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Iranian nuclear facilities may have largely survived attack, initial report says.
UN chief welcomes Trump's announcement of Israel-Iran ceasefire and urges Israel and Iran to fully respect the ceasefire and to stop fighting.
NEW YORK -- US President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that Iran had launched a missile attack on a US military base in Qatar in response to recent American airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, describing it as a "very weak response" that caused no casualties and "hardly any damage."
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said 14 missiles were fired by Iran, with 13 intercepted and one allowed to proceed as it posed no threat. He credited Iran for providing "early notice," which he said enabled the United States to avoid any loss of life.
He urged Iran and Israel to pursue "peace and harmony" in the region.
Trump also thanked the Emir of Qatar for his role in promoting regional stability, noting that no Qataris were harmed in the incident.
Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, confirmed the interception of multiple Iranian missiles over its capital, Doha, on Monday, an attack Tehran claimed was aimed at U.S. forces at the Al Udeid Air Base. He said the base had been evacuated ahead of the strike and no casualties were reported.
Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the operation, dubbed Annunciation of Victory, saying it had targeted US military installations in both Qatar and Iraq. The IRGC described Al Udeid as "the headquarters of the US Air Force and the largest strategic asset" of American forces in the region, and said it fired six missiles on the site.
Despite the attack, Iran's Supreme National Security Council said Tehran was committed to its "brotherly and friendly relations" with Qatar, noting the targeted base was far from urban centers and the operation posed no danger to the country.
TEHRAN -- Iran's top security body said on Monday the number of missiles launched toward the US air base in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States in its strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) of Iran made the remarks in a statement following the missile attack by the country's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. This attack was in retaliation for the US bombing of the three Iranian nuclear facilities of Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan on Sunday, according to the SNSC-affiliated Nour News.
The SNSC added that the targeted US air base was located at a considerable distance from urban facilities and residential areas in Qatar, stressing that Iran's military action posed no danger to Qatar, "with which Iran has brotherly and friendly relations." It stressed that Iran remained committed to maintaining its "warm and historical" relations with Qatar.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that the US military is still assessing the impact of its strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, which "took months and weeks of positioning" to execute.
The operation, named "Operation Midnight," utilized 14 bunker-buster bombs, over two dozen Tomahawk missiles, and more than 125 military aircraft, said Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Satellite images taken on Sunday show six fresh craters clustered around two entry points at the Fordow nuclear site, most likely where the US bombs fell.
With renewed calls for diplomacy between the United States and Iran coming from Europe on Monday following US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, European foreign ministers have chosen the right path, experts and politicians have said, while pointing out that the move suits both the EU's and the wider world's best interests.
"De-escalation is urgent. A wider regional conflict must be avoided. Those with influence on Israel and Iran should use it to push for talks," Ian Borg, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and tourism in Malta's government, wrote on X. "During today's informal video conference of EU foreign affairs ministers, I reiterated Malta's support for immediate de-escalation efforts."
Qin Yan, a principal analyst at ClearBlue Markets in Oslo, Norway, said: "For a long time, Europe's policy regarding Israel-Iran issues has faced a dilemma: economically, Europe is so connected to any possible price rise it should employ all means to secure peace in the Middle East, but politically it is so ideologically bound with the US and Israel that it always puts pressure on Iran. But they should realize that if Iran is pressed into a corner, it will be Europe that suffers the most."
Qin based her analysis on the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz to the global oil market. Although oil exported via the strait accounts for only a small portion of the EU's total, it accounts for roughly 20 percent of the world's oil flow and the possibility of the strait closing down would drive global energy prices higher.
"A key buyer in the global energy market, the EU is rather sensitive to energy prices due to its dependence on fossil imports," she said. "So, the best strategy for the EU is to maintain peace in the Middle East, not to stand with Israel only because it's an ally of the US."
Kaja Kallas, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission, said before the European foreign ministers' meeting on Monday: "The concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge, especially closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody."
Qin said the path chosen by European foreign ministers this time is right, because it serves the interests of not only European nations but the whole world.
Shada Islam, an influential Brussels-based specialist on European Union affairs, told China Daily: "The EU is right to call for diplomacy but, frankly, today it's a bit too late for such a statement. The diplomatic alternative to military strikes should have been hammered home to both Israel and the US days ago, more forcefully and with more conviction.
