Trump Says Reason For Leaving G7 Summit Early ‘Much Bigger’ Than Iran-Israel Ceasefire
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Why did Trump leave G7 early? ‘Much bigger’ than Iran cease-fire, he says
President Donald Trump denied reports that he left the G7 summit early to work on a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he was looking to achieve something better than a Cease Fire. The president added that “giving up entirely” was also an option. Trump also issued an ominous warning on the platform Monday evening, writing that “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” and adding “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump said that he may consider sending Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians. He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear program.
President Donald Trump denied reports late Monday that he left the G7 summit in Canada early to work on a cease-fire between Israel and Iran, hinting that it was for something “much bigger.”
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One during an overnight flight back to Washington that he was looking to achieve something better than a cease-fire and would meet with advisers in the Situation Room early Tuesday.
“We’re looking at better than a cease-fire,” Trump said. “We’re not looking for a cease-fire. I didn’t say that I was looking for a cease-fire.”
When asked what was better than a cease-fire, Trump responded, “An end. A real end, not ceasefire. An end.” The president added that “giving up entirely” was also an option.
ISRAEL’S US AMBASSADOR SAYS BEEPER OPERATION WILL ‘SEEM SIMPLE’ COMPARED TO WHAT IS PLANNED FOR IRAN
Trump earlier denied reports that he was rushing back to Washington to work on a cease-fire, saying on his Truth Social platform that “it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.”
Trump also issued an ominous warning on the platform Monday evening, writing that “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” and adding “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
When reporters aboard Air Force One asked about his call for the residents of Tehran to evacuate, Trump said there was no threat, but “there’s a lot of bad things happening and I think it’s safer for them to evacuate.”
Trump, however, echoed his stance on Iran’s nuclear program.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” Trump told reporters.
TRUMP SAYS IRAN WOULD ‘LIKE TO TALK’ ABOUT DIALING DOWN ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear program, and suggested he was now less interested in talking with them.
“They should have done the deal. I told them, ‘Do the deal,’” Trump said. “So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”
When Trump was asked again if the U.S. getting involved militarily would ensure a wipeout of Iran’s nuclear program, Trump said, “I hope their program is going to be wiped out long before that. They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.”
While Trump appeared bearish on negotiations, he said that he may consider sending Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It depends on what happens when I get back,” Trump said of the Israel-Iran conflict, telling reporters that “nobody’s slowed up so far.”
Fox News’ Kaitlin Sprague, Luke Trevisan and Nick Rojas contributed to this report.
G7 Summit Live Updates: Before exit, Trump says ‘Iran can never have a nuclear weapon’
US President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit abruptly, departing a day early amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. In a post on Truth Social, he said that Iran should have “signed the deal” to curb nuclear weapons development, calling the current situation “a shame” The last time a G7 Summit was held in Canada, Donald Trump was the US President and in attendance. His presence at the 2018 Quebec summit came on the heels of his country announcing steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada, Mexico and Europe. Trump had then demanded that Russia be re-admitted into the grouping, following the expulsion after its annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014. He left the summit early while denouncing then-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau as “very dishonest and weak”, and ordered the US delegation in attendance not to sign the joint communique. The statement reads: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself”
G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: After exiting the G7 summit a day prior to the planned schedule, US President Donald Trump put out a post stating that the Israel-Iran ceasefire was not why he cut short his visit, hinting at a “much bigger” move. His remarks came after French President Emmanuel Macron claimed POTUS made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Joining other leaders before leaving, along with other leaders, Trump issued a statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Israel-Iran tensions: US President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven summit abruptly, departing a day early amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iran and urged all Iranians to “immediately evacuate” Tehran. In a post on Truth Social, he said that Iran should have “signed the deal” to curb nuclear weapons development, calling the current situation “a shame”.
