Iran at BRICS: 6,000+ civilians killed in US-Israeli strikes
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned, on Sunday, recent US–Israeli strikes on Iran, warning they undermine global stability and breach international law.
Speaking at the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Araghchi described the attacks as a 'lethal blow' to diplomacy, claiming they killed or wounded more than 6,000 civilians and damaged homes, nuclear sites, and critical infrastructure.
He argued that targeting Iranian nuclear facilities violated the Non-Proliferation Treaty and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, stressing there is no legal basis to strike civilian nuclear programs on suspicions of weaponization.
He further charged Washington and Israel with protecting Israeli operations in Gaza and occupied Arab territories while Western allies blocked accountability efforts. 'My people stayed steadfast and resolved in defense of our homeland,' he declared, asserting that Iranian resistance ultimately halted the strikes.
Araghchi pledged Iran would keep defending itself 'with all force' against future attacks and pursue legal action over what Tehran calls Israeli war crimes, urging the global community and multilateral bodies to uphold international law and reject impunity.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
3 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Syria fights fires for fourth day as Jordan sends help
Damascus – Syrian authorities said some 100 square kilometres (40 square miles) of forest had 'turned to ash' in wildfires as firefighters from neighbouring Jordan arrived Sunday to battle a fourth day of blazes in the province of Latakia. Syrian emergency workers have faced tough conditions including high temperatures, strong winds, rugged mountainous terrain in the coastal province and the danger of explosive war remnants, in a country scarred by years of conflict. Jordanian civil defence teams crossed into Syria on Sunday morning, the Syrian ministry for emergency and disaster management said, as state media published footage of the convoy. Minister Raed al-Saleh said on X that 'hundreds of thousands of forest trees over an estimated area of around 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) in 28 locations have turned to ash'. He said some 80 teams including civil defence personnel had been battling the blaze, noting local organisations and residents were also providing assistance, along with teams and firefighting aircraft from neighbouring Jordan and Turkey. Turkey, a key backer of Syria's new authorities, sent assistance including aircraft and fire engines on Saturday. Jordan's public security directorate said in a statement that the 'specialised firefighting teams from the civil defence… have been provided with all the modern equipment and machinery necessary to carry out their duties to the fullest extent'. Swathes of forested area and farmland have burned and some villages evacuated as the fires raged including near the Turkish border. The United Nations deputy envoy to Syria Najat Rochdi said in a statement Sunday on X that Damascus 'needs more international assistance' to face the fires. A statement from the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula said that 'UN teams are on the ground conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of the disaster and to identify the most immediate humanitarian needs'. Nearly seven months after the ousting of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad, Syria is still reeling from more than a decade of civil war that ravaged the country's economy, infrastructure and public services. With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves and low rainfall. In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation told AFP that Syria had 'not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years'.
Iraqi News
3 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Israeli negotiators due in Qatar for Gaza truce talks
Jerusalem – An Israeli delegation was expected in Doha on Sunday for talks on a Gaza truce and hostage release deal, ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House. Netanyahu had earlier announced he was sending a team to Qatar, a key mediator in the conflict, though he said that Hamas's response to a draft US-backed ceasefire deal included some 'unacceptable' demands. Faced with mounting calls to end the war that is nearing its 22nd month, Netanyahu is due to meet on Monday with US President Donald Trump, who has been making a renewed push to end the fighting. On Saturday, protesters gathered in Israel's coastal hub of Tel Aviv for a weekly rally demanding the return of hostages still in the Gaza Strip since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. Macabit Mayer, the aunt of captives Gali and Ziv Berman, called for a deal 'that saves everyone'. Hamas said Friday it was ready 'to engage immediately and seriously' in negotiations. A statement from Netanyahu's office said that 'the changes that Hamas is seeking to make in the Qatari proposal… are unacceptable to Israel', while also sending negotiators to discuss 'the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed to'. On the ground, Gaza's civil defence agency said 14 people were killed by Israeli forces on Sunday. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific strikes without precise coordinates. – 60-day truce – Hamas has not publicly detailed its responses to the US-sponsored proposal, which was transmitted by mediators from Qatar and Egypt. Two Palestinian sources close to the discussions told AFP the proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. However, they said, the group was also demanding certain conditions for Israel's withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system. Since the Hamas attack sparked a massive Israeli offensive with the aim of destroying the group, mediators have brokered two temporary halts in fighting, during which hostages were freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody. Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. The Egyptian foreign ministry said Saturday that top diplomat Badr Abdelatty held a phone call with Washington's main representative in the truce talks, Steve Witkoff, to discuss 'preparations for holding indirect meetings between the two parties concerned to reach an agreement'. But recent efforts to broker a new truce have repeatedly failed, with the primary point of contention being Israel's rejection of Hamas's demand for a lasting ceasefire. The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip. – 'Dying for flour' – Karima al-Ras, from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, said 'we hope that a truce will be announced' to allow in more aid. 'People are dying for flour,' she said. A US- and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, took the lead in food distribution in the territory in late May, when Israel partially lifted a more than two-month blockade on aid deliveries. UN agencies and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the GHF over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said Friday that more than 500 people have been killed waiting to access food from GHF distribution points. The Hamas attack of October 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,338 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
Shafaq News
6 hours ago
- Shafaq News
New round of Hamas–Israel ceasefire talks begins in Doha
Shafaq News – Doha Israeli and Hamas negotiators launched a new round of ceasefire talks in the Qatari capital Doha on Sunday, as diplomatic efforts resumed to halt the war in Gaza and reach a deal on the release of hostages. Israel's public broadcaster Kan confirmed that an Israeli delegation arrived in Qatar earlier in the day to participate in the negotiations, which are being held with Qatari and Egyptian mediation. The renewed talks come amid mounting international pressure to end the war and address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. On Friday, Hamas announced its willingness to begin discussions based on a US-backed ceasefire proposal, signaling a potential shift toward a negotiated settlement after weeks of deadlock.