"Today, the EU is once again on the sidelines, looking in."
zhangzhouxiang@chinadaily.com.cn
Kuwait became the latest nation in the Gulf region to close its airspace on Monday, after Bahrain made a similar move following Iran attacking the United States' Al Udeid military base in Doha, Qatar, in retaliation for US strikes in Iran.
"In the interest of the country's security and safety, and in light of the precautionary measures taken in a number of neighboring countries, which include the closure of their airports and airspace, the State of Kuwait announces the temporary closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure, effective today until further notice," Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
The suspension followed the closure of airspace by Qatar and Bahrain. Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
Meanwhile, based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, UAE airspace is also thought to be currently closed.
In a post on the social media platform X, The UAE's Foreign Ministry urged all UAE nationals, residents, and visitors to contact airlines directly for the latest updates on flight schedules.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said it was rerouting several flights on June 23 and June 24 in response to airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East.
Airlines based out of Dubai International Airport, including Emirates and Flydubai, have already canceled flights following the closure of airspace over parts of the region. All Emirates routes to Iran and Iraq have been canceled up to and including Monday, June 30.
KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait on Monday evening announced the temporary closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure against Iranian missile attacks.
MANAMA -- Bahrain announced on Monday the temporary closure of its airspace following Iranian attacks on a US base in Qatar.
ROME -- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday urged new diplomatic efforts to bring peace in the Middle East, and avoid further escalation after the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
Speaking to the Italian lower house ahead of a scheduled European Union (EU) Council meeting on June 26, Meloni said that "only coordinated diplomatic action can ensure peace in the region."
"This is why we have so strongly supported the negotiations between the US and Iran ... we hosted two rounds of talks in Rome in recent months," she explained.
"We stand ready to play this part once again," she added.
She confirmed that none of the US aircraft involved in the bombing of Iran had taken off from US military bases in Italy, and that the country had not taken part in the military operation in any way.
The prime minister's address to lawmakers came a day after she held a series of phone calls with international and regional players who could have a diplomatic role in easing the crisis. These comprised leaders from key EU partners such as France, Germany and Britain, as well as Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
"In all conversations, there was shared agreement and the utmost importance placed on the need to work towards a swift resumption of negotiations between the parties," Meloni's office said.
Briefing the deputies, Meloni also reiterated her call on Iran to avoid retaliating against the United States, and seize the chance to strike an agreement with Washington on the Iranian nuclear program.
Iran said it launched a military attack Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.
Iran announced on state television that it attacked American forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response” to “America’s aggression”.
Iran’s Armed Force also confirmed in a statement that Iran “targeted the Al Udaid base in Qatar with destructive and forceful missiles.”
The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran. The American base in Qatar is the largest US military base in the Middle East.
Iran also targeted the Ain al-Assad base housing US troops in western Iraq, an Iraqi security official told The Associated Press.
The US launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities Saturday, and President Donald Trump warned Teheran against retaliation.
Trump visited the base and addressed US and Qatari troops there in May during a trip to the region.
mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com
Huge explosion heard in Doha: witness.
LONDON -- A new YouGov poll released on Monday revealed that a majority of Britons believe the United Kingdom (UK) should steer clear of involvement in the Iran conflict, even if doing so strains the country's relationship with the United States (US).
When asked about UK-US relations amid rising tensions with Iran, 59 percent of respondents said it is more important for the British government to avoid getting involved in the conflict, even if it damages ties with Washington. In contrast, only 13 percent said maintaining good relations with the US should take precedence, even if it means participating in the conflict - a stark 46-point difference.
Responding to questions about the UK's stance, British Minister of Armed Forces Luke Pollard denied British involvement in the Iran conflict. "What we can say is we were not involved in the military action that the US took, nor have we been involved in the action the Israeli government have been taking against Iran." He told Sky News on Monday.
The leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom are making a coordinated diplomatic effort for de-escalating tensions in the Middle East after the unprecedented strikes by the United States on Iranian nuclear facilities.
"We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear program," read a joint statement released on Sunday by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
"We reiterate our commitment to peace and stability for all countries in the region," the statement added. "We stand ready to contribute to that goal in coordination with all parties."
Almost all European leaders issued statements via social media on Sunday. While the responses mixed caution with concern over the massive weekend airstrikes, they maintained a unified call for diplomatic solutions.
Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized the importance of halting the spiral of violence in the Middle East. "De-escalation, restraint, and a return to talks and diplomacy are now of utmost importance," he wrote on X.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb described the US strikes as "of exceptional scale" and warned that the cycle of vengeance in the region must come to an end.
"A sustainable solution requires diplomacy, dialogue and respect for international law," he posted on X.
Latvia's President Edgars Rinke-vics underscored the need for all parties to return to negotiations in order to reach a diplomatic solution, while Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar condemned the US attack.
"Any conflict must be resolved within the framework of the UN, not through the use of weapons, regardless of any purported good intentions," Blanar said in a post on X. "It is unacceptable for any state to conduct military operations on the territory of another sovereign state."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "With tensions in the Middle East at a new peak, stability must be the priority. And respect for international law is critical. Now is the moment for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution."
European Council President Antonio Costa said: "I call on all parties to show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety. 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."
On Friday, Merz, Macron and Starmer, along with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, met Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva to seek Teheran's commitment to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
Shortly before ordering the attacks, US President Donald Trump dismissed the European leaders' diplomatic initiative, saying: "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this."
Xinhua contributed to this story.
jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com
LONDON -- The British Foreign Office updated its travel advice for Qatar on Monday, urging British nationals in the country to shelter in place until further notice.
The latest advisory comes amid a series of warnings to British nationals in other parts of the Middle East, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, after the United States made a strike in Iran over the weekend.
The Foreign Office said the update aligns with similar guidance issued by US authorities.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed that a British air force flight had evacuated British citizens from Israel to Cyprus. He also said one British national had been injured in Israel.
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military issued on Monday an evacuation warning to residents of Tehran living near military facilities, saying such areas will be targeted in the coming days.
In a post on its Persian-language account on social media platform X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Israeli army would continue its attacks against military targets in the Tehran region in the coming days.
"To maintain your personal safety, we ask you to stay away from weapons production centers, military bases, and security institutions affiliated with the regime," the post said.
Israel continued to strike sites in Tehran on Monday, saying it had targeted a paramilitary headquarters, a prison, and access routes to the enrichment facility in Fordow, a day after the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear sites.
China condemned the United States' role in escalating tensions in the Middle East and urged all parties to return to dialogue and negotiations, as Israel targeted a nuclear site, a prison and power infrastructure in a fresh wave of strikes on Iran on Monday.
The US attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday seriously violate the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East, Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily news briefing on Monday, adding that the UN Security Council "cannot stand idly by".
On Sunday, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting at Iran's request, during which China, Russia and Pakistan proposed a draft resolution urging the 15-member council to call for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" in the Middle East.
The resolution also seeks the protection of civilians, adherence to international law and the resumption of dialogue and negotiations, Guo said, noting that it reflects the strong desire of the international community and serves as a call for justice.
"We hope that members can jointly support the draft resolution and enable the Security Council to play its due role for the maintenance of international peace and security," he added.
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said at the meeting that peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved by the use of force.
"Dialogue and negotiations are the fundamental ways out. At present, diplomatic means to address the Iranian nuclear issue have not been exhausted, and there is still hope for a peaceful resolution of the matter," Fu said.
On Monday, Israel attacked the command centers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and its paramilitary wing, in addition to strikes on Evin Prison, power supply lines in northern parts of capital Teheran, and access routes to the Fordow uranium enrichment site.
Iran said the "unprecedented acts of aggression" against Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel and the US "delivered a fundamental and irreparable blow" to the international nonproliferation regime, including the framework of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
It called US President Donald Trump a "gambler" for joining Israel's military campaign against Iran, and said that the US attacks expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces.
Iran unleashed its 21st wave of missile and drone attacks on Israel on Monday, its state broadcaster reported. The country has used a combination of solid- and liquid-fuel missiles in the attack, as well as special tactics, to render Israel's air defense ineffective, the report said.
On Sunday, Iran's parliament reportedly approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial channel for global oil trade, although its implementation would need further clearance. The Iranian parliament is considering suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.
Guo, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the Persian Gulf is an important route for global trade in goods and energy, urging broader international effort to defuse tensions and prevent regional instability from further impacting the global economy.
"China stands ready to strengthen communication with Iran and other relevant parties, and will continue to play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation," he said.
Experts warned of the potential spillover of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict and called for renewed efforts toward peaceful negotiations.