What’s on India, Canada table? Both sides are working overtime to “ring-fence” bilateral ties from the judicial process regarding Nijjar’s killing. Relations between the two countries plummeted in 2023 after Justin Trudeau, the then Canadian Prime Minister, alleged “potential” involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Nijjar – a charge India rejected as “absurd” and “motivated”. Live Updates 21:35 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: G7 leaders call for de-escalation but insist Iran must not get nukes Leaders of the Group of Seven countries meeting in Canada signed a joint statement calling for de-escalation of fighting between Israel and Iran while reaffirming that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb. The statement reads: “We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel. “We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians. Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror. We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. “We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza. We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.” AP 19:55 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Trump had called Justin Trudeau ‘very dishonest and weak’ at previous G7 summit The last time a G7 Summit was held in Canada, Donald Trump was the US President and in attendance. His presence at the 2018 Quebec summit came on the heels of his country announcing steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada, Mexico and Europe. The image of him sitting with his hands crossed, while a group of leaders led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel confronted him, would define the chaos that ensued. Trump had then demanded that Russia be re-admitted into the grouping, following the expulsion after its annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014. He left the summit early while denouncing then-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau as “very dishonest and weak”, and ordered the US delegation in attendance not to sign the joint communique. 18:48 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Modi and the G7 summit: Engaging with a divided West | Column As one reflects on the ongoing G7 summit in Canada, it’s easy to be distracted by the anti-India protests orchestrated by Khalistani groups or to be perturbed by US President Donald Trump’s recurring assertions about mediating peace between India and Pakistan. But the summit has much bigger fish to fry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation comes at a time of profound geopolitical flux and mounting divisions within the G7 itself. Once a symbol of strategic unity among the world’s leading democracies, the G7 now reflects deep internal contradictions — across trade, technology, climate, and regional security in Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. Though India is not a member, its regular presence at the summit affords Delhi a critical platform to advance national interests, elevate its diplomatic profile, and contribute to shaping a new multipolar order. For Modi, this is an opportunity to assess first-hand the new dynamics within the West and make the best of them to promote India’s security and prosperity. C Raja Mohan writes 17:15 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Iran Minister tells G7 countries to condemn Israel Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Baghaei tells G7 countries to stop ‘one-sided rhetoric’ and condemn the Israeli aggressor : Report 16:56 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Kremlin calls G7 ‘useless’, agrees with Trump that kicking out Russia was a mistake The Kremlin said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump was right to assert that it had been a big mistake to expel Russia from the Group of Eight in 2014, but that the G7 was no longer significant for Russia and looked “rather useless” now. Trump said at a Group of Seven summit in Canada on Monday that the G8 had been wrong to kick out Russia in 2014 after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine. “This was a big mistake,” Trump said, adding he believed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine in 2022 had President Vladimir Putin not been ejected from the leaders’ club. He said Putin “basically doesn’t even speak to the people that threw him out, and I agree with him”. Reuters 16:31 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Here’s what Trump did before leaving Before leaving, US President Donald Trump joined the other leaders in issuing a statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.” 13:04 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Trump urges NSC to be prepared as he abruptly exits from G7 summit United States President Donald Trump has urged the national security council be prepared in the situation room as he departed early from the G7 summit in Canada, the co-host of Fox News’ “FOX & Friends” program, Lawrence Jones, said on X. 11:16 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: Trump slams Macron as French President claims POTUS made Iran-Israel ceasefire offer at G7 US President Donald Trump, on Tuesday (June 16), slammed French President Emmanuel Macron over his remarks where he said that POTUS made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran at the G7 summit. Calling Macron a “Publicity seeking President”, Trump said that the ceasefire was not why he cut short his visit, hinting at a “much bigger” move for his abrupt exit. “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! 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. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay Tuned,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social handle. 11:08 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: ‘Trump made Iran-Israel ceasefire offer at G7’, claims Macron French President Emmanuel Macron said that US President Trump made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. “There is indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions … We have to see now whether the sides will follow,” he told reporters at the G7 summit. pic.twitter.com/W3eosv1aB5
