Israel and Arab States have urged the U.S. to delay any potential military action against Iran, warning that such a move could undermine ongoing protests inside the country, according to NBC News.
The U.S. broadcaster reported that Israeli officials conveyed their concerns to President Donald Trump’s administration, saying that the U.S. should wait until the Iranian regime is “even more strained”.
According to NBC News, Israel told the White House it supports regime change in Iran and backs U.S. efforts aimed at facilitating it. However, Israeli officials reportedly believe that military action by Washington could shift focus away from domestic discontent and instead allow Iranian authorities to frame unrest as the result of foreign aggression.
Israeli officials were said to have argued that protests inside Iran have created a rare opportunity for internal pressure to build without direct foreign involvement.
Israel has suggested alternative approaches to increase pressure on Tehran. NBC News said these included improving internet access to help protesters communicate and organise, and also tightening economic sanctions.
President Trump has said he has not yet decided what course of action the U.S. will take. He said the White House was still weighing its options and had not made a final decision on whether to pursue military measures against Iran.
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday, Trump said Iran was "on my mind" and that he expected an update on the situation soon.
“When I see the kind of death that is happening over there. We think. So, we're going to get some accurate numbers. I'll have them in about 20 minutes, we'll get some accurate numbers as to what's happening with regard to the killing. The killing looks like it's significant, but we don't know yet for certain. I'll know within 20 minutes, so… And we’ll act accordingly.”
Trump said that helping Iranian protesters involved economic actions, among other steps. He added that he would cancel all meetings with Iranian officials until bloodshed during the protests comes to an end.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera on Monday that he had continued to communicate with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff during the protests and Tehran was studying ideas proposed by Washington.
However, direct communications between Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Witkoff have been suspended, a senior official told Reuters on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump's threats to intervene amid nationwide protests in Iran.
The senior official added that U.S. threats undermine diplomatic efforts and that potential meetings between the two officials to find a diplomatic solution to a decades-long nuclear dispute have been cancelled.
More than 2,571 people have now been killed during the violent crackdown by security forces on protests in Iran, a human rights group has said.
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Iran has said it remains determined to pursue legal action against Israel and the United States over the deaths of senior officials and civilians during recent military confrontations, insisting it will seek accountability through international bodies.
At least six people, including a nine-year-old girl, were killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, 12 July, Palestinian health officials said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Omani counterpart Sayyid Badr Albusaidi have discussed arrangements to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has promised to avenge the killing of his father, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tehran and Washington had agreed to continue talks despite an escalation of hostilities this week.
The 4th Shusha Global Media Forum will bring together nearly 160 media leaders, experts and officials from 54 countries in Azerbaijan's historic city of Shusha on 13-14 July, to discuss journalism’s role in peacebuilding, restoring public trust and tackling challenges.
The U.S. has launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran targeted a container ship and said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also claimed to have expanded attacks on U.S. military facilities across the Gulf.
Typhoon Bavi, the strongest storm to hit the eastern coast of mainland China this year, brought heavy rain, strong winds, flooding and landslides after making landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday. More than 2.8 million people were evacuated to safety ahead of the storm.
President Ilham Aliyev is holding his annual question-and-answer session with international journalists at the 4th Shusha Global Media Forum in Azerbaijan.
Qatar is mourning the death of its former ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who has passed away at the age of 74.
Twelve people have been arrested in connection with an alleged extreme right-wing terrorism plot targeting a major Islamic gathering in Suffolk, prompting counter-terrorism police to declare a major incident and bring the event to an early close.
Ukraine and a group of key Western allies have launched a new air defence coalition to develop a European anti-ballistic missile system that will complement existing defences and reduce reliance on the costly U.S.-made Patriot system.
Russian athletes will once again be allowed to represent their country in international modern pentathlon competitions after the sport's governing body lifted restrictions on their participation, marking another step in Russia's return to international sport.
The AFC/M23 rebel movement is using its response to a small Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as evidence of its ability to govern territory under its control, establishing parallel health structures and relying partly on support from neighbouring Rwanda.
Britain has moved to target Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and another Iran-linked organisation using new state-threat powers following a series of antisemitic incidents across the country.
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