Tehran says it will halt missile barrages if West Jerusalem stops its attacks firstOn Monday evening, US President Donald Trump announced that he had brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. While Israel has not issued a public statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran would end hostilities if West Jerusalem halts its attacks first. However, Araghchi denied that any ceasefire agreement is currently in effect.
Earlier on Monday, Iran launched missiles at the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a day after American B-2 bombers struck three Iranian nuclear facilities. According to Trump, no Americans were harmed and “hardly any damage was done” to the military outpost.
On Sunday, Trump hinted at a possible regime change in Iran, although both the US and Israel have denied that toppling the government is their immediate goal. After US bombers struck nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, Trump suggested that it was now “time for peace.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the American and Israeli strikes as illegal under international law during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Kremlin on Monday. Araghchi stated that “Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people.”
Tehran has previously warned Washington and other countries against joining the conflict, threatening to target any hostile assets and weapons shipments bound for Israel. A spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthis also warned that if the US becomes involved, the group “will target its warships in the Red Sea.”
READ MORE: ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT AS IT UNFOLDED OVER THE PAST WEEK
On June 13, Israel began a series of strikes it said were aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Tehran, which denies having a military nuclear program, called the attack an act of war and responded with missile and drone strikes of its own.
Israeli strikes have killed at least 430 Iranians and injured more than 3,500 civilians so far, according to Iran’s Health Ministry. Israeli officials have reported 25 deaths and over 2,500 injuries.
24 June 2025
03:17 GMTPakistan’s former national security minister, Naeem Khalid Lodhi, told RT on Monday that Iran “has more incentive to produce nuclear weapons” following the Israeli attacks. He said Iran would not engage in direct negotiations with the US on its nuclear program, as it believes “the Americans have broken their trust again and again.”
Lodhi argued that Israel has failed in its efforts to achieve regime change, noting that Iranians have rallied around their government in response to what he called “external aggression.”
Despite US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire announcement, additional missiles were launched at Israel on Tuesday, the IDF said.
An impact was reported in Beersheba, in southern Israel.
According to Iran-linked Telegram channels, fewer than ten missiles were fired at Israel after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect.