— Reuters (@Reuters) French President Emmanuel Macron said that US President Trump had made an offer for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran https://t.co/9sbjfNKFu7 — Reuters (@Reuters) June 17, 2025 10:56 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: ‘Israel has right to defend itself’, G7 issues statement condemning Iran The Group of Seven nations threw its weight behind Israel stating that the country has full right to defend itself, condemning Iran as “the principal source of instability and terror” in the region. “We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel,” G7 leaders said in the statement. “Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror,” the statement added and said the G7 was “clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” 10:51 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump abruptly leaves G7 visit due to Israel-Iran tensions US President Donald Trump left the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada Tuesday, a day earlier than scheduled, due to the escalating tensions in the Middle East region, saying “I have to be back, very important.”. Earlier, the White House issued a statement saying that POTUS will have to leave the summit early, “so he can attend to many important matters.” “President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. 10:10 (IST) 17 Jun 2025 G7 Summit News LIVE Updates: PM Modi arrives in Canada Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Calgary, Canada, on Tuesday (June 17), where he is scheduled to attend the G7 (Group of Seven) Summit at Kananaskis, Alberta. “Landed in Calgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharing my thoughts on important global issues. Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South,” he wrote in a post on X.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) Landed in Calgary, Canada, to take part in the G7 Summit. Will be meeting various leaders at the Summit and sharing my thoughts on important global issues. Will also be emphasising the priorities of the Global South. pic.twitter.com/GJegQPilXe — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 17, 2025
Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Trump Says He’s Working on ‘Much Bigger’ Matter Than Iran–Israel Cease-Fire
President Donald Trump said on Monday that his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada was due to a matter “much bigger” than a cease-fire between Israel and Iran. Trump said he wanted a genuine end to Iran’s nuclear program, dismissing French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier claim that the U.S. had made an offer to secure an end to the conflict. Trump later posted on Truth Social that he had not contacted the Iranian government to engage in any form of ‘peace talks’ The United States has made clear it is not involved in the attacks against Iran but said it remains committed to defending U.s. interests and personnel in the region.Iranian officials have declared that dialogue with the United States was no longer meaningful after Israel launched its attack. At least 224 people have been killed in Iranian strikes since June 13, including several military officials and nuclear scientists, the Iranian Ministry of Health said.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada was due to a matter “much bigger” than a cease-fire between Israel and Iran.
Trump told reporters he wanted a genuine end to Iran’s nuclear program, dismissing French President Emmanuel Macron’s earlier claim that the U.S. had made an offer to secure a cease-fire between Israel and Iran.
“I’m not looking for a cease-fire, we’re looking at better than a cease-fire,” Trump said aboard Air Force One, noting that his goal is for Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions entirely.
Trump later posted on Truth Social that his early departure from the summit had nothing to do with a cease-fire in the Iran-Israel conflict.
In a subsequent post , Trump clarified that he had not contacted the Iranian government to engage in any form of peace talks.
“ If they want to talk, they know how to reach me. They should have taken the deal that was on the table – Would have saved a lot of lives!!!” he stated on Truth Social.
U.S. and Iranian officials had previously engaged in negotiations as Trump pushed for Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
Oman’s government, which has acted as a mediator in the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, said on June 14 that upcoming talks between the two sides were canceled following Israel’s recent airstrikes against Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the operation is to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran’s alleged nuclear and missile programs.
Iran has since retaliated, deploying ballistic missiles and attack drones against Israel. The two nations have continued to exchange strikes.
Trump has urged residents to evacuate Tehran immediately and said that Iran should have accepted a nuclear disarmament deal with the United States earlier.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life,” he stated . “Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday that the proposed nuclear agreement is still on the table and that it is up to Iran whether to accept it.
“We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here,” Hegseth told Fox News.
“President Trump has made it clear that it’s on the table. The question is whether Iran will take it.”
The United States has made clear it is not involved in the attacks against Iran but said it remains committed to defending U.S. interests and personnel in the region.
Hegseth said on Monday that he had ordered the deployment of additional capabilities to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, to bolster U.S. defense posture in the region.
Israeli air defense systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 16, 2025. Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images
“Protecting U.S. forces is our top priority and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region,” he said in a statement , without detailing the specific capabilities being deployed.
Iranian officials have declared that dialogue with the United States was no longer meaningful after Israel launched its attack.
“The other side acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime to target Iran’s territory,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told the state-affiliated Tasnim news agency on June 14.
The Iranian Ministry of Health said on Sunday that at least 224 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since June 13, including several top military officials and nuclear scientists.
Israel’s government said that 24 people have been killed in Iranian attacks as of June 16.
Tom Ozimek and Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.
