Rubio thanks Turkmenistan for letting through Americans from Iran
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday thanked Turkmenistan and promised cooperation with the authoritarian state after it let US citizens cross through as they fled Iran following Israeli strikes.Turkmenistan, one of the world's most closed and authoritarian countries, initially balked at allowing Americans to cross but agreed over the weekend following appeals from Washington, officials said.Rubio, in his call with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, 'expressed gratitude for Turkmenistan's cooperation,' State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.Rubio said he 'looks forward to further partnership with Turkmenistan, including expanding economic and commercial ties,' she said.Washington has organized evacuation flights for its citizens in Israel, but has limited capacity in Iran due to the lack of diplomatic relations.Most US citizens in Iran are dual nationals and hundreds have left since Israel launched its military campaign on June 13, another State Department official said.Around 200 Americans had voiced an interest in going through Turkmenistan, which shares a 1,148-kilometer (713-mile) border with Iran, although so far only 'tens' have proceeded through that route, the official said.'We're communicating to all of the US citizens... in Iran looking to go to Turkmenistan that that border is open,' the official said on customary condition of anonymity.With flights unavailable, the vast majority have gone through Azerbaijan, with some also going through Armenia and Turkiye, the official said.President Donald Trump, who has prioritized cracking down on immigration, earlier this month banned virtually all Iranian citizens and partially restricted nationals of Turkmenistan from entering the United States.The visa restrictions continue to apply to Iranian nationals who leave even if they are family members of US citizens, the State Department official said.Trump on Monday announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran but voiced frustration at implementation.
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Iran could again enrich uranium 'in matter of months': IAEA chief
WASHINGTON: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says Iran likely will be able to begin to produce enriched uranium 'in a matter of months,' despite damage to several nuclear facilities from US and Israeli attacks, CBS News said Saturday. Israel launched a bombing campaign on Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13, saying it was aimed at keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon — an ambition the Islamic republic has consistently denied. The United States subsequently bombed three key facilities used for Tehran's atomic program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the extent of the damage to the nuclear sites is 'serious,' but the details are unknown. US President Donald Trump insisted Iran's nuclear program had been set back 'decades.' But Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said 'some is still standing.' 'They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that,' Grossi said Friday, according to a transcript of the interview released Saturday. Another key question is whether Iran was able to relocate some or all of its estimated 408.6-kilo (900-pound) stockpile of highly enriched uranium before the attacks. The uranium in question is enriched to 60 percent — above levels for civilian usage but still below weapons grade. That material, if further refined, would theoretically be sufficient to produce more than nine nuclear bombs. Grossi admitted to CBS: 'We don't know where this material could be.' 'So some could have been destroyed as part of the attack, but some could have been moved. So there has to be at some point a clarification,' he said in the interview. For now, Iranian lawmakers voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA and Tehran rejected Grossi's request for a visit to the damaged sites, especially Fordo, the main uranium enrichment facility. 'We need to be in a position to ascertain, to confirm what is there, and where is it and what happened,' Grossi said. In a separate interview with Fox News's 'Sunday Morning Futures' program, Trump said he did not think the stockpile had been moved. 'It's a very hard thing to do plus we didn't give much notice,' he said, according to excerpts of the interview. 'They didn't move anything.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday underscored Washington's support for 'the IAEA's critical verification and monitoring efforts in Iran,' commending Grossi and his agency for their 'dedication and professionalism.' The full Grossi interview will air on 'Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan' on Sunday.
