JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
IRAN FIRES 6 SHORT RANGE MISSLES AT US BASES IN QUATAR.US INTERCEPTS THEM.
ISAIAH 6:9-12
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
ISAIAH 41:11
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee (ISRAEL) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing;(DESTROYED) and they that strive with thee shall perish.(ISRAEL HATERS WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED)
Turban complications-The turban represents the Shi'ite clergy that, ever since its creation in Iran almost four centuries ago, has had an ambivalent attitude towards the exercise of political power. Broadly speaking, turbans come in two contrasting colors. A white turban means that the man who wears it is not a descendant of the Prophet, and thus is of non-Arab origin. In contrast, the wearer of the black turban is marked as a descendant of the Prophet through one of the twelve imams of Twelver Shi'ism.The semiology of turbans is still more complicated. Students of theology are allowed to wear very thin turbans, denoting their position as novices. A hujjat al-Islam, or mid-ranking mullah, can wear a slightly fatter turban. The very fat turbans that require several yards of cloth are reserved for the grand ayatollahs. Rafsanjani’s white turban marked him as someone of non-Arab origin. Khatami and Khamenei both wear black turbans, as did Khomeini, denoting their Arab descent on the paternal side.The experience of the past three decades shows that many of the most senior clerics are not eager to enter the realm of politics. Once in power, however, a man with a thin turban could quickly thicken his headgear and grow a longer beard to bolster the religious aspect of his image. When first elected president, Ayatollah Khamenei was not a particularly senior cleric, but was promoted so that he could succeed Ayatollah Khomeini.
THE CITIZENS OF IRAN (ELAM IN THE BIBLE) MIGRATE TO ALL NATIONS ON EARTH.
JEREMIAH 49:34-39
34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam (IRAN) in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRAN) the chief of their might.(IRAN SUPLIES ARABS WITH WEAPONS AGAINST ISRAEL)
36 And upon Elam (IRAN) will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam (IRAN) shall not come.(WORLD MIGRATION)
37 For I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger,(REG BOMBS) saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:(GROUND TROOPS)
38 And I will set my throne in Elam,(IRAN) and will destroy from thence the king (KHEMEINI )and the princes,(IRANIAN GUARDS) saith the LORD.
39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) saith the LORD.
Psalms-Chapter 110:1-6
1 (A Psalm of David.) The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
Israeli military says Iran threat 'to whole world' after Qatar attack.
Jerusalem, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2025-The Israeli military said Monday that Iran's retaliatory attack on US military bases proved that the country was a threat to "the entire world"."I want to say that this is further proof of hostility and violence and of the fact that Iran is a terrorist state, which threatens not only Israel, but the entire Middle East, including its neighbours and the entire world," military spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters in a televised press conference. Israel has been attacking Iran from the air since launching a surprise operation on June 13.
No casualties reported in Iran missile attack on US base in Qatar.Washington, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2025-Iran fired ballistic missiles at a US base in Qatar on Monday but there are no known American casualties or damage to the facility, a US defense official said."I can confirm that Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles originating from Iran today. At this time, there are no reports of US casualties," the official said."We are not aware of any damage to the installation at this time," the defense official added.The Iranian attack came after Washington's forces struck three of Tehran's nuclear sites with bombs and missiles over the weekend.The massive Al Udeid base -- which hosts thousands of American personnel -- includes the forward headquarters of the US Central Command as well as of its air and special operations forces.
Blasts heard over Doha after Qatar suspends air traffic.