Israel and Iran strikes continue into fifth day as Trump demands ‘complete give-up’ by Tehran – latest updates
US intelligence assessments have found Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon and would have been up to three years away from being able to deliver one. The assessments are in stark contrast to the narrative being pushed by Israel that Iran was fast approaching a point of no return in acquiring nuclear weapons. US forces have pulled out of two more bases in northeastern Syria, visiting Reuters reporters found, accelerating a troop drawdown that the commander of US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces said was allowing a resurgence of Islamic State. German chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the leadership in Tehran has been weakened by Israel’s attacks in the past few days and will probably not return to its former strength. Israeli military officials said its forces struck on Tuesday “dozens’ of missile launchers as well as the arch-foes of Iran. The Israeli air force said it believes it has completed a series of strikes on Iran’‘s Natanz enrichment site’ in which it “a number of surface-to-surface missile launchers were struck’.
10m ago 17.14 BST The day so far US president Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran “giving up entirely” on nuclear weapons, according to comments that were posted by a CBS News reporter on X. Trump made the comments during his midnight departure from Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven nations summit on Monday, the CBS News reporter said early on Tuesday.
US intelligence assessments have found Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon and would have been up to three years away from being able to deliver one, CNN is reporting. The assessments, sourced to four people familiar with them, are in stark contrast to the narrative being pushed by Israel that Iran was fast approaching a point of no return in acquiring nuclear weapons.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the leadership in Tehran has been weakened by Israel’s attacks in the past few days and will probably not return to its former strength. “This regime is very weakened and will probably not return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain. We will have to wait and see,” Merz said in an interview with broadcaster Welt at the G7 summit in Canada.
Keir Starmer has rejected the idea that Donald Trump might want to directly involve the US in helping Israel attack Iran , saying that his discussions with the US president at the G7 summit made him convinced Trump genuinely sought peace, pointing to Trump’s decision to also sign a leaders’ statement about the need for de-escalation. Speaking to reporters at the summit in Kananaskis, Canada, Starmer said he was sitting next to Trump at Monday evening’s leaders’ G7 dinner at which the statement was drafted, “so I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was in relation to the words that were then issued immediately after that”.
Iran ’s ambassador to the UK insisted his country had no intention of building a nuclear weapon as he clashed with MPs on Tuesday. Seyed Ali Mousavi told the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that Iran’s nuclear programme was “only peaceful”, insisting: “There is no desire, not any intention, to produce a nuclear bomb.”
US forces have pulled out of two more bases in northeastern Syria , visiting Reuters reporters found, accelerating a troop drawdown that the commander of US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces said was allowing a resurgence of Islamic State . Reuters reporters who visited the two bases in the past week found them mostly deserted, both guarded by small contingents of the Syrian Democratic Forces – the Kurdish-led military group that Washington has backed in the fight against Islamic State for a decade.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said that Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could face the same fate as Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led invasion and was eventually hanged after a trial. “I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and fire missiles at Israeli citizens,” Katz told top Israeli military officials.
The Israeli military said its forces struck on Tuesday several locations in western Iran , hitting “dozens” of missile launchers as the arch-foes traded fire for a fifth straight day, AFP reports. The Israeli air force “completed a series of strikes in western Iran” in which “a number of sites and dozens of surface-to-surface missile launchers were struck”, a military statement said, hours after announcing “several extensive strikes” overnight on military targets in the Islamic republic’s west.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday that it believes Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s Natanz enrichment site have had “direct impacts” on the facility’s underground centrifuge halls, the Associated Press (AP) reports. The strikes are part of an air campaign Israel launched against its longtime foe five days ago, targeting Iran’s military and nuclear programme.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck a centre of the Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports. In a statement aired 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”.
Israel struck dozens of targets linked to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes overnight and has got Iran’s military leadership “on the run”, an Israeli military official said on Tuesday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Israeli air force had not targeted Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility, but said that still might happen, Reuters reported.
More than 600 people of 17 nationalities have fled into Azerbaijan from Iran in the five days since the start of the air war between Israel and Iran , an Azerbaijani source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. The source said they included citizens of Russia, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, China, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Israel’s El Al Airlines said on Tuesday it had received the government’s permission to start flights to bring back people stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran . The Israeli flag carrier was referring to people who had flights to Israel cancelled when its airspace was closed.
A Slovak government plane with 73 passengers – mostly Slovaks, but also Poles, Czechs, Austrians, Slovenians and others – landed in Bratislava on Monday before 17:00 GMT after leaving Israel, said Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports. Slovakia is sending another plane on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, with both expected to bring back Slovaks and foreigners.