Sun Degang, director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the US airstrikes on Iran have risked breaking the regional balance of power. "By targeting Iran, the US is looking to strengthen Israel's dominant position in the region, which could prompt countries such as Turkiye and Saudi Arabia to recalibrate their policies," he said.
Sun warned that if Iran perceives its sovereignty to be under threat, it might respond with more aggressive measures.
"The Trump administration could misjudge the situation, intensify pressure on Iran, and even pursue regime change — actions that might trigger a wider conflict in the Middle East with unpredictable consequences for regional stability and global security," he said.
Sun added that Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz could send global oil prices soaring, with serious implications for energy-dependent countries in Asia.
Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, CEO of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development in Pakistan, described the region as being on the brink of a complex web of power struggles.
"Israel will continue destabilizing Iran under the pretext of nuclear threats, while Iran will retaliate. This will make it extremely difficult for any side to come to the negotiating table," he said, emphasizing the role of multilateral institutions in defusing the tension.
"China has demonstrated a strong commitment to peace and global stability through its Global Security Initiative, which aims to promote dialogue, mutual respect and cooperative solutions to international security challenges. That is needed in tackling the current challenge," he added.
TEHRAN/JERUSALEM -- Iran conducted the 21st wave of missile and drone attacks on Israel on Monday morning, reported the state-run IRIB TV.
The country has used a combination of solid- and liquid-fuel missiles in the attack as well as special tactics to render Israel's air defense ineffective, the report said.
Earlier on Monday, Iran's army announced that it had launched tens of kamikaze drones equipped with warheads towards Israel.
Israel on Monday targeted areas in the northwestern and eastern parts of the Iranian capital Tehran and its nearby province of Alborz, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.
Israeli attacks on northern Tehran damaged a feeder line, leading to electricity blackouts in certain areas of the capital, the report said, adding that military bases in Alborz province's capital Karaj and Tehran province's Rey County were targeted.
An Israeli military statement confirmed on Monday that about 10 Iranian missiles were fired in four separate volleys, setting off sirens from Israel's north to the southern border with the Gaza Strip and forcing millions of Israelis to remain in shelters for about an hour.
Most of the missiles were intercepted, but three struck Israeli territory with no injuries reported.
According to Israel's state-owned Kan TV, one missile hit Ashdod, a coastal city in southern Israel, while another fell in Yavneh, 15 km north of Ashdod, with the third in the northern area. Missile fragments also dropped on other sites, including a road in the Lakhish area of southern Israel, said a spokesperson for Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service.
The barrage included missiles with cluster warheads, which scattered and caused widespread damage, said a colonel of the Israeli army's Home Front Command.
The state-owned Israel Electric Corporation stated that a "strategic infrastructure facility" in the south was damaged by missile fire, causing power disruptions in several nearby communities.
Iran's military Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi on Monday accused the United States of acting as a "criminal," warning that Iran had given its armed forces free rein to take any action against US interests and troops, reported the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
"America has clearly and directly violated the sovereignty of Iran," openly entered a direct war with Iran, said Mousavi in a statement, who gave assurance that the Iranian armed forces would also punish Israel for its "aggression".
US President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States successfully struck three Iranian nuclear facilities at Esfahan, Fordow and Natanz.
As of Saturday, more than 400 Iranians have been killed and over 3,000 wounded, according to Iran's Health Ministry. In Israel, the death toll stands at 24, according to local authorities.
TEHRAN -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has exchanged views with his Italian and French counterparts on the US attacks against Iran's nuclear facilities.
In separate phone calls, Araghchi strongly condemned the US "aggression" against the three Iranian nuclear facilities of Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on Saturday, according to statements released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
In his phone call with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Monday morning, Araghchi emphasized that the international community, specifically the European Union, "should react explicitly" to such an "aggression," stressing that Iran reserved the right to use all options within the framework of its legitimate right to self-defense.
Tajani expressed regret over the escalation in the region following the US attack, calling on all sides to return to diplomacy.
Speaking to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Sunday night, Araghchi said the US military action violated all international laws and regulations, above all the United Nations Charter, stressing that silence and inaction in the face of the "aggression" would have consequences for all states.
The French foreign minister, for his part, expressed regret over the US attack, denying any involvement by France in planning and carrying out the "aggression."
