Latest news with #AliAkbarVelayati
Roya News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
Iran rules out nuclear talks if US demands halt to uranium enrichment
Iran will not return to nuclear negotiations if the United States insists on suspending uranium enrichment, a senior Iranian official said Monday, marking a new setback in efforts to revive diplomacy after last month's war. Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, said Tehran rejects any preconditions that demand halting its enrichment program. 'If negotiations are tied to the condition of suspending enrichment, then there will be no negotiations at all,' Velayati was quoted as saying by Iran's state-run news agency. The statement comes in the aftermath of a 12-day war that began on June 13, when 'Israel' launched a military attack on Iran. The United States joined the offensive, striking three Iranian nuclear sites. The escalation disrupted ongoing diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington, which had been mediated by Oman. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Whitkoff had previously held five rounds of indirect talks since April. A sixth round was planned for June 15, but was canceled following the outbreak of the conflict. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran had approached the talks in good faith and was committed to diplomacy, but that recent events had undermined the process. 'Before the sixth round could begin, Tel Aviv launched a military assault on Iran in coordination with the United States,' Baghaei said. 'We will not return to the negotiating table unless there is real seriousness in the diplomatic track and a clear purpose to the process.'
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What to know about the US's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after Iran's attack
Iran has responded to the United States' direct involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict by targeting its military assets in the Middle East. On Monday, Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced that bases used by US forces 'in the region or elsewhere' could be attacked in retaliation for US attacks on Iran's underground nuclear sites the previous day. Later that evening, explosions were heard over Qatar's capital, Doha, as Iran attacked Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military base in the Middle East. Here's everything you need to know about Al Udeid: Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190km (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the US's largest military base in the region, Al Udeid. The 24-hectare (60-acre) base, in the desert outside the capital Doha, was set up in 1996 and is the forward headquarters for US Central Command, which directs US military operations in a huge swathe of territory stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the US Air Force, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. It houses around 10,000 troops. Earlier this year, The Hill, a Washington, DC-based newspaper, reported that Al Udeid's 'long, well-maintained runways enable rapid deployment, making it a critical component of US force projection'. The Hill also reported that Qatar's investment in Al Udeid has kept it 'at the forefront of military readiness while saving US taxpayers billions of dollars'. Over the years, it said, Qatar had spent more than $8bn upgrading infrastructure. The base has played a central role in air campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in humanitarian missions, including the 2021 evacuation of Kabul. On Monday, Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced it had temporarily closed its airspace amid threats of Iranian retaliation. '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 ministry said. The closure came several hours after the US and UK embassies urged their citizens in Qatar to shelter in place out of what it said was 'an abundance of caution'. Later, news agency Reuters cited a Western diplomat as saying there had been a credible Iranian threat against Al Udeid since noon on Monday. That evening, Qatar's Defence Minister, cited by Al Jazeera, said the country's air defences had intercepted missiles directed at Al Udeid. Before targeting Iran's nuclear sites, it appears that the US started taking precautionary measures. As US President Donald Trump mulled direct involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict, news agency AFP reported that dozens of US military aircraft were no longer on the tarmac at the air base, basing its assessment on satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC. 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. One US official who spoke to Reuters said aircraft that were not in hardened shelters had been moved from Al Udeid base. Additionally, he said US Navy vessels had been moved from a port in Bahrain, where the US military's 5th fleet is located. 'It is not an uncommon practice,' the official said. 'Force protection is the priority.' No. Prior to the US attack on nuclear sites on Sunday, it was reported that B-2 bombers were heading to Guam – a ruse, as it turned out. As all eyes looked West, seven B-2 stealth bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri in the US at 00:01 EDT (04:01 GMT), according to the Pentagon. The top-secret flights flew straight over the Atlantic to Iran. None of the US bases in the Middle East were deployed in the US offensive on Iran. Qatar condemned the attack on the air base, calling it a 'flagrant violation' of its sovereignty. 'We express the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement. Iran and Qatar enjoy fraternal diplomatic relations. Qatar has condemned the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.
