Iran wins backing of Brics allies over Israel, US strikes
At the Brics summit in Brazil on July 6 are (from left) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Iran won the support of fellow Brics nations meeting in Rio de Janeiro on July 6, with the bloc condemning recent Israel and US air strikes that hit military, nuclear and other targets.
'We condemn the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since June 13, 2025,' leaders said in a summit statement, without naming the United States or Israel.
'We further express serious concern over deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities,' the bloc said.
The 11-nation grouping said the strikes 'constitute a violation of international law.'
The declaration is a diplomatic victory for Tehran, which has received limited regional or global support after a 12-day bombing campaign by the Israeli military, which culminated in
US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan.
The Brics gathering includes Israel's arch foe Iran, but also nations like Russia and China, which have ties with Tehran.
Brics diplomats had been in disagreement over how strongly to denounce
Israel's bombing of Iran and its actions in Gaza, but ultimately strengthened their language at Tehran's request. AFP
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch
World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary
Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window
Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC
Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint
Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan
Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man
Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
41 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Asia markets brace for renewed tariff fallout
CANBERRA – Asian stocks face renewed pressure on July 8 after US President Donald Trump announced higher tariffs on key regional trading partners including Japan and South Korea. Stock futures pointed to declines in Tokyo and Sydney, after Wall Street equities fell from all-time highs overnight and the US dollar climbed. US equity contracts dropped in early Asia trading. Megacaps led losses in the US on July 7 as Tesla tumbled nearly 7 per cent after Elon Musk announced he's formed a political party, raising concern about his company's outlook. Emerging markets got hit as Mr Trump warned he'd add extra tariffs on countries aligning with 'the Anti-American policies of Brics.' Mr Trump released the first in a series of tariff warning letters, just two days before agreements are due on countries facing his April 2 so-called reciprocal levies. The new rates include 25 per cent duties on goods from Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia; 32 per cent on Indonesia; 35 per cent on Bangladesh; 36 per cent on Thailand and Cambodia; and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. 'There is likely to be considerable concern in Asia that 90 days of supposed negotiations have so far produced many US tariff rates similar to the April 2 shock,' said Sean Callow, a senior analyst at InTouch Capital Markets in Sydney. 'The US clearly only has bandwidth for negotiation with a handful of trading partners, with the rest seemingly blamed for failing to reach a deal.' The yen slid over 1 per cent against the US dollar in New York trading overnight. Despite the market turmoil from Mr Trump's tariffs, Japanese shares had rebounded from April lows, reflecting optimism that Japan and others would strike US deals that avoid derailing growth. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said there would be around a dozen countries that receive notifications about their tariffs on July 7 directly from the president. Additional letters will be sent in the coming days, she said. 'Investors should be alert to headline risk,' said Fawad Razaqzada at City Index and 'The scope for last-minute deals is high, but so too is the possibility of renewed trade tensions.' Analysts said that one positive to be taken away from the latest trade developments was that the higher tariffs won't be in place during July as Mr Trump extended the deadline for the steeper levies to kick in until August. That means 'an indirect extension' of the original 90-day pause that would expire on July 9. 'The outcome could certainly have been more dire for the economic outlook had the additional window of relief not been included in the latest trade-war salvo,' they noted. The European Union is not expecting to receive a letter setting tariff rates imminently, according to a person familiar with those discussions. The EU is seeking to conclude a preliminary deal this week that would allow it to lock in a 10 per cent tariff rate beyond an Aug 1 deadline as they negotiate a permanent agreement. Meantime, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC said he expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart in the coming weeks. Indian officials familiar with the matter said the nation had made its best offer on trade and the fate of an interim deal now lies in the hands of Mr Trump. Negotiators conveyed to Washington the red lines they were unwilling to breach in finalising an agreement, including allowing the US to export genetically modified crops to India, and opening up India's dairy and automobile sectors to America. In Rio de Janeiro, several leaders responded to Trump's tariff threats against the 10-member Brics group. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva joined South Africa in blasting the US president. In 2024, the list of Brics members expanded beyond the original group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The countries in the bloc - which was designed to boost the nations' international standing and challenge the US and western Europe - account for more than half of the world's population. So far, the US economy is holding up under the threat of a spiralling global trade war. Hiring is healthy, and inflation has remained tame. But the Federal Reserve is wary about tariffs despite pressure from Mr Trump to lower rates, and wants to see how they feed through to output in the next few months. BLOOMBERG

Straits Times
41 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Netanyahu meets Trump at White House as Israel, Hamas discuss ceasefire
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The two leaders were scheduled to have a private dinner instead of formal talks in the Oval Office. WASHINGTON/TEL AVIV - President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for White House talks on July 7, while Israeli officials held indirect negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Mr Netanyahu's visit follows Mr Trump's prediction, on the eve of their meeting, that such an agreement could be reached this week. Before heading to Washington, the right-wing Israeli leader said his discussions with Mr Trump could help advance negotiations under way in Qatar between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. It was Mr Trump's third face-to-face encounter with Mr Netanyahu since returning to office in January, and came just over two weeks after the president ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli air strikes. Mr Trump then helped arrange a ceasefire in the 12-day Israel-Iran war. Mr Trump and his aides appeared to be trying to seize on any momentum created by the weakening of Iran, which backs Hamas, to push both sides for a breakthrough in the 21-month Gaza war. He said he also wants to discuss with Mr Netanyahu the prospects for a 'permanent deal' with Iran, Israel's regional arch-foe. The two leaders were scheduled to have a private dinner instead of formal talks in the Oval Office, where the President usually greets visiting dignitaries. It was not immediately clear why Mr Trump was taking a lower-key approach with Mr Netanyahu this time. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World 25% on Japan and Malaysia, 40% on Laos: Trump's tariff letters to Asia add pressure for deals by Aug 1 Business US stocks knocked lower by tariff jitters; Musk's political plan hits Tesla Multimedia 'I suspect he's cheating': She finds proof when spouses stray Singapore Eligible S'poreans to get up to $850 in GSTV cash, up to $450 in MediSave top-ups in August Singapore Singapore's second mufti Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dies at age 87 Singapore Fewer marriages in Singapore in 2024; greater marital stability for recent unions Singapore Competition watchdog gives SIA, Malaysia Airlines conditional approval to continue cooperation Singapore About 20 delivery riders meet Pritam Singh to discuss platform worker issues After arriving overnight in Washington, Mr Netanyahu met earlier on July 7 with Mr Trump's Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in preparation for his talks with the President. He planned to visit the US Capitol on July 8 to see congressional leaders. Ahead of the visit, Mr Netanyahu told reporters he would thank Mr Trump for the US air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and said Israeli negotiators were driving for a deal on Gaza in Doha, Qatar's capital. Israeli officials also hope the outcome of the conflict with Iran will pave the way for normalisation of relations with more of its neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia, another issue expected to be on the agenda with Mr Trump. Second day of Qatar talks Mr Witkoff, who played a major role in crafting the 60-day ceasefire proposal at the centre of the Qatar negotiations, will travel to Doha this week to join discussions there, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on July 7. In a sign of continued gaps between the two sides, Palestinian sources said Israel's refusal to allow the free and safe entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza remains the main obstacle to progress in the indirect talks. Israel insists it is taking steps to get food into Gaza but seeks to prevent militants from diverting supplies. On the second day of negotiations, mediators hosted one round and talks were expected to resume in the evening, the Palestinian sources told Reuters. The US-backed proposal envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and discussions on ending the war entirely. Hamas has long demanded a final end to the war before it would free remaining hostages; Israel has insisted it would not agree to halt fighting until all hostages are released and Hamas dismantled. Mr Trump told reporters last week that he would be 'very firm' with Mr Netanyahu on the need for a speedy Gaza deal and that the Israeli leader also wanted to end the war. Some of Mr Netanyahu's hardline coalition partners oppose halting military operations but, with Israelis having become increasingly weary of the Gaza war, his government is expected to back a ceasefire if he can secure acceptable terms. A ceasefire at the start of 2025 collapsed in March, and talks to revive it have so far been fruitless. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza and sharply restricted food distribution. Gazans were watching closely for any sign of a breakthrough. 'I ask God almighty that the negotiating delegation or the mediators pressure with all their strength to solve this issue, because it has totally became unbearable,' said Mr Abu Suleiman Qadoum, a displaced resident of Gaza city. The Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave's health ministry. Most of Gaza's population has been displaced by the war and nearly half a million people are facing famine within months, according to United Nations estimates. Mr Trump has been strongly supportive of Mr Netanyahu, even wading into domestic Israeli politics in June by lashing out at prosecutors over a corruption trial against the Israeli leader on bribery, fraud and breach-of-trust charges that Mr Netanyahu denies. REUTERS

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
US threatens California with legal action over transgender sports law
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US Education Secretary Linda McMahon threatened the state of California with legal action after the state refused to ban transgender girls from participating in girls' sports. WASHINGTON - US Education Secretary Linda McMahon on July 7 threatened the state of California with legal action after the state refused to ban transgender girls from participating in girls' sports as demanded by President Donald Trump's administration. '@CAgovernor, you'll be hearing from @AGPamBondi,' Mrs McMahon wrote, using the handles for California Governor Gavin Newsom and US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Mrs McMahon's statement on X was the latest salvo in the culture wars over transgender youth and ratchets up the personal rivalry between Mr Trump and Mr Newsom. Mr Trump has made reversing advances in transgender rights a priority since returning to office on Jan 20, while California law has allowed student-athletes to participate in sports in alignment with their gender identity since 2013. The Justice Department declined to comment and the Education Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for clarification on the meaning of Mrs McMahon's comment. California's state Education Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr Newsom's office and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for high school sports, declined to comment. The US Education Department issued a statement in June declaring California in violation of the Trump administration's interpretation of Title IV, the education law banning sex-based discrimination, and demanding the state alter its policy. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World 25 per cent for Malaysia, 36 for Thailand, 40 for Laos: Trump delivers tariff letters to Asian partners Business US stocks knocked lower by tariff jitters; Musk's political plan hits Tesla Singapore Eligible S'poreans to get up to $850 in GSTV cash, up to $450 in MediSave top-ups in August Singapore Four golf courses to close by 2035, leaving Singapore with 12 courses Singapore Singapore's second mufti Sheikh Syed Isa Semait dies at age 87 Singapore Fewer marriages in Singapore in 2024; greater marital stability for recent unions Singapore Competition watchdog gives SIA, Malaysia Airlines conditional approval to continue cooperation Singapore About 20 delivery riders meet Pritam Singh to discuss platform worker issues The state rejected the federal government's directive, and in June filed a pre-enforcement lawsuit against the US Justice Department in anticipation of legal action. With controversy brewing ahead of the state high school track and field championship in June, the CIF allowed girls displaced from the finals by a transgender athlete to also be granted space to compete. The CIF also allowed girls to appear on the winners' podium if they would have won a medal without a transgender athlete competing. As a result, the CIF crowned two champions in the girls' high jump and triple jump after transgender girl AB Hernandez won both events. REUTERS