He voiced deep concern about the escalation of tensions in the West Asia region following the US military action, calling for continued dialogue between Europe and Iran.
US President Donald Trump announced Saturday his country's attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites.
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli military announced in a statement on Monday that it struck access routes to the Fordow uranium enrichment site in Iran, saying the attack's goal was to obstruct access to the site.
TEHRAN -- Israel on Monday targeted areas in the northwestern and eastern parts of the Iranian capital Tehran and its nearby province of Alborz, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in its newly adopted Istanbul Declaration, condemns what the 57 member states called the "destabilization policies of Israel" in the Middle East region" over its recent attacks on Iran, Syria and Lebanon.
On Iran, they stressed the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks, which they view with "great concern regarding this dangerous escalation, threatening human, economic and environmental situation in the region".
The declaration was adopted after the 51st session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Turkiye, which took place from June 21 to June 22.
The declaration also called on the international community to take deterrent measures "to stop this aggression and make Israel accountable for crimes committed" and decided to establish an open-ended Ministerial Contact group, which will be tasked with establishing regular contacts with the relevant regional and international parties, to support de-escalation efforts.
The statement also reaffirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause for the OIC and they reaffirmed the importance of convening the United Nations High-Level Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution under the co-chairmanship of Saudi Arabia and France.
The event was postponed after Israel carried pre-emptive strikes against Iran on June 13.
The declaration urged the resumption of the work of the working groups established pursuant to the conference; and redoubling efforts to ensure its success, and calling all UN Member States to participate actively in the conference once its new date is announced.
They also denounced the actions of Israel in using "starvation as a method of genocide" by obstructing the entry of humanitarian assistance and preventing UN humanitarian agencies from carrying out their mandates, intending to forcibly displace the Palestinian population.
In a separate statement published on June 22, the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation expressed its deep concern over the targeting of nuclear facilities of Iran by the United States.
"The US strikes are a dangerous escalation that could lead to heightened tensions and threaten regional security, peace, and stability," the statement said.
"The General Secretariat – recalling the statement of 13 June 2025, condemning and denouncing the violation of the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as international laws and conventions – calls for de-escalation and self-restraint, and resorting to dialogue and returning to negotiations and peaceful means," it added.
Iran has assured it would continue to be a committed member of the United Nations' Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, shutting down concerns it would abandon the pact, following Israel and US attacks on its nuclear sites.
Moreover, Iran would "continue to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi in an interview with German broadcaster ARD on June 22.
Takht Ravanchi dismissed calls for a complete halt to Iran's nuclear program, reiterated "We are sincere members of (the UN Treaty on) the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim News Agency.
He also reiterated that no one could tell Iran what it should and should not do as long as it remained within the framework of the NPT.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) said in a statement on June 22 that the three sites in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz came under a "brutal assault" that "violates international law," particularly the NPT of which Iran is a signatory.
The agency said the "unlawful action" was carried out because of the "indifference" or "complicity" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The AEOI statement came shortly after US President Donald Trump took to social media to claim responsibility for the attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites
The AEOI statement further assured the Iranian nation that with the efforts of thousands of its revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, "it will not allow the path of development of this national industry to be stopped."
Pursuing its diplomatic channel, Iran on June 22 filed a complaint against Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear agency, accusing him of "indecision" on Israeli attacks on nuclear sites in the past week.
Grossi briefing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the US damage to Iran's facilities on Sunday, said IAEA inspectors are in Iran, but they need a cessation of hostilities to go to nuclear sites, assess damage, and protect nuclear materials and equipment, The Times of Israel reported.
The US and Israel have accused Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons, allegations it has repeatedly denied. On June 22, the US joined Israel in bombarding Iran's military and nuclear sites. The attacks came as Iranian diplomats were negotiating with the US as well as European powers.
Takht-Ravanchi said that "there is no point in continuing dialogue" during ongoing attacks on Iran. "We do not negotiate for the sake of negotiating," he said.
In Moscow, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, says that Iran has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, like any other country.
Zakharova stressed that the non-diversion of Iran's nuclear program has been repeatedly verified by the IAEA, according to the Tasnim agency.
She went on to say that the only nuclear-armed entity in the Middle East is Israel, which has repeatedly ignored efforts to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone. This is while Iran does not possess such weapons but is being targeted by the US and Israel, she said.
Jan Yumul contributed to this report.