Al Jazeera
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
What to know about the US's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after Iran's attack
Iran has responded to the United States' direct involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict by targeting its military assets in the Middle East. On Monday, Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, announced that bases used by US forces 'in the region or elsewhere' could be attacked in retaliation for US attacks on Iran's underground nuclear sites the previous day. Later that evening, explosions were heard over Qatar's capital, Doha, as Iran attacked Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military base in the Middle East. Here's everything you need to know about Al Udeid: What is Al Udeid? Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190km (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the US's largest military base in the region, Al Udeid. The 24-hectare (60-acre) base, in the desert outside the capital Doha, was set up in 1996 and is the forward headquarters for US Central Command, which directs US military operations in a huge swathe of territory stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the US Air Force, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. It houses around 10,000 troops. Earlier this year, The Hill, a Washington, DC-based newspaper, reported that Al Udeid's 'long, well-maintained runways enable rapid deployment, making it a critical component of US force projection'. The Hill also reported that Qatar's investment in Al Udeid has kept it 'at the forefront of military readiness while saving US taxpayers billions of dollars'. Over the years, it said, Qatar had spent more than $8bn upgrading infrastructure. The base has played a central role in air campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in humanitarian missions, including the 2021 evacuation of Kabul. Why is it in the news? On Monday, Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced it had temporarily closed its airspace amid threats of Iranian retaliation. '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 ministry said. The closure came several hours after the US and UK embassies urged their citizens in Qatar to shelter in place out of what it said was 'an abundance of caution'. Later, news agency Reuters cited a Western diplomat as saying there had been a credible Iranian threat against Al Udeid since noon on Monday. That evening, Qatar's Defence Minister, cited by Al Jazeera, said the country's air defences had intercepted missiles directed at Al Udeid. Was Al Udeid prepared for the attack? Before targeting Iran's nuclear sites, it appears that the US started taking precautionary measures. As US President Donald Trump mulled direct involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict, news agency AFP reported that dozens of US military aircraft were no longer on the tarmac at the air base, basing its assessment on satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC. 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. One US official who spoke to Reuters said aircraft that were not in hardened shelters had been moved from Al Udeid base. Additionally, he said US Navy vessels had been moved from a port in Bahrain, where the US military's 5th fleet is located. 'It is not an uncommon practice,' the official said. 'Force protection is the priority.' Was Al Udeid involved in US attacks on nuclear sites? No. Prior to the US attack on nuclear sites on Sunday, it was reported that B-2 bombers were heading to Guam – a ruse, as it turned out. As all eyes looked West, seven B-2 stealth bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri in the US at 00:01 EDT (04:01 GMT), according to the Pentagon. The top-secret flights flew straight over the Atlantic to Iran. None of the US bases in the Middle East were deployed in the US offensive on Iran. How has Qatar responded to the attack on Al Udeid? Qatar condemned the attack on the air base, calling it a 'flagrant violation' of its sovereignty. 'We express the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement. Iran and Qatar enjoy fraternal diplomatic relations. Qatar has condemned the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.