Doha, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2025-Explosions could be heard over Doha on Monday, shortly after Qatar, which hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East, suspended air traffic as Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites.AFP journalists heard several rounds of blasts in central Doha and across the Qatari capital, with projectiles stopped by interceptors illuminating the night sky.Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid, which hosts the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command."The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country's airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region," the foreign ministry said.It added authorities were monitoring the situation "in coordination with regional and international partners".Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning."Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website.Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals.Iran's armed forces threatened on Monday to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites.Last week, dozens of US military aircraft were no longer on the tarmac at al-Udeid, according to satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC and analysed by AFP.Nearly 40 military aircraft -- including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft -- were parked on the tarmac at the base, the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command, on June 5, but in an image taken on June 19, only three aircraft were visible.In Bahrain, a close neighbour of Qatar that hosts the US Fifth Fleet, the American embassy "temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework", it said on X.Bahraini authorities had already told most government employees to work from home until further notice, citing "regional circumstances".Following the US warning in Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said such statements by foreign embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific or credible threats"."We would like to reassure the public that the security situation in the state remains stable," he wrote on X. "Qatar continues to exert intensive diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region."On Sunday, the US State Department advised Americans worldwide to "exercise increased caution" because of the war between Israel and Iran.After Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 13, the US embassy in Qatar had told its staff and other Americans to exercise caution and "limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base".csp/aya/dcp
Israel targets Iran Guards, Tehran prison in fresh wave of strikes-By Ahmad Parhizi and Sebastien Ricci with Alice Chancellor in Jerusalem.
Tehran (AFP) June 23, 2025-Israel hit Revolutionary Guard sites and the notorious Evin prison in Tehran on Monday, calling them its most powerful strikes yet on the Iranian capital on the 11th day of the war.Iran, in turn, fired missile barrages at Israel and vowed retaliation against the United States after it struck the Islamic republic's nuclear sites a day earlier.Loud explosions rocked the Iranian capital, where Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military hit "regime targets" with "unprecedented force", adding to speculation that Israel may seek to topple Iran's clerical leadership.The targets included Evin prison, which Katz said "holds political prisoners and regime opponents", as well as command centres of the domestic Basij militia and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The Israeli military said in a statement that the targets belong to Iranian forces "responsible... for defending the homeland security, suppressing threats, and maintaining the regime's stability".Iranian media and the Israeli military said Israel also struck Fordo, a key nuclear enrichment facility buried deep in the mountains south of Tehran.The military said it had struck Fordo on Monday "in order to obstruct access routes" to the site, which Israel's ally the United States hit the previous day with "bunker buster" bombs.- 'Obliterated' -President Donald Trump boasted Sunday's US strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to assess the impact on Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and some Western states consider an existential threat.Sirens sounded across Israel on Monday and AFP journalists reported blasts were heard over Jerusalem.Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military was "carrying out strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government oppression in the heart of Tehran".Iranian media said Israel's strikes hit a power supply system in Tehran, triggering temporary outages.In Israel, the national electricity company reported "damage near a strategic infrastructure facility" in the south that disrupted power supply, without naming the location or specifying the cause.Some details of the damage in Israel are barred from publication due to military censorship rules.An AFP photographer in Tel Aviv saw people rush to a bomb shelter after sirens sounded.Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- 'Extremely dangerous' -After the US strikes, global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices jumping more than four percent early Monday but dipping later in the day.China urged both Iran and Israel to prevent the conflict from spilling over, warning of potential economic fallout.Iranian armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on state television that the US "hostile act", following more than a week of Israeli bombardments, would "pave the way for the extension of war in the region"."The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you," he warned.Oman, a key mediator in the stalled Iran-US nuclear talks, condemned the US strikes and called for calm.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply.The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said closing the strategic strait would be "extremely dangerous".With Iran threatening US bases in the region, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad.In Bahrain, home to a major US base, the US embassy said it had "temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework" citing "heightened regional tensions".- Trump touts 'regime change' -After the Pentagon stressed the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea."If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.Hours later he posted: "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran... Obliteration is an accurate term!"At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said "initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage".Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage."Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place," he added.Iran has consistently denied seeking an atomic bomb, and Grossi has said there was no evidence to suggest so despite the Islamic republic's advanced uranium enrichment and other activities.The IAEA said on Monday Tehran had informed it of "special measures to protect nuclear material" when the Israeli campaign began.The US agency also said it was seeking access to Iranian nuclear sites to "account for" stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, had accused the United States of deciding to "blow up" nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war.burs-ami/jsa
Israel says struck to 'obstruct access routes' to Iran's Fordo-by AFP Staff Writers.
