For today, links to 19 reports: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, the Associated Press, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, Tass, and National Public Radio; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 6-20-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM
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Israeli strike hits Iran’s oil-rich Ahvaz, smoke seen rising. From Middle East Eye. Videos verified by Al Jazeera show thick plumes of smoke billowing over the city of Ahvaz following an Israeli air strike, a key hub for the country’s oil production. READ MORE . . .
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Israeli army says Iran war can last ‘many months’ as air defenses falter. From the Cradle. Israeli army officials today warned that the war against Iran could last for “many months,” abandoning earlier estimates that the so-called ‘Operation Rising Lion’ would be completed within weeks. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from AP.
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U.S. deploys more stealth bombers, new aircraft carrier as Iran-Israel war heats up. From the Cradle. The Pentagon is expected to send a third aircraft carrier strike group near Iran in the coming days as Washington increases its military presence near West Asia for a potential involvement in the Israeli war, a Navy official confirmed today. READ MORE . . .
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A week into war, Israel and Iran trade fire as Europe’s diplomatic effort yields no breakthrough, by Sam Mednick, Jon Gambrell and David Rising | AP TEL AVIV — Israel and Iran traded strikes a week into their war on Friday as President Donald Trump weighed U.S. military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran’s top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But . . . READ MORE . . .
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Israel says it killed veteran Iran commander as both sides attack. From Reuters. Israel said today it had killed a veteran Iranian commander, Saeed Izadi, as the countries traded attacks, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive. READ MORE . . .
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OIC to hold special session at Iran’s request over Israel-Iran conflict, by Muhammet Tarhan and Zehra Nur Celik | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — ISTANBUL / ANKARA At Iran’s request, a special closed-door session with the participation of all members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be held this evening as part of the bloc’s 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, diplomatic sources said today. READ MORE . . .
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Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei retreats to bunker, names successors amid Israeli assaults: report, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — The New York Times reports today that in order to safeguard both his life and the leadership structure of the Islamic Republic amid escalating Israeli attacks on Iranian territory, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has . . . READ MORE . . .
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5 members of Iranian Revolutionary Guards killed in Israeli attacks on western Iran’s Khorramabad, Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — Five members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were killed in Israeli attacks targeting the city of Khorramabad in western Iran, the Iranian Mehr news agency reported today. The regional capital of the Lorestan province . . . READ MORE . . .
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Iran has right to peaceful use of nuclear technology — Putin. From Tass. DUBAI — Iran has the right to develop a civilian nuclear program and to use atomic technologies for peaceful purposes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Sky News Arabia . READ MORE . . .
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Turkey’s Erdogan says Israel attacks aimed to sabotage Iran nuclear talks. From Reuters. ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Israel’s attacks on Iran right before a new round of nuclear talks with the United States aimed to sabotage the negotiations, and it showed Israel did not want to resolve issues through diplomacy. READ MORE . . .
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FROM JUNE 20 No diplomacy until Israel stops war, faces consequences for crimes’: Iran FM. From the Cradle. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the Islamic Republic is not open to negotiations “with any party” until the US-backed Israeli war against the country is brought to an end. READ MORE . . .
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Iran warns U.S. against involvement in Israeli strikes, urges return to diplomacy, by Merve Berker | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned today that the U.S. participation in Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iran would be “very unfortunate” and “extremely dangerous for everyone.” READ MORE . . .
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Türkiye vows to champion Muslim world, global justice, slams Israel’s regional aggression, by Zehra Nur Celik | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — Türkiye today pledged to champion the Muslim world and advocate for global justice, while condemning Israel’s regional aggression at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit. READ MORE . . .
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Turkish President Erdogan warns against ‘new Sykes-Picot order’ in Middle East, by Merve Berker | Anadolu Agency ANKARA — “We will not allow the establishment of a new Sykes-Picot order in our region with borders to be drawn in blood,” Turkish President Recep Erdogan said today, calling for stronger solidarity among Islamic nations to counter Israeli actions and regional destabilization. READ MORE . . .
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FROM JUNE 20 Grossi says IAEA report ‘not basis for war’ after threat of legal action from Iran. From the Cradle. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, says the agency’s report accusing Iran of secret and illicit nuclear activity is not the reason behind Israel’s war against the country, after Tehran signaled . . . READ MORE . . .
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FROM JUNE 20 Trump hesitates on Iran strike as satellite images expose limits of Israeli attacks. From the Cradle. A Bloomberg investigation and satellite analysis published on Friday revealed . . . READ MORE . . .
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Can Israel’s air defense keep up against Iranian attacks? Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR As the war between Israel and Iran enters its second week, there’s a specific kind of math that will determine just how much longer it can go — how many long-range missiles Iran has versus how many missile interceptors Israel has to shoot them down. Click HERE to listen and read.
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How likely is Israel’s goal of regime change in Iran? Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Mehrzad Boroujerdi of Missouri University of Science and Technology about potential regime change in Iran as an objective of Israel’s attacks on the country. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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