ITV News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Iran launches missile strike on US forces at Qatari air base
Iran says it launched an attack on US forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base. The attacks came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran. The White House and Pentagon aware of, and closely monitoring, the potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a senior official said. US struck three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend, sparking the Iranian pledge for retaliation. The first British nationals have been evacuated from Israel as fighting continues in the Middle East. Iran has said it launched a missile attack Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. Footage reported across social media appears to show missiles in the skies above the Qatari capital of Doha, followed by explosions. Qatar's Defense Ministry says Iranian strikes did not inflict any casualties. Iran announced the strikes on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it 'a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America's aggression.' The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran. In the past, Iran has threatened American forces at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the US military's Central Command. Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, maintains diplomatic relations with Iran and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran. Qatar Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on Al Udeid base by Iran's Revolutionary Guards calling it 'a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty, its airspace, and international law.' The ministry added that the continuation of such military activities endangers security and stability of the region. 'We call for an immediate end to all military activities,' Qatar's foreign ministry said. It comes after Donald Trump hailed the US military's strikes on three of Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend and also suggested he was open to "regime change" in Iran, despite US officials seeking to emphasise that the attacks did not mean America had gone to war with the country. Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said any country used by the US to strike Iran "will be a legitimate target for our armed forces,' the state-run IRNA news agency reported. Tens of thousands of American troops are based in the Middle East. Israeli and Iranian strikes continue into day 10 Meanwhile, Israel and Iran traded strikes on Monday as the conflict continues to escalate. Iran's underground enrichment site at Fordow was hit again a day after it was targeted in a wave of strikes by the US, Iranian state television reported. There was no immediate word on damage or who launched the attack at the facility, which is located 60 miles south of Iran's capital, but Israel said earlier it was conducting airstrikes on Iran. The Tehran regime has insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful, but its uranium enrichment process has gone far beyond what is required for power stations. Israel's Defence Ministry said it was striking Iranian government targets in Tehran, including the notorious Evin Prison and the security headquarters of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, the city's Palestine Square, and the paramilitary Basij volunteer corps building, which is a part of the Revolutionary Guard. 'The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,' the ministry said. Meanwhile, 15 Iranian missiles were fired at Israel, with one falling on the city of Ashdod. In a statement, the Israeli electricity company said that a missile fired by Iran had fallen near a strategic power plant in the south of the country. Many settlements in the south reportedly experienced power outages as a result, with 8,000 homes IDF statement noted that, after the missiles were detected being fired from Iran towards Israel, alarms were activated in various areas in the north of the country. UK calls for de-escalation as fear of crisis spiralling mounts At least 63 British nationals have been evacuated from Israel, with more flights to come, as fighting in the Middle East intensifies. Further flights are expected in the coming days for the most vulnerable British nationals, with anyone impacted by the fighting urged to register with the Foreign Office. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who spoke to the US president on Sunday night, warned there was a risk of the Middle East crisis spiralling beyond the region following the attacks. Downing Street said the leaders agreed Tehran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and called for Iran to return to negotiations. The UK was not involved in the US operation, but there is the prospect of British forces being dragged into the conflict if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei orders a retaliation. Speaking to reporters at his Chequers country retreat, he would not be drawn on whether Nato's mutual defence pact would apply if US forces were targeted. Starmer said: "We have taken all necessary measures to protect UK interests, UK personnel, and to work with our allies to protect their interests as well." Extra RAF Typhoon jets have already been moved to the region, and Defence Secretary John Healey said "force protection is at its highest level".
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel-Iran conflict escalates: US warns of rising threats; New York, Washington, LA on high alert
Washington: The US State Department issued a "worldwide caution" for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk. "The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad," the State Department's security alert said. "The Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution." In a post on X, NYPD stated, "We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran." "We're working with our federal colleagues and allocating more resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic locations throughout New York City out of a sense of caution. We'll keep an eye out for any possible effects on New York City." According to a June 22 statement from the Department of Homeland Security, if Iranian leaders release a religious ruling "calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland," then assaults by low-level cyber "hacktivists" are likely to occur, followed by larger attacks. According to a report published in the USA Today, 'Iran has a long-standing pledge to attack U.S. government officials after Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in 2020, the agency added, but the assaults on Iran will probably strengthen that pledge.' Additionally, the advisory cautions that "violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators may be inspired by the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict to attack targets who are thought to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or associated with the US government or military in the Homeland." The Islamic Republic on Sunday threatened US bases in the Middle East and warned that US forces could be attacked in retaliation for the unprecedented airstrikes that the Pentagon said devastated Iran's nuclear program. "Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces," Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency. The United States on Saturday began evacuation flights from Israel for American citizens and permanent US residents living in Israel or the West Bank. It also ordered staff at its diplomatic missions in Iraq and Lebanon to leave those countries.