Jerusalem (AFP) June 23, 2025-The Israeli military said it had launched air raids Monday to block access to Iran's enriched uranium facility in Fordo which was bombed by the United States at the weekend.A military statement said Israeli forces had "struck in order to obstruct access routes to the Fordo enrichment site" which US President Donald Trump said had been "totally obliterated" by the US strikes.There has been speculation that Iran might have moved out some of its known 400-kilogramme stockpile of highly enriched uranium before the US bombing of its storage sites in the early hours of Sunday.The International Atomic Energy Agency, which has been monitoring Iran's nuclear programme, called earlier Monday for access to the Islamic republic's nuclear sites to "account for" the uranium."There needs to be a cessation of hostilities for the necessary safety and security conditions to prevail so that Iran can let IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation," the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, said.Speaking to an emergency meeting of the organisation's board of governors in Vienna, he said that "at this time, no-one including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordo."Asked about the location of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile on Sunday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had "interesting intelligence" but declined to elaborate."We're following that," he told reporters. "We've been following it very closely... we have interesting intelligence on that which you'll excuse me if I don't share with you."According to the IAEA, Iran had enriched uranium to 60 percent in 2021, a short step from the 90 percent required for use in a weapon.Israel has maintained ambiguity about its own atomic arsenal, neither officially confirming nor denying it exists, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has estimated it has 90 nuclear warheads.
Israel attacks Iran's Fordo nuclear site: Iranian media.
Tehran (AFP) June 23, 2025 - Israel carried out a fresh strike on Iran's underground Fordo nuclear site south of Tehran, a media outlet in the country reported."The aggressor attacked the Fordo nuclear site again," Tasnim news agency reported, quoting a spokesperson for the crisis management authority in Qom province where the site is located.The latest attacks come a day after the United States launched unprecedented strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities including Fordo and sites at Isfahan and Natanz.US President Donald Trump said the strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to assess the true impact on Iran's nuclear programme.Iran condemned the attack and vowed retaliation, noting there were "no signs of contamination" after the US strikes.The US strikes came around 10 days after Israel launched an attack on Iran killing nuclear scientists, top military commanders as well as striking military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.
IAEA seeks access to Iran nuclear sites to 'account for' highly enriched uranium stockpiles.
Vienna (AFP) June 23, 2025 - The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday called for its inspectors to be able to return to Iran's nuclear sites in a bid to "account for" its highly enriched uranium stockpiles.He called for a cessation of hostilities.The request follows attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran's nuclear facilities."Iran, Israel and the Middle East need peace," Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the organisation's board of governors in Vienna."For that, we must take a number of steps," he said."First of all, we must return to the negotiating table and for that allow IAEA inspectors -- the guardians on our behalf of the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) -- to go back to Iran's nuclear sites and account for the stockpiles of uranium, including, most importantly, the 400 kilogrammes enriched to 60 percent."Grossi said Tehran had sent him a letter on June 13 announcing the implementation of "special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials"."There needs to be a cessation of hostilities for the necessary safety and security conditions to prevail so that Iran can let IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation," he said.Over the weekend, the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites, joining Israel's bombardments of Iran's nuclear programme."Craters are now visible at the Fordo site, Iran's main facility for enriching uranium at 60 percent, indicating the use of ground-penetrating munitions," he said.He added that "very significant damage" is expected to have occurred for the US bombing "given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges"."At this time, no-one including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordo," he said.The US strikes came after Israel began launching large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13 targeting its missile and nuclear facilities, military leaders and security services, and residential sites.Iran's uranium enrichment has for decades caused tension, with Western powers voicing fears the drive is aimed at making an atomic bomb, a claim denied by Tehran.Israel has maintained ambiguity about its own atomic arsenal, neither officially confirming nor denying it exists, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has estimated it has 90 nuclear warheads.European powers have urged Tehran to revive diplomatic efforts with the United States to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme.Iran has said it can only consider diplomacy once Israel halts its bombardment of the Islamic republic.
