Iran won't retaliate against US or pursue nuclear ‘militarization,' says top diplomat
'As long as there is no act of aggression being perpetrated by the United States against us, we will not respond again,' Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said in an interview with NBC News that was published Thursday.
Takht-Ravanchi said that Iran is open to negotiating with the U.S. over its nuclear program, but added that Tehran will not stop enriching uranium.
'Our policy has not changed on enrichment. Iran has every right to do enrichment within its territory. The only thing that we have to observe is not to go for militarization,' Takht-Ravanchi said.
The U.S. military bombed Iran's three vital nuclear sites — at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — on June 21 after Israel and Iran traded strikes for more than a week. Iran retaliated, launching an attack on the U.S. military Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Iran gave advance notice of the attack and Qatar's defense systems blocked the strikes. U.S. officials said there were zero casualties.
President Trump has celebrated the U.S.'s attack, saying the assault 'obliterated' Iran's three nuclear facilities. He and other administration officials have pushed back against the early, 'low confidence' Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that suggested the U.S. military attack set back Iran's nuclear program by a matter of months.
The Pentagon suggested on Wednesday that Iran's nuclear program has been set back at least a year.
'I think we're thinking probably closer to two years, like degraded their program by two years,' Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters.
The Israeli strikes and U.S. attack on Iran came as Washington and Tehran were negotiating over potentially striking a new nuclear agreement. Trump pulled out of the 2015 Obama-negotiated deal in 2018.
'How can we trust the Americans? We want them to explain as to why they misled us, why they took such an egregious action against our people,' Iran's deputy foreign minister said.
Still, Takht-Ravanchi said Iran is for diplomacy and 'for dialogue.' He added that the Trump administration has 'to convince us that they are not going to use military force while we are negotiating.'
'That is an essential element for our leadership to be in a position to decide about the future round of talks,' the Iranian diplomat added.
Trump reiterated his desire to restart nuclear negotiations with Iran on Thursday.
'We're not looking to hurt them. We're looking to let them be a country again. They got beat up. We were both exhausted, frankly, but Iran really got beat up,' Trump told reporters. 'And if they want to meet, I know they want to meet, and if it's necessary, I'll do it.'
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CNN
5 minutes ago
- CNN
Russia launches record number of drones at Ukraine after latest Trump-Putin phone call
The smell of smoke and explosives saturated the air in Kyiv on Friday as residents emerged from shelters across the city following a record Russian drone attack that came just hours after US President Donald Trump said he had made 'no progress' towards a ceasefire in a call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The massive aerial assault stuck multiple buildings and residential areas in the capital in what has been described by Ukrainian officials as one of the worst attacks of the three-year conflict. At least one person died in the overnight attack, according to local Kyiv emergency services. Earlier Friday, city and military authorities said at least 23 people were wounded in the attack, which lasted 13 hours. Ukraine intercepted 476 out of a record 539 Russian drones, according to the country's air force. It said Russia also launched 11 cruise and ballistic missiles. Sixty Russian drones were taken down by Ukraine's new interceptor drones, regional officials said. Thousands of residents spent the night in shelters, including in subway stations or underground parking lots, as explosions and the sound of drones echoed through the city in the early hours of Friday morning. 'Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv. One of the worst so far,' said Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it 'one of the most large-scale air attacks' the country had seen. 'Notably, the first air raid alerts in our cities and regions yesterday began to blare almost simultaneously with media reports discussing a phone call between President Trump and Putin,' Zelensky said. 'Yet again, Russia is showing it has no intention of ending the war and terror.' Initially, the sound of the city's air defenses and its new drone-to-drone interceptors could be heard working to thwart the Russian attack. But as the hours passed by, the relentless buzz of drones in the air continued and, later, the sounds of impacts could be heard. The strikes sparked fires in buildings and structures across several city districts, and partially destroying multi-story buildings, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. They also destroyed part of Kyiv's railway, and damaged five ambulances that were responding to calls from those wounded. The Polish consulate was also damaged during the attack, according to Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who called on the US to 'restore supplies of anti-aircraft ammunition to Ukraine and impose tough new sanctions on the aggressor.' In recent weeks, Russia has launched near-nightly air attacks on Ukraine involving hundreds of missiles and drones. The last record-setting night of attacks came just five days ago – when Russia fired 537 drones and missiles at Ukraine. On Thursday, Trump held a nearly hour-long call with Putin and voiced frustration afterward about the stalled ceasefire negotiations. 'We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran and we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine,' Trump said. 'I'm not happy about that.' Asked if he felt he made progress with Putin on a deal with Ukraine, Trump said firmly: 'No.' He added that he was 'very disappointed' with the conversation with the Russian president, whom he believes is 'not looking to stop' the war. In a phone call with reporters on Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia pays 'close attention' to all statements from Trump. Peskov said that during the call, Putin had 'reiterated that we are interested in achieving our goals in the course of the special military operation and preferably doing so by political and diplomatic means.' Trump spoke to President Zelensky on Friday morning. Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak described the conversation as 'very important and meaningful' without providing any further details. Nights of Russian attacks pummeling Ukraine have become the new normal for Kyiv residents. On Friday, air pollution levels in the city were 'high' after the overnight attack, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. Civilians were warned to stay indoors, not to ventilate rooms and use air purifiers at maximum if possible, while people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases were asked to take particular care until the situation had stabilized. Once air raid warnings had ceased, residents expressed their frustration at what they described as Trump's tolerance of Russia's aggression. 'This attack happened immediately after Putin's conversation with Trump, and it confirms that Trump is a scoundrel, just like the fact that the US wants to stop aid deliveries and he is not helping in any way during his presidency,' said one Kyiv resident, Yuriy, told CNN. Another Kyiv resident, Yulia Ryzhkova, felt there was 'a connection between calls such as yesterday's between Putin and Trump and attacks like these.' She said, 'Everyone knows that Putin has the mentality of a thug. He only understands power, and unfortunately, Trump is not demonstrating that power. Russia feels it can act with impunity and knows that it will not suffer any consequences for its actions. This is terror, pure and simple.' The strikes come as the Trump administration pauses some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, following a review of military spending and American support to foreign countries. Trump acknowledged said that the decision had been made to protect US stockpiles. The move has caused concern for many in Ukraine. On Friday, the commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces warned that the number of long-range drones used by Russia to attack Ukraine could reach 1,000 or even more per day, citing intelligence data. The US has been the biggest single donor of military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying Ukraine with air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons, leading to concerns over dwindling US stockpiles. But the balance of aid to Ukraine has changed significantly since Trump returned to power, casting doubt over the future of US support for Kyiv. CNN's Kostya Gak, Kevin Liptak, Michael Rios and Kit Maher contributed to this story.
CNN
7 minutes ago
- CNN
Russia welcomes Trump's cut to Ukraine's military aid but it could be deadly for Kyiv
The reactions to the Trump administration's decision to pause some weapons shipments to Ukraine couldn't be more illustrative of the conflict: welcomed by the Kremlin, branded 'inhumane' by Kyiv. The Pentagon said on Wednesday that it was pausing some aid because it needs to review whether the assistance that is provided to Ukraine is aligned with US President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda. But the move could have deadly consequences for Ukraine as the halt on shipments includes missiles for Patriots, the US-made air defense systems that are currently protecting millions of Ukrainian civilians from Russia's increasingly massive daily aerial attacks. Kyiv endured the biggest ever attack overnight into Friday, with 13 dreadful hours of explosions and buzzing overhead as Russia launched a record 539 drones towards the Ukrainian capital and 11 cruise and ballistic missiles, according to the country's air force. As the smoke began to clear over the city, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the military for shooting down or jamming the majority of the Russian drones and missiles. 'It is critically important that our partners continue to support us in defending against ballistic missiles. Patriots and the missiles for them are true protectors of life,' he said – a remark clearly aimed at trying to persuade Trump to reconsider the pause. Zelensky got a chance to make the case directly to Trump when the two spoke by phone on Friday. A readout of the call from Zelensky's office said the two leaders 'agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies.' 'We are ready for direct projects with the United States and believe this is critically important for security, especially when it comes to drones and related technologies,' the readout said. No other air defense system can match the Patriots in its effectiveness – but their power comes at a huge cost, their production is limited and the demand for them is growing rapidly around the world, especially in areas deemed by the Trump administration to be more strategically important – such as the Middle East or, southwest Asia and South Korea. The announcement by the US sent shockwaves through Ukraine, with presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak saying it would be 'very strange' and 'inhumane' to stop supplying missiles that are used to protect civilians. But despite the panicked reaction, the move was not entirely unexpected. Trump has threatened to withdraw Ukraine's support in a bid to force Kyiv to the negotiating table, and he has previously briefly paused shipments of aid. While the US was for a long time Ukraine's biggest supporter, singlehandedly covering about 40% of Ukraine's military needs, it has not announced any new aid to Ukraine since early January, when Trump returned to power. Meanwhile, European countries have stepped up their support of Ukraine. According to the German Kiel Institute, which monitors aid to Ukraine, Europe has now surpassed the US as the biggest donor – having supported Ukraine to the tune of 72 billion euro ($85 billion) in total military aid since the start of the full-scale invasion to the end of April, compared to 65 billion euro ($76.6 billion) from the US. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. 'Ukraine has a lot of different needs, and some of them can be filled by other suppliers, but some can only be filled by the United States,' Daniel Byman, director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told CNN. 'For ballistic missiles in particular, only the US can provide this. A cut off in those leaves a huge gap in Ukraine and air defenses. And given the kind of daily and horrible Russian attacks, that's very consequential.' Russia has ramped up its airborne attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks. Ballistic missiles pose the deadliest threat and, according to Ukrainian officials, Russia fired as many as 80 of these in June alone. While Ukraine managed to shoot some of them down, likely with the Patriot system, the ones that slipped through caused unimaginable suffering. One ballistic missile strike killed 21 people in Dnipro last week. The week before that, 21 people were killed when a ballistic missile hit an apartment building in Kyiv. Deadly attacks like this will become more frequent if Ukraine loses access to the Patriots, which are widely considered to be among the best air defense systems available. They are capable of bringing down cruise and hypersonic missiles, short-range ballistic missiles and aircraft. According to analysts, the Ukrainian military has been using them in an extremely effective way, shooting down missiles that Moscow claimed were impossible to intercept, such as the Kinzhal ballistic missiles. At an estimated cost of about $1.1 billion for each system, the Patriots are by far the most expensive piece of equipment sent by allies to Ukraine. According to the CSIS, missile rounds for the Patriot come in at roughly $4 million each – an incredibly high price tag. But even if Ukraine had the cash to purchase these systems, which it doesn't, it would find it difficult to source them. 