The US president has called to “Make Iran Great Again” after Washington joined Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign
FILE PHOTO © Gary Hershorn / Getty Images
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President J.D. Vance have warned Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz, saying the move would be a big mistake.
Both men commented after Iran’s Press TV reported that the national parliament had approved a measure to close the strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas is exported. It follows Washington’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan overnight.
In the same post and several follow-up messages, the US leader urged Tehran not to retaliate and to engage in talks, claiming it was now “time for peace.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has condemned the US airstrikes as a violation of all international treaties, stating that “Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests, and people.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attacks, calling for a diplomatic solution. “The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments are presented, is a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions, which has previously unequivocally classified such actions as unacceptable.”
Tehran has previously warned Washington and other third parties against joining the conflict, threatening to target any hostile assets and weapons shipments bound for Israel. A spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthis has 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
Israel launched its Operation Rising Lion as a “preemptive” strike, supposedly aimed at preventing the Islamic Republic from acquiring a nuclear bomb. Tehran, which has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful, called the attack an act of war and has 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.
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22 June 2025
22:11 GMT
Beijing has condemned Washington’s decision to bomb Iran, with the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry calling on “parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, to reach a ceasefire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians, and start dialogue and negotiation.”
“China strongly condemns the US attacks on Iran and the bombing of nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the IAEA. The actions of the US seriously violate the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and have exacerbated tensions in the Middle East,” spokesperson Lin Jian said in a statement on X.
- 21:47 GMT
US President Donald Trump has suggested that regime change in Iran may be on the table, in a new statement posted to Truth Social on Sunday.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change??? MIGA!!!” Trump wrote, referencing his famous slogan adapted for Iran.
Trump did not elaborate on any specific plans for Washington to get involved, but his message comes amid escalating rhetoric and rising tensions following US strikes on key nuclear facilities across the country.
- 21:35 GMT
Israel carried out a new series of coordinated airstrikes on Sunday evening, targeting military infrastructure across western and central Iran, the IDF has announced. According to an official statement, “approximately 20 Israeli Air Force fighter jets” launched “over 30 munitions,” targeting military sites in the provinces of Kermanshah and Hamedan, including missile storage and launch infrastructure, radar systems, and military satellites used to develop Iran’s aerial intelligence capabilities.
- 20:47 GMT
Russia’s UN envoy Vasiliy Nebenzya condemned Washington’s strikes on Iran during a Security Council meeting, emphasizing the danger to the region and the entire world.
“With its actions, the US has opened Pandora’s box, and no one knows what new consequences this may lead to, he claimed.
“History has taught our colleagues nothing.”
Nebenzya also said that Washington “has once again demonstrated its complete disregard for the position of the international community.” He also alleged that the US is “completely unconcerned” about threats to the lives of civilians.
- 20:44 GMT
“You may see cells in the US and maybe even in Europe activated,” former Pentagon security policy analyst Michael Maloof on possible Iranian retaliation to Trump’s strikes.
Speaking to RT, he doubted that Tehran would shoot at bases in the Gulf region. However, Maloof added he “would imagine [that] for the Iranians, everything is on the table at this point.”
- 20:00 GMT
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the US attacks “marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.”
Guterres added that he has “repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,” adding that those living in the region “cannot endure another cycle of destruction.”“Two days ago, in this very chamber, I made a direct appeal: give peace a chance. That call was not heeded… Instead, the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling.”
- 19:37 GMT
“The game is not over” even if US and Israeli strikes destroy Iran’s nuclear sites, a top aide to Iran’s supreme leader has said.
“Even assuming the complete destruction of the (nuclear) sites, the game is not over,” CNN quoted Ali Shamkhani as saying, who is an adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and has represented Tehran in talks with the US.
“The enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, and political will remain intact, and the surprises will continue!” Shamkhani added.
- 19:24 GMT
US flags and colors along with the Israeli ones are lighting up Jerusalem’s Old City, according to social media reports.
The flags of Israel and the United States illuminate the Old City walls of Jerusalem this evening. An unshakable bond 🇮🇱🇺🇸📸 @ArnonBossanipic.twitter.com/JT5je3cv6L
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) June 22, 2025
- 19:09 GMT
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on Sunday for urgent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Araghchi earlier emphasized the importance of strategic partnership between Iran and Russia. “We always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” he told reporters in Istanbul, according to media reports.
ALERT:Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, has landed in Moscow for high-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, focusing on the latest regional and international developments amid escalating US and Israeli military tensions with Iran,… pic.twitter.com/Gxdpqddciq
— The Khorasan Diary (@khorasandiary) June 22, 2025
- 18:16 GMT
The Washington Post’s express poll has shown that only 25% of Americans support the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Of those surveyed, 45% oppose President Trump’s decision, with 30% saying they are unsure.
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