Iran's Khamenei 'can no longer be allowed to exist': Israel defence minister by AFP Staff Writers.
Holon, Israel (AFP) June 19, 2025-Israel's defence minister said Thursday that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "can no longer be allowed to exist" after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack."Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed -- he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal," Israel Katz told journalists in Holon near Tel Aviv. "Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist."
Israel's Netanyahu says Iran will 'pay heavy price' after hospital hit.
Jerusalem (AFP) June 19, 2025 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran would "pay a heavy price" after a hospital in southern Israel was hit during an Iranian missile attack on Thursday, while his defence minister said Iran's supreme leader would be "held accountable"."This morning, Iran's terrorist dictators fired missiles at Soroka Hospital... and at civilians in the centre of the country. We will make the tyrants in Tehran pay a heavy price," Netanyahu said in a post on X.The Soroka Hospital in the southern town of Beersheba was left in flames following an early morning barrage of "dozens" of Iranian ballistic missiles, with impacts also reported in two Israeli towns close to coastal hub Tel Aviv.Speaking at the scene of the hospital, director Shlomi Kodesh said that a surgical building which had been evacuated in the past few days was hit, adding that 40 people had sustained injuries."Several wards were completely demolished and there is extensive damage across the entire hospital with damage to buildings, structures, windows, ceilings across the medical centre," he told journalists.Iran said it was targeting an Israeli military and intelligence base, not the health facility.The latest escalation came on the seventh day of deadly exchanges between the two countries, with US President Donald Trump maintaining suspense about whether Washington will enter the war alongside Israel.Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected Trump's demand for an "unconditional surrender", despite claims from the US leader that "Iran's got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate".- 'Never surrender' -Trump has left his intentions on joining the conflict deliberately ambiguous, saying Wednesday: "I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.""The next week is going to be very big," he added, without further details.Any US involvement would be expected to involve the bombing of a crucial underground Iranian nuclear facility in Fordow, for which special bunker-busting bombs have been developed.The White House said Trump would receive an intelligence briefing on Thursday, a US holiday. Top US diplomat Marco Rubio is set meet his British counterpart for talks expected to focus on the conflict."I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven't made a final (decision)," Trump said. "I like to make the final decision one second before it's due, because things change. Especially with war."The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had told aides on Tuesday he had approved attack plans but was holding off to see if Iran would give up its nuclear programme.Trump told reporters that Iranian officials "want to come to the White House", a claim denied by Tehran.The US president had favoured a diplomatic route to end Iran's nuclear programme, seeking a deal to replace the 2015 agreement he tore up in his first term.But since Israel unleashed the campaign against Iran last week, Trump has stood behind the key US ally.- Nuclear sites -On Thursday morning, Israel said it had carried out dozens of fresh raids on Iranian targets overnight, including the partially built Arak nuclear reactor and a nuclear facility in Natanz that has been struck previously.The Israeli military said the Arak site on the outskirts of the village of Khondab in central Iran had been hit "to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development".There was also a "near-total national internet blackout" in Iran on Wednesday, a London-based watchdog said, with Iran's Fars news agency confirming heavier internet restrictions after initial curbs imposed last week.The military campaign has sparked calls for a return to diplomacy.Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a deal to guarantee both Israel's security and Iran's desire for a civilian nuclear programme was possible."I believe it would be good for all of us together to look for ways to stop the fighting and seek ways for the participants in the conflict to find an agreement," he told foreign journalists at a televised event.He said Iran had not asked Russia for military help.- Daily barrages -An Israeli military official, who asked not to be named, said Wednesday that Iran had fired around 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones since the conflict began on Friday.About 20 missiles had struck civilian areas in Israel, the official added.Iranian strikes have killed at least 24 people and injured hundreds since they began, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Monday.Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.Both countries have not issued an updated official toll since then.Israel says its surprise air campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far above the 3.67-percent limit set by the 2015 nuclear death but still short of the 90-percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead.Israel has maintained ambiguity on its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says it has 90 nuclear warheads.