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Tehran remains committed to diplomacy, but ‘peace by force is not peace,' Iran's ambassador to Japan tells Arab News Japan
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Accusing both the US and Israel of choosing aggression over diplomacy, he said the attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities were carried out two days before planned talks with the US, and thus have deepened a 'legacy of distrust.' 'Rather than condemning the party that disrupted the negotiations, the Americans sided with the aggressor,' he said. 'They, therefore, betrayed the very negotiation to which they were a party. 'Accordingly, the conclusion is that they were complicit in the aggression, a fact they further proved when they launched attacks against our peaceful nuclear sites, thus joining the Israelis in gross violation of every tenet of international law.' In his first public remarks after the truce, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared victory, claiming Iran 'slapped America in the face' by striking the Al-Udeid base in Qatar in retaliation for the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities. Warning that any future attacks would prompt further strikes on American targets, he asserted Iran's regional capabilities and rejected calls for concessions. Khamenei also downplayed the impact of the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, claiming that the US acted mainly to protect Israel after Iranian missiles penetrated Israeli defenses. US President Donald Trump ridiculed Khamenei's victory claims, insisting Iran had been 'decimated' and its nuclear sites 'obliterated' during the conflict. Trump said he had considered but ultimately rejected plans to assassinate Khamenei, claiming he 'saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death' by stopping direct attacks from the US or Israel. He also said he halted plans to lift sanctions on Iran following Khamenei's 'blatant and foolish' statements and warned he would 'absolutely' consider bombing Iran again if Tehran resumed nuclear enrichment at threatening levels. Trump further claimed to have pressured Israel to avoid delivering a 'final knockout' blow, suggesting Israeli strikes could have targeted Tehran directly if not for US intervention. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Trump's comments, saying a potential nuclear deal hinges on the US ending its 'disrespectful tone' toward the supreme leader. 'If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt supporters,' Araghchi posted on the social platform X. Seadat said that Iran remained committed to diplomacy, citing his country's continued adherence to the 2015 nuclear deal and participation in talks until Israeli strikes derailed the process. 'Iran has always been a party to genuine diplomacy, but peace by force is not peace; it is, rather, coercion,' he said. 'What we wanted was a cessation of aggression, and we achieved it at this stage, with resolve. So, while we remain highly vigilant, we will see how the situation unfolds.' As diplomatic strains persist, Israeli officials have signaled a readiness to escalate. On June 26, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told local media that Israel has a 'green light' from Trump to strike Iran again if it appears to be advancing its nuclear program. He added that Israel would not have needed US permission to target Khamenei directly. That same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory and framed the conflict as a strategic opportunity to expand diplomatic ties with Arab states. 'We have fought with determination against Iran and achieved a great victory. This victory opens the path to dramatically enlarge the peace accords,' Netanyahu said in a video address, referencing the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries in 2020. However, Gulf states have condemned both Iran's missile strike on Qatar and Israel's attacks on Iranian facilities, citing concerns over regional stability and national sovereignty. In a joint statement on June 16, Arab countries rejected and condemned Israel's military aggression against Iran, calling instead for a return to negotiations. Seadat insisted that Iran's nuclear program remains peaceful and said Iran's parliament moved to limit cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) only after repeated, ignored reassurances from Tehran. 'Up to the moment our sites were attacked in contravention of the NPT rules, the IAEA Statute, and two resolutions by its General Conference that prohibit any attack on IAEA-safeguarded peaceful nuclear sites, 130 IAEA inspectors were in place, meaning one-fifth of all inspections conducted by the IAEA in the world,' Seadat said. He added: 'Regardless of disagreements, the IAEA continued its most robust verification regime in the world in Iran.' Even after the attacks, Seadat said, both the IAEA and US intelligence confirmed there were no signs of nuclear weapons activity — despite early claims, which he attributed to a 'very irresponsible' IAEA report. He said the 2015 nuclear agreement created 'a balance: a cap on our peaceful nuclear program in return for full removal of sanctions.' That arrangement, he added, was especially reassuring as it was backed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. 'This is a model that Japan and some others have. They also enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. I do not know what to say, unless the meaning of reassuring has changed, perhaps because of the aggressions by the Israeli regime and the Americans on Iran,' Seadat said. Tensions had started escalating after a May 31 IAEA report revealed that Iran had increased uranium enrichment to 60 percent — the only non-nuclear weapons state to do so — and expanded its stockpile of near-weapons-grade material by 50 percent in three months. Iran dismissed the report as 'politically motivated' and 'baseless accusations.' On Wednesday, Rafael Grossi, IAEA director general, said his top priority is resuming inspections in Iran to determine the impact of the recent strikes. The extent of any damage remains unclear. While Grossi suggested Iran may have relocated parts of its stockpile ahead of the attacks, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday he had seen no intelligence supporting that claim. Looking ahead, Seadat noted that Japan could play a significant diplomatic role, referencing its unique moral standing as the only country to have experienced atomic bombings. 'The Hibakusha, the first generation of survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, still walk among us in Japan,' he said. 'Because of this, Japan possesses a profound moral authority, having known the depths of suffering like few others.' He added that Japan is well-positioned to support peace through 'inclusive' regional development, particularly efforts that enhance energy security for all. Seadat also said there is growing alignment between Iran and Arab and Islamic states, which he described as a 'positive and constructive path' toward regional peace. However, he cautioned that maintaining momentum would require active, sustained support from all sides. Although East Asia lies far from Iran, Seadat emphasized cultural similarities and the potential for cooperation — especially through Japan's technological expertise and diplomatic engagement. 'We need this new paradigm in our region, and I believe Japan, through the dynamism of its diplomacy, can contribute to it,' he said.
Arab News
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At least 1.2 million Afghans forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year — UN
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