An image of Iranian state TV presenter Sahar Emami , who was targeted live on air during an Israeli attack, has been displayed on a banner in Veliasr Square in Tehran. Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that her image, with her finger raised in defiance, was paired with a verse from the Persian poet Ferdowsi, celebrating the courage of women “on the battlefield”.
Qatar said on Tuesday its gas production at the South Pars field is steady and supply is proceeding normally, after the world’s largest gas field was struck by Israel on Saturday, prompting Iran to partially suspend its production, Reuters reports. Share
25m ago 17.00 BST Manisha Ganguly One of Iran’s largest banks, Bank Sepah, appears to be facing technical problems, with videos and reports suggesting customers have been unable to use its ATMs to withdraw money or use their bank cards. Sepah, Iran’s first bank, had been sanctioned by the US and UK for providing support for Iran’s Ministry of Defence and armed forces logistics. An Israel-linked “hacktivist” group, calling itself Predatory Sparrows or Gonjeshke Darande in Farsi, have claimed initial responsibility. Reports from Iranian state-linked Fars News appear to confirm the issues customers were facing, but have not confirmed details of any cyber-attack. Earlier today, the Iranian Cybersecurity Command prohibited all officials and security teams from using digital devices connected to communication networks, including phones, smart watches, portable computers, and to take necessary precautions. On Sunday, the hacktivist group made a post online claiming to have also hacked into Iranian government servers. It is unclear if these are linked. As the news of the issues facing Bank Sepah spread on social media, the online forum where the group post often was flooded with messages and discussions celebrating the cyber-attack in Hebrew. The group itself does not claim any state affiliation but claims to hit out at Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei. In response to reports attributing the cyber-attack on Bank Sepah to Israel, a member posted on the hacking group’s channel: “Why is this claimed as an Israeli attack? It’s Predatory Sparrow.” But the hacker group’s past attacks, due to its sophistication and timing, were linked to the Israeli state by two unnamed US defense officials. This is not the first time Predatory Sparrow has disrupted Iran’s state-linked infrastructure, affecting Iranian civilians. The hacker group previously orchestrated a serious cyber-attack in 2021 that disabled Iran’s fuel distribution system by disabling sales at more than 4,000 gas stations, taking the country almost two weeks to recover. It was also responsible for paralysing Iran’s railway system networks, and committing cybersabotage on Iranian steel mills, which caused a fire in the facility. The latter was captured using hacked surveillance cameras with a message from the hackers claiming responsibility. Share
40m ago 16.44 BST Iran’s ambassador to the UK insisted his country had no intention of building a nuclear weapon as he clashed with MPs on Tuesday. Seyed Ali Mousavi told the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that Iran’s nuclear programme was “only peaceful”, insisting: “There is no desire, not any intention, to produce a nuclear bomb.” His comments come less than a week after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) censured Iran for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations intended to stop it developing a nuclear weapon. Tehran is reported to have enriched uranium up to 60%, requiring only a short technical step to reach the weapons-grade level of 90%. Share Updated at 16.47 BST
54m ago 16.30 BST US forces have pulled out of two more bases in northeastern Syria, visiting Reuters reporters found, accelerating a troop drawdown that the commander of US-backed Syrian Kurdish forces said was allowing a resurgence of Islamic State. Reuters reporters who visited the two bases in the past week found them mostly deserted, both guarded by small contingents of the Syrian Democratic Forces – the Kurdish-led military group that Washington has backed in the fight against Islamic State for a decade. Cameras used on bases occupied by the U.S.-led military coalition had been taken down, and razor wire on the outer perimeters had begun to sag. A Kurdish politician who lives on one base said there were no longer U.S. troops there. SDF guards at the second base said troops had left recently but declined to say when. The Pentagon declined to comment. Share
1h ago 16.13 BST German chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the leadership in Tehran has been weakened by Israel’s attacks in the past few days and will probably not return to its former strength. “This regime is very weakened and will probably not return to its former strength, making the future of the country uncertain. We will have to wait and see,” Merz said in an interview with broadcaster Welt at the G7 summit in Canada. He added that the Europeans’ offer of diplomatic assistance, should talks resume, still stood as they did before the attacks. “If a new situation were to arise, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom would again be prepared to provide diplomatic assistance, as they were until last Thursday,” he said. Share