IAEA seeks access to Iran nuclear sites to 'account for' highly enriched uranium stockpiles-by AFP Staff Writers.
Vienna (AFP) June 23, 2025-The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday called for its inspectors to be able to return to Iran's nuclear sites in a bid to "account for" its highly enriched uranium stockpiles.He called for a cessation of hostilities.The request follows attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran's nuclear facilities."Iran, Israel and the Middle East need peace," Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the organisation's board of governors in Vienna."For that, we must take a number of steps," he said."First of all, we must return to the negotiating table and for that allow IAEA inspectors -- the guardians on our behalf of the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) -- to go back to Iran's nuclear sites and account for the stockpiles of uranium, including, most importantly, the 400 kilogrammes enriched to 60 percent."Grossi said Tehran had sent him a letter on June 13 announcing the implementation of "special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials"."There needs to be a cessation of hostilities for the necessary safety and security conditions to prevail so that Iran can let IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation," he said.Over the weekend, the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites, joining Israel's bombardments of Iran's nuclear programme."Craters are now visible at the Fordo site, Iran's main facility for enriching uranium at 60 percent, indicating the use of ground-penetrating munitions," he said.He added that "very significant damage" is expected to have occurred for the US bombing "given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges"."At this time, no-one including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordo," he said.The US strikes came after Israel began launching large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13 targeting its missile and nuclear facilities, military leaders and security services, and residential sites.Iran's uranium enrichment has for decades caused tension, with Western powers voicing fears the drive is aimed at making an atomic bomb, a claim denied by Tehran.Israel has maintained ambiguity about its own atomic arsenal, neither officially confirming nor denying it exists, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has estimated it has 90 nuclear warheads.European powers have urged Tehran to revive diplomatic efforts with the United States to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme.Iran has said it can only consider diplomacy once Israel halts its bombardment of the Islamic republic.
Iran-Israel war: latest developments.
Jerusalem (AFP) June 23, 2025 - Israel struck Tehran and Iran fired missiles on Monday, as the war between the longtime foes raged for its 11th day after the United States sent bombers to attack the Islamic republic's nuclear sites.Here are the latest developments:- Iran Guards, Tehran prison -Israel carried out "strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government oppression in the heart of Tehran", Defence Minister Israel Katz said as an AFP journalist heard loud blasts in the north of the Iranian capital.Katz said the targets included the notorious Evin prison in the city's north, known to hold political prisoners and dissidents as well as foreign detainees.Iran's judiciary confirmed Evin was struck, reporting "damage" and stressing the situation was "under control".Israel also carried out a strike on Fordo, according to the military and Iranian media, a day after US "bunker buster" bombs hit the underground nuclear site south of Tehran.In Israel, air raid sirens sent people to bomb shelters on Monday, with the military reporting at least three missile barrages in less than two hours.The state power company said that "damage near a strategic infrastructure facility" in Israel's south caused outages. In Tehran, authorities said electricity supply disrupted by an Israeli attack was restored.Israeli strikes on Iran since June 13 have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.- 'Extension of war' -Iran's armed forces threatened on Monday to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the United States in retaliation for its strikes on the Isfahan, Natanz and Fordo nuclear sites."This hostile act... will widen the scope of legitimate targets of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and pave the way for the extension of war in the region," said armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari.Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces "in the region or elsewhere" could be attacked.The US embassy in Bahrain -- home to a major US military base -- reduced on-site staffing citing "heightened regional tensions".- 'Spillover' -China on Monday warned against "the spillover of war", urging the international community to do more to prevent the fighting from impacting the world's economy, noting the global importance of the Gulf maritime trade routes off the Iranian coast.Oil prices briefly fell into the red on Monday after surging, as traders weighed possible retaliation by Iran.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply.The European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said closing the strait would be "extremely dangerous".Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed attacks on Iran as "unprovoked" and "unjustified" in a Moscow meeting with Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, without announcing any concrete support to his key ally in the Middle East.- Nuclear stockpiles -The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency demanded Monday the return of inspectors to Iran's nuclear sites in a bid to "account for" its highly enriched uranium stockpiles."Allow IAEA inspectors... to go back to Iran's nuclear sites and account for the stockpiles of uranium" including the "400 kilograms enriched to 60 percent", said agency chief Rafael Grossi.At an emergency meeting of the organisation's headquarters in Vienna, he said Tehran had sent him a letter on June 13 announcing the implementation of "special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials".
