Trump-Iran latest: Supreme leader threatens to attack more US airbases as he claims ‘victory’ over Israel
Pete Hegseth is holding a briefing about the strikes on Iran t the Pentagon
Iran will not hesitate to bomb more US air bases in the Middle East, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned.
In the US, Pete Hegseth, along with military officials, is holding a briefing about the strikes at the Pentagon.
In the Iranian leader’s first public appearance since the US attacked Iran’s three nuclear facilities on Sunday morning, Khamenei claimed the Islamic Republic had access to “key US centres” and would take action “when necessary”.
He also claimed Iran had won a victory over Israel and the US, delivering a “slap to the US’s face” by attacking its Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
“Such an action can be repeated in the future too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price,” Khamenei said.
Seven US stealth bombers dropped 14 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s nuclear facilities earlier this week.
Just how much damage was caused remains unclear. A leaked Defence Intelligence Agency assessment found that Trump's airstrikes had only set back the country's nuclear program by a matter of a few months.
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Trump may have just compromised Israeli secrets – again
Will Trump’s ‘complete and total’ ceasefire in Iran-Israel war hold?
Growing calls for Pakistan to rescind Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination
The Pakistani government’s support for Donald Trump’s personal quest to win a Nobel Peace Prize has caused a political firestorm in the country, with many calling on prime minister Shehbaz Sharif to rescind the nomination in the wake of the US bombing of Iran.
Opposition leaders, activists, and civil society members have denounced the nomination of the American president for the prestigious peace award as an act of “crass flattery” and national humiliation.
Its nomination of the US president for the peace award has put Pakistan in an awkward diplomatic position. Islamabad has staunchly and consistently supported the Palestinian cause and stayed firmly on the side of its neighbour Tehran throughout its conflict with Israel.
Read the full report below:
Growing calls for Pakistan to rescind Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize nomination
Watch: Trump compares Iran strikes to Hiroshima bombing
Comment: The Islamic Republic’s authority is a casualty of its war with Israel
Over a week has passed since the war between Israel and the Islamic Republic began, with hostilities now paused in a fragile ceasefire. Senior regime officials who haven’t been killed are nowhere to be seen.
Since the war started, there have only been two pre-recorded messages from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, delivered from an undisclosed location, both promising continued war and further destruction. Meanwhile, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Islamic Republic’s president – who failed to implement even basic safety measures like shelters or warning sirens – dismissed the threat by saying Israel will be “pitiful”.
The crumbling of the Islamic Republic’s edifice is now seen not only by Iranians but by its neighbours and the wider world. And this truly could be a point of no return.
Read the full analysis here:
The Islamic Republic’s authority is a casualty of its war with Israel
Watch: Trump arrives in US after Nato Summit
Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons has only been spurred on by US strikes
As leaked US intelligence suggests Trump’s strikes only put Iran’s nuclear programme back by a few months, Tehran will feel the incentive to secure a weapon more than ever, world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes from Tel Aviv.
Iran’s desire for nuclear weapons has only been spurred on by US strikes
US and Iranian officials to hold talk next week
US president Donald Trump asserted that American and Iranian officials will talk next week, as Israel and Iran appeared to honour the fragile ceasefire between them for a third day.
Mr Trump, who helped negotiate the ceasefire that took hold on Tuesday on the 12th day of the war, told reporters at a Nato summit that he was not particularly interested in restarting negotiations with Iran, insisting that US strikes had destroyed its nuclear program.
Earlier in the day, an Iranian official questioned whether the United States could be trusted after its weekend attack."We may sign an agreement, I don't know," Mr Trump said.
"The way I look at it, they fought, the war is done."Iran has not acknowledged any talks taking place next week, though US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff has said there has been direct and indirect communication between the countries.
A sixth round of US-Iran negotiations was scheduled for earlier this month in Oman but was canceled after Israel attacked Iran.
Trump calls for Israeli PM's trial to be canceled
US president Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his corruption trial, saying the US would save him like it did his country.
Mr Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Mr Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty.
"Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Mr Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday.
Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on 3 June in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete.
Israeli president Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Mr Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is "not currently on the table." He also said that "no such request had been made," according to the reports.
Mr Trump extolled his ally as a "warrior" but also said in his post: "It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu."
That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program.
In pics: Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China
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The Islamic Republic’s authority is a casualty of its war with Israel
Over a week has passed since the war between Israel and the Islamic Republic began, with hostilities now paused in a fragile ceasefire. Senior regime officials who haven’t been killed are nowhere to be seen. There is no trace of the fiery speeches made by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders to crowds of “millions”. Public statements have been reduced to a few remarks by Abbas Araghchi, a handful of MPs, and Mohsen Rezaei – the perennial presidential candidate who did not even make it onto Israel’s assassination list.
Since the war started, there have only been two pre-recorded messages from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, delivered from an undisclosed location, both promising continued war and further destruction. Meanwhile, Masoud Pezeshkian, the Islamic Republic’s president – who failed to implement even basic safety measures like shelters or warning sirens – dismissed the threat by saying Israel will be “pitiful”. At the same time, his spokesperson urged citizens to ignore Israel’s evacuation and attack warnings. State broadcaster IRIB, the regime’s main propaganda tool, even aired footage of Israeli strikes on Iran while falsely presenting it as footage of Iran’s missile attacks on Israel. This was after IRIB’s headquarters came under attack.
More here.
The Islamic Republic’s authority is a casualty of its war with Israel
Trump may have just compromised Israeli secrets – again
Donald Trump appears to have blurted out top-secret intelligence on allied operations in enemy territory – again.
Reinforcing the reputation of his entire administration as being incontinent with secrets, he twice seemed to suggest at the Nato summit in the Hague that Israel had agents on the ground in Iran assessing the damage done by America’s bombardment of Fordow and other nuclear facilities.
Smarting from intelligence assessments leaked to the New York Times and CNN that cast doubt on his claim to have “obliterated” the nuclear programme with bunker-busting bombs and Tomahawk missiles, Trump used the most sensitive work of an allied nation to bolster his claims.
Sam Kiley reports from Tel Aviv
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