1h ago 16.00 BST Peter Walker Keir Starmer has rejected the idea that Donald Trump might want to directly involve the US in helping Israel attack Iran, saying that his discussions with the US president at the G7 summit made him convinced Trump genuinely sought peace, pointing to Trump’s decision to also sign a leaders’ statement about the need for de-escalation. Speaking to reporters at the summit in Kananaskis, Canada, Starmer said he was sitting next to Trump at Monday evening’s leaders’ G7 dinner at which the statement was drafted, “so I’ve no doubt, in my mind, the level of agreement there was in relation to the words that were then issued immediately after that”. Asked if the US might help attack Iran, Starmer said: I don’t think anything that the president said either here or elsewhere suggests that. The wording of the G7 statement is very clear about de-escalation and de-escalation across the region, and obviously including the situation in Gaza for a ceasefire. So I think that the statement really speaks for itself in terms of the shared position of everybody who was here at the G7 and that was a statement that was agreed. Asked about Trump’s comments about not wanting a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, Starmer said: I think what he said was he wanted to go beyond a ceasefire, effectively, and end the conflict. And I think he’s right about that. I mean, a ceasefire is always a means to an end. The end we want to see is the de-escalation and back to negotiations – a deal to deal with the Iranian nuclear program, and, of course, the wider question of conflict across the Middle East, including Gaza. Share
2h ago 15.42 BST Lisa O’Carroll The risk to vessels, mostly oil tankers, passing through the strait of Hormuz remains “elevated”, the joint maritime information centre has said in its latest advisories to shipowners, captains and masters who guide boats through the narrow waterway. There is persistent jamming, it added on Tuesday. “As of this report dated 17 June 2025 1300 UTC, the regional threat level remains SIGNIFICANT as strikes continue from both Iran and Israel. The maritime threat level is ELEVATED due to the possibility the Maritime environment, infrastructure and shipping becoming involved should tension increase. “The region is still experiencing persistently high levels of electronic interference, particularly with the GNSS,” the body which collects coordinates information on threat levels in the Arabian Gulf, the strait of Hormuz and the North Arabian has said. It added that the strait remains open and it has no information of an imminent blockade. The number of ships passing through the strait of Hormuz increased 5% in the week up to Sunday with 954 vessels passing through, according to data released by the joint maritime information centre on Monday. It also reported on going jamming of communications signal in the “broader Arabian Gulf and strait of Hormuz”. Share
2h ago 15.30 BST Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping will discuss the situation in the Middle East in a phone call in the coming days, the Interfax news agency cited a Kremlin aide as saying on Tuesday. The aide, Yuri Ushakov, was also quoted by TASS as saying that Putin and Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan had agreed to intensify contacts between their respective foreign and defence ministries in light of the war between Israel and Iran. Share
2h ago 15.19 BST More than 600 people of 17 nationalities have fled into Azerbaijan from Iran in the five days since the start of the air war between Israel and Iran, an Azerbaijani source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday. The source said they included citizens of Russia, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, China, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Azerbaijan has kept land borders closed since the Covid-19 pandemic, but it allowed the foreigners to enter via a “humanitarian corridor” crossing at Astara in its southeast corner. The source said people were being taken by bus to the capital Baku to catch flights to home countries. Share
2h ago 15.07 BST The Israeli military said its forces struck on Tuesday several locations in western Iran, hitting “dozens” of missile launchers as the arch-foes traded fire for a fifth straight day, AFP reports. The Israeli air force “completed a series of strikes in western Iran” in which “a number of sites and dozens of surface-to-surface missile launchers were struck”, a military statement said, hours after announcing “several extensive strikes” overnight on military targets in the Islamic republic’s west. Share
2h ago 14.56 BST Israel’s El Al Airlines said on Tuesday it had received the government’s permission to start flights to bring back people stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran. The Israeli flag carrier was referring to people who had flights to Israel cancelled when its airspace was closed. It said it expects to operate flights on Wednesday from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan and Paris to bring people to Israel. El Al said that no flights from Israel to foreign countries had yet taken place since flights were grounded. Share
Trump cuts G7 trip short due to “what’s going on in the Middle East”
President Trump leaves G7 summit early. White House press secretary says it’s due to “what’s going on in the Middle East” Israel and Iran trade airstrikes and missile attacks in the two foes’ most intense fighting in decades. U.S. is not joining Israel’s military offensive, CBS News reports, despite reports that Mr. Trump asked the National Security Council to be readied upon his return to the White House. The president says he’s spoken to “everybody” regarding the Israel-Iran conflict, adding, “I think a deal will be signed or something will happen” and that Iran is “foolish” to not sign a deal. The White House says the president’s departure is not related to any Israeli-Iran ceasefire talks, as CBS News reported Monday. The State Department says it is not involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran, though Israel did tell the U.N. about the operation in advance, and the operation has helped U.K. intercept Iranian missile missiles.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was due to “what’s going on in the Middle East.”