Britain, U.S. warn Iran against Strait of Hormuz blockade by Ian Stark.
Washington DC (UPI) Jun 23, 2025-Britain cautioned Iran Monday that attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz or to strike at American military facilities in the Middle East could lead to escalation, even as Israel continued its strikes on Iran.British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Monday that such actions would be a "catastrophic mistake.""It would be a huge, catastrophic mistake to fire at U.S. bases in the region at this time. We have forces in the region at this time," said Lammy in an interview with BBC Breakfast.The Iranian parliament moved Sunday to approve a measure to close the Strait in response to the American strikes on Iran over the weekend. The strait serves as a critical route for oil being shipped from Persian Gulf countries, but ultimately it will come down to whether Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decides to move forward with such a plan.Close to 30% of the world's seaborne oil shipments are moved through the strait.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also commented Sunday against Iranian interference with movement through the strait. He spoke with Fox News and called on China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz."I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil," said Rubio, as China is a key oil customer of Iran."The Persian Gulf and nearby waters are important route for international trade in goods and energy. Keeping the region safe and stable serves the common interests of the international community," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in a press conference Monday."China calls on the international community to step up effort to promote de-escalation of the conflict and prevent the regional turmoil from having a greater impact on global economic growth."Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces announced Monday on social media that it "struck routes in order to obstruct access" to the Fordow nuclear enrichment site in Iran's Qom province.The IDF also proclaimed it attacked six Iranian airports "across western, central, and eastern Iran, destroying runways, underground hangars, refueling aircraft, F-14, F-5 and AH-1 aircraft."It further alleged the strikes "impaired takeoff capabilities from these airports, as well as the Iranian military's ability to operate its air force from them."
Asian countries most vulnerable to Strait of Hormuz blockade,
Tokyo (AFP) June 23, 2025 - Around 84 percent of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia, leaving the economies of China, India, South Korea and others vulnerable should Iran blockade the crucial trading route over US strikes on its nuclear sites.Around 14.2 million barrels of crude oil and 5.9 million barrels of other petroleum products pass through the strait per day -- representing around 20 percent of global production in the first quarter, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).And crude oil from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran almost exclusively passes through the corridor.Here are the main Asian countries where oil exported via the strait is destined:- China -More than half of the oil imported by East Asia passes through the Strait of Hormuz, experts estimate.China is one of the largest buyers, importing 5.4 million barrels of crude oil a day through Hormuz in the first quarter this year, according to the EIA.Saudi Arabia is China's second-largest supplier of crude oil, accounting for 15 percent of its total oil imports -- 1.6 million barrels a day.China also buys more than 90 percent of Iran's oil exports, according to the analysis firm Kpler.It imported 1.3 million barrels of Iranian crude oil a day in April, down from a five-month high in March.- India -India is highly dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, importing 2.1 million barrels of crude a day through the corridor in the first quarter, EIA data shows.Around 53 percent of India's imported oil in early 2025 came from Middle Eastern suppliers, particularly Iraq and Saudi Arabia, local media reported.Wary of an escalating conflict in the Middle East, New Delhi has increased its imports of Russian oil over the past three years."We have been closely monitoring the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East since the past two weeks," India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday."We have diversified our supplies in the past few years and a large volume of our supplies do not come through the Strait of Hormuz now," he wrote on X, adding "We will take all necessary steps to ensure stability of supplies of fuel to our citizens."- South Korea -Around 68 percent of South Korea's crude oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz -- 1.7 million barrels a day this year, according to the EIA.South Korea is particularly dependent on its main supplier Saudi Arabia, which last year accounted for a third of its oil imports.Seoul's trade and energy ministry said there have been "no disruptions so far in South Korea's crude oil and LNG imports" but "given the possibility of a supply crisis", officials were "planning for potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz"."The government and industry stakeholders have prepared for emergencies by maintaining a strategic petroleum reserve equivalent to about 200 days of supply," the ministry said in a statement.- Japan -Japan imports 1.6 million barrels of crude oil a day through the Strait of Hormuz, the EIA says.Japanese customs data showed 95 percent of crude oil imports last year came from the Middle East.The country's energy freight companies are readying for a potential blockade of the strait."We're currently taking measures to shorten as much as possible the time spent by our vessels in the Gulf," shipping giant Mitsui OSK told AFP.