'The production pace of Patriot missiles is low. Not because the US doesn't want to produce more, but because it's very sophisticated – you can't produce thousands a year, you can produce hundreds and you have allies all over the world who need them,' Pavel Luzin, a senior fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, said Thursday during a discussion at the NEST Center, a think tank. Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the Patriot missiles for the US Army, has been ramping up production to record levels – but even so, it is only able to make just over 500 per year, with a plan to increase production to 650 a year by 2027. A major $5.5 billion deal between US and German companies to begin manufacturing the Patriot missiles outside of the US for the first time was approved last year following a NATO order of up to 1,000 rounds – but the first deliveries are not expected until several years from now. Germany, which has donated several of its Patriot systems to Ukraine in the past, is looking into the option of purchasing some missiles for Ukraine from the US, the spokesperson for the German government said in a news conference on Friday. Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based defense think tank, said that while global stockpiles of Patriot missiles are not 'critically low,' there are some grounds for concern about shortages. 'The requirement for Patriots, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, is growing significantly,' he said. He said that given that some of the missiles initially meant for Ukraine were diverted to other allies, including Israel, it was likely that the US wanted to – or even had contractual obligations to – deliver interceptors to countries who are, in some cases, located within range of Iranian missiles. Still, Kaushal said the US itself is highly unlikely to face any kind of urgent shortage of missiles. 'While the US has sent a considerable number of Patriot interceptors to Ukraine it has replenished stocks through buy-back schemes from Japan and more recent shipments were diverted from export customers rather than the US' own inventory,' he said in a note emailed to CNN. Zelensky said previously that Ukraine would need some 25 Patriot batteries to defend its airspace effectively. It has roughly half a dozen at the moment, although the exact numbers and their locations are closely guarded secrets. What is known, though, is that the Ukrainians are very worried about running out of the munitions – especially because the latest US pause doesn't concern future aid but impacts deliveries that have been approved and funded and were on their way to Ukraine, where the military was counting on receiving them in the very near future. 'One thing is not having future sales approved; another is stopping what is already in the pipeline. And so that's a very negative shift that is harmful for the future defense of Ukraine and the effect is going to be pretty quick. The Russian attacks are happening daily, and Ukraine relies on these systems to counter them,' Byman said. The pause in shipments is likely to give yet another boost to Russia. 'It's part of (the Russians') strategy. They believe that without the US support, Ukraine is more likely to collapse or at least make concessions… so it certainly increases the incentives for Russia to keep military pressure on Ukraine,' Byman said. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor, said that previous delays in deliveries of aid to Ukraine have invariably accelerated Russian gains on the battlefield. When the US dragged its feet on military aid in late 2023 and early 2024, Russia pushed forward in Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine. When the US paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine in March, Russian forces advanced in Kursk. 'The suspension of US aid to Ukraine will reinforce Russian President Vladimir Putin's theory of victory that posits that Russia can win the war of attrition by making slow, creeping advances and outlasting Western support for Ukraine,' the ISW said. The pause in shipments will likely reinforce Putin's belief that time is on Russia's side – and that if he can delay negotiations for long enough, his troops will eventually outlast Western assistance to Ukraine. For Ukrainians, who have sacrificed so much trying to defend their country against a bigger, stronger aggressor, the absence of US military aid is not just yet another setback – it's potentially a disaster. CNN's Svitlana Vlasova, Kosta Gak and Victoria Butenko contributed reporting.
Newsweek
16 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Zelensky Reveals Details of Key Trump Call: 'Very Important and Useful'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a "very important and useful" call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, July 4. The call comes after the Trump Administration canceled a planned shipment of weapons to Ukraine over concerns about the diminishing level of U.S. stockpiles. Russia is also amassing tens of thousands of troops at Ukraine's border, and is pounding Ukrainian cities with drone and missile strikes. Zelensky, posting to Telegram, said he and Trump agreed to work to increase the protection of Ukraine's skies, and that teams from both countries would meet on that. He said the Ukrainians also discussed in detail the possibility of joint production by the two countries' defense industries, including projects on drones and related technologies. They also discussed mutual purchases and investments, Zelensky said. Zelensky congratulated Trump on Independence Day and thanked him for the support of the American people during Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion. A day before, Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but emerged "very disappointed" with the conversation. Putin had told Trump that Russia was focused on meeting its goals in the Ukraine war. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to halt Kyiv's move towards the west, including ambitions to join NATO and the European Union (EU). This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