Mr. Trump landed at Joint Base Andrews shortly before 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Mr. Trump arrived in Canada on Sunday for the annual G7 summit, and met with the leaders of Canada and the United Kingdom earlier Monday. But Leavitt said on X Monday night that the president would leave early, seeming to refer to the Israel-Iran conflict.
“Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,” Leavitt wrote.
Asked on Monday why he’s leaving the summit, Mr. Trump said, “I have to be back early for obvious reasons.”
As Air Force 1 taxied before departing Canada, Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that his early return to the capital wasn’t related to any Israel-Iran ceasefire talks. French President Emmanuel Macron had brought up the possibility of a ceasefire earlier, drawing criticism from Mr. Trump.
“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,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also heading back to Washington, a State Department spokesperson told CBS News.
The U.S. is not joining Israel’s military offensive, U.S. officials told CBS News Monday evening. Despite reports that Mr. Trump asked the National Security Council and Situation Room to be readied upon his return to the White House, Cabinet members in the National Security Council are already on standby 24 hours a day — including since Israel’s strikes on Iran began last week.
A spokesperson for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office told CBS News the country “was informed of President Trump’s departure through official channels prior to the White House’s public announcement.”
The Middle East situation has been the focus of much of the summit already. During Mr. Trump’s meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the president said he had “spoken to everybody” regarding Israel and Iran.
“I’ve spoken to everybody. Israel is doing very well, as you probably noticed,” the president said, adding, “I think a deal will be signed or something will happen, but I think a deal will be signed. I think Iran is foolish not to sign one.”
After the Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Iran had sent messages to intermediaries indicating they want to de-escalate the conflict, Mr. Trump affirmed to reporters during his meeting with the Canadian prime minister that he was aware of the messages.
Asked by reporters what he’d heard from Iran, he replied, “They’d like to talk. But they should have done that before. I had 60 days and they had 60 days. And on the 61st day, I said, we don’t have a deal. They have to make a deal.” He went on to say, “It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war. And they should talk, and they should talk immediately before it’s too late.”
The president’s sudden return to Washington comes as Israel and Iran trade airstrikes and missile attacks in the two foes’ most intense fighting in decades.
Israel has carried out multiple rounds of airstrikes since late last week, saying it is targeting Iran’s nuclear program, research scientists and top military officials. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel.
On Monday, Israel struck Iranian state television in the capital of Tehran, and urged hundreds of thousands of residents of central Tehran to evacuate. Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
The president and other American officials have said publicly and privately that the U.S. is not involved in Israel’s strikes on Iran, though Israel did tell the U.S. about the operation in advance, and the U.S. has helped Israel intercept Iranian missiles. CBS News has previously reported that Mr. Trump rejected a plan raised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to kill Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli leader was asked Monday in an interview with ABC News if he planned to target Khamenei.
“Look, we’re doing what we need to do,” he told ABC News’ Jonathan Karl. Karl, noting that Mr. Trump had rejected the idea, told Netanyahu that the president feared that assassinating Iran’s supreme leader would escalate the conflict.
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict,” Netanyahu contended. “It’s going to end the conflict.” He blamed Iran for “bringing us to the brink of nuclear war,” and said that “in fact, what Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this, this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil.”
The Trump administration has also warned Iran against striking U.S. military bases in the region.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump has urged Iran to sign a deal to limit the scope of its nuclear program, convening multiple rounds of talks that are now on hold. Iran has long denied any plans to build a nuclear weapon, though international watchdogs say it has increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in recent years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long been skeptical of striking a deal with Iran.
, , , and contributed to this report.