- Others Around 2 million barrels of crude oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz each day in the first quarter were destined for other parts of Asia -- particularly Thailand and the Philippines -- as well as Europe (0.5 million barrels) and the United States (0.4 million barrels).- Limited alternatives -Asian countries could diversify their oil suppliers, but it is difficult to replace the large volumes coming from the Middle East.In the short term, "elevated global oil inventories, OPEC+'s available spare capacity, and US shale production all could provide some buffer", experts at MUFG Bank said."However, a full closure of the Hormuz Strait would still impact on the accessibility of a major part of this spare production capacity concentrated in the Persian Gulf," they said.Saudi Arabia and the UAE have infrastructure to bypass the strait, potentially mitigating disruptions, but their transit capacity remains very limited -- around 2.6 million barrels a day.And the Goreh-Jask pipeline built by Iran to export via the Gulf of Oman, which has been inactive since last year, has a maximum capacity of only 300,000 barrels per day, according to the EIA.
Russia: Other nations ready to supply Iran with nukes; as US claims strikes 'devastated' program by Adam Schrader.
Washington DC (UPI) Jun 22, 2025-In the wake of President Donald Trump's strike on Iran's nuclear sites Saturday, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Sunday that "a number of countries" are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear weapons.Gen. Dan Caine said at a Pentagon press conference Sunday that measuring the damage at the sites would take time but that an initial assessment indicates that all three sites sustained "severe damage and destruction." He revealed that the mission involved 75 precision-guided munitions, including 14 GBU-57 bunker-busters."Do you remember that the operation was beginning, I promised you that Iran's nuclear facilities would be destroyed, one way or another. This promise is kept," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media, revealing that the strike was carried out by the United States in "full coordination" with the Israeli Defense Forces.While Israeli and American authorities have indicated major damage at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, Iranian and Russian authorities have indicated only minor damage to Iran's capabilities for nuclear enrichment."What have the Americans accomplished with their nighttime strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran?" Medvedev questioned in a post on social media. "The enrichment of nuclear material -- and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons -- will continue. A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads."Medvedev said Iran's political leadership has survived despite Israel's apparent pursuit of a regime change and may have "come out even stronger."Like Russia, Iran ally Pakistan is armed with nuclear weapons but said Thursday that it had not yet received requests for any military assistance from Iran while expressing alignment with its neighbor. It has since condemned the U.S. attack on Iran."The unprecedented escalation of tension and violence, owing to ongoing aggression against Iran, is deeply disturbing. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday.Sa'eed Iravani, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, has called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, Iranian state media reported Sunday. Iran is calling for the Security Council to rebuke the United States, which is a permanent member of the UNSC.The Russian Foreign Ministry also released a statement condemning the strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling them a violation of international law and the United Nations charter. It called the attack a "substantial blow to the global non-proliferation regime built around the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.""They have significantly undermined both the credibility of the NPT and the integrity of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) monitoring and verification mechanisms that underpin it," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.China's Foreign Ministry likewise said the United States had violated the U.N. charter and international law as it called for Israel to reach a ceasefire "as soon as possible.""China stands ready to work with the international community to pool efforts together and uphold justice, and work for restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.A Telegram account affiliated with the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps said Sunday that satellite images show Iran had evacuated everything from the Fordow site 48 hours before the US attack and moved it to a safe location."This image shows a large number of trucks that had quickly evacuated enrichment materials, equipment and other supplies from the Fordow site," the post reads. "It is clear that Trump's failed and dramatic attack not only did not damage the underground Fordow facilities, but the site was empty."Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director-general of the IAEA, said Sunday he will call an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors on Monday after the American strike. He said Iranian nuclear officials had not recorded an increase in off-site radiation levels."As of this time, we don't expect that there will be any health consequences for people or the environment outside the targeted sites," Grossi said. "We will continue to monitor and assess the situation in Iran and provide further updates as additional information becomes available."In apparent criticism of the United States, Grossi said he had "repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities should never be attacked." He called for Israel and the U.S. to stop their "hostilities" against Iran so that the IAEA's "vital inspection work" in Iran could continue.Meanwhile, the IRGC-affiliated Telegram channel said Sunday that Iran struck Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, as well as a biological research center that reportedly housed research into biological warfare, among other military targets."This time, sirens sounded after the precise hits, throwing the enemy off balance," the statement said. "We announce that the main parts of the capacity of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces in this sacred defense have not yet been put into operation."Meanwhile, Israel's war against Gaza continues. The Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that the death toll has risen to 55,959 people while medical facilities are facing blood shortages.The WAFA news agency reported Sunday that Israeli forces reportedly detained at least 26 Palestinians in the West Bank on Sunday after conducting overnight raids.
US says strikes 'devastated' Iran's nuclear program.
Washington (AFP) June 22, 2025 - Unprecedented US strikes have wrecked Iran's nuclear program, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday, though other officials cautioned the extent of damage at the three sites was unclear.Iran's leaders struck a defiant tone and vowed to respond, while an advisor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed their stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed.International concern intensified over the surprise attacks deepening conflict in the Middle East after Israel launched its bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month.President Donald Trump said he wanted peace and urged Iran to end the conflict after he launched massive overnight strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz."We devastated the Iranian nuclear program," Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing, adding that the operation "did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people. "Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said "it would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there.""Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction."- Protests in Tehran -People gathered Sunday in the center of Tehran to protest against US and Israeli attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans, state TV showed.Trump claimed total success for the operation in an address to the nation hours after the attack, and Vice President JD Vance followed up on Sunday morning."We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night, whether it's years or beyond," he told ABC.But he also suggested Iran still had its highly enriched uranium."We're going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel," he said. "They no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons grade uranium."In Tehran, AFP journalists said aircraft had roared over the city for the first time since Israel's initial attacks."Even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn't over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain," Khamenei advisor Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X.Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that the United States would "receive a response" to attacks during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to the official IRNA news agency.Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CNN that there were clear signs of the hit on Fordo.But "no one, neither us (or) nobody else could be able to tell you how much it has been damaged," he said.The IAEA said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at the nuclear sites and Tehran said Sunday there were no signs of contamination.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prayed for Trump at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday, after hailing the strikes as a move that would "change history."- Retaliation risk -The Israeli military was also checking the results of the US raid on the deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo, with a spokesman saying it was "too soon" to know if Iran had removed enriched uranium from the site.The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers that flew 18 hours from the American mainland to Iran, Caine said.In response to the attack, which used over a dozen massive "bunker buster" bombs, Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, the country's main international gateway near Tel Aviv.Israeli rescuers said at least 23 people were wounded.In Jerusalem, Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer, said he hoped the US intervention would hasten an end to the Iran-Israel war."Israel by itself would not stop... and it would take longer," he said.At least nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, as fighting between the two foes continued.The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US move and called for de-escalation.The leaders of France, Germany and Britain on Sunday urged Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region."Following his address, Trump warned Iran against retaliation. Iran and its proxies have previously attacked US military bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region.Iran's Huthi allies in Yemen on Sunday repeated their threat to resume attacks in the Red Sea if Washington joined the war, saying they were ready to target US ships and warships.The US president had stepped up his rhetoric against Iran since Israel first struck the country on June 13, repeating his insistence it could never have nuclear weapons.burs-wd/bgs/des
