The Latest: Israel, Iran exchange fresh strikes on 9th day of escalating conflict
BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- As the conflict between Israel and Iran entered its second week, the two sides exchanged a new round of attacks on Saturday, marking the ninth day of hostilities. The following are the latest developments related to the conflict:
Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli military reported that Iran had launched another missile attack. There were no immediate reports of any missile impacts.
Meanwhile, Iranian local media reported that an Israeli strike on a residential building in the central Iranian city of Qom killed two people and injured four others. Attacks were also reported on the central Iranian city of Isfahan, home to a key nuclear research center.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed in an interview with a local newspaper that recent Israeli airstrikes have "delayed Iran's chances of making a nuclear bomb for two or three years."
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Geneva on Friday for talks with European foreign ministers at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy.
The meeting, held among Araghchi, his counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, as well as the European Union's top diplomat, lasted about three and a half hours but concluded with no apparent breakthrough.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Araghchi reiterated that Iran's nuclear program is purely peaceful and remains entirely under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In an address on Iranian state TV earlier in the day, Araqchi said there was no room for negotiations with the United States "until Israeli aggression stops."
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Arab League foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Istanbul on Friday to address rising tensions between Iran and Israel, according to Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency.
Citing diplomatic sources, the report said the talks focused on the consequences of the recent hostilities and their potential impact on regional stability.
After a closed-door meeting, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who chaired the session, told reporters the international community must act to prevent a full-scale war, warning that global peace and security were at risk.
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Explosions were reported on Friday across three locations in Iran's western Khuzestan province following Israeli attacks, killing several civilians, according to Iran's Mehr news agency. An agricultural well was also reportedly struck during the assaults.
Data released on Friday from Iranian authorities showed that over 3,000 people have been injured in the country since the beginning of Israel's attacks.
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A fresh barrage of missiles launched from Iran struck northern Israel on Friday, wounding 21 people and causing significant damage in the coastal city of Haifa, according to Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom.
The Israel Defense Forces estimated that the barrage included 25 missiles, triggering air raid sirens across the country and sending millions of residents scrambling for shelter.
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U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in New Jersey on Friday that asking Israel to halt its airstrikes in Iran would be challenging, even as he pursues a diplomatic solution to end the conflict.
Trump also dismissed European efforts to engage diplomatically with Iran. "They didn't help … Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help on this one."
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A U.S. Navy official said Friday the USS Gerald R. Ford will depart for Europe next week, placing a third American aircraft carrier in closer proximity to the Middle East as Israel and Iran trade strikes.
Trump said Thursday he will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks, citing a chance of negotiations to end the conflict.
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Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi on Friday warned of the risk of nuclear contamination from Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Attacks on nuclear sites in Iran have caused a sharp degradation in nuclear safety and security in the country. Although they have not yet led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger that it could occur, said Grossi.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for diplomacy to prevent the Israeli-Iranian conflict from spiraling out of control.
"There are moments when the choices before us are not just consequential, they are defining; moments when the direction taken will shape not only the fate of nations, but potentially our collective future. This is such a moment," he said in remarks to an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
The expansion of this conflict could ignite a fire that no one can control, he warned. "We must not let that happen." ■