in Alberta, Israel continued to bombard Iran in a bid to disable its nuclear program. And Iran fired masses of missiles and launched drones at Israel in retaliation. Trump earlier Monday warned residents of Tehran to evacuate the city, while also telling Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions and seek a deal.

Trump, asked about his call for a Tehran evacuation, said he wants people to be safe, CBS said, adding that Israel hasn’t slowed up on its barrage on Iran.

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The president also told reporters that he “may” send a high-level official such as Steven Witkoff, his special envoy for the Middle East, or Vice President JD Vance to meet with Iran, CBS reported, adding that “it depends what happens when I get back.”

Asked if Iran’s nuclear program would be destroyed if the US got involved in the conflict militarily, Trump said he hopes it’s “wiped out long before that,” CBS said. Trump reiterated a warning to Iran that they should avoid retaliating against the US, saying he’s prepared to “come down so hard” on Iran if they “do anything to our people,” according to CBS.

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French President Emmanuel Macron previously suggested to reporters in Canada Monday that Trump’s early departure from the G-7 meeting could mean a positive development in the ongoing conflict, saying that “if the US can obtain a ceasefire that is a good thing.”

Trump, in the Truth Social post, said Macron was wrong about his intentions.

“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post sent at 1:15 a.m. Washington time on Tuesday, shortly after boarding Air Force One for his flight to the US capital.

“He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that,” Trump wrote. “Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned!”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was leaving for Washington “so he can attend to many important matters,” and in a follow-up post on X said the departure was due to “what’s going on in the Middle East.”

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Published on June 17, 2025

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Donald Trump’s early departure from the G7 summit has “nothing to do with” working on an Israel-Iran ceasefire but is something “much bigger than that”, the US president said, refuting comments by French president Emmanuel Macron.

“Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘ceasefire’ between Israel and Iran. Wrong,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.” The French president had claimed an “offer was made, especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions”.

The US president yesterday warned Tehran’s residents to “immediately evacuate”.

Iran has denied allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons, the pretext upon which Israel began striking Iran on Friday morning. More than 200 people have been killed in Iran and more than 20 in Israel, their respective authorities have reported.

On his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump has posted he has not reached out to Iran about ceasefire talks “in any way, shape, or form”.

The US President writes Iran should have signed a deal during the most recent talks over Iran’s nuclear programme.

“This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS! If they want to talk, they know how to reach me,” Mr Trump wrote.

“They should have taken the deal that was on the table – Would have saved a lot of lives!!!”