3 h. ago Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza as Qatar calls for peace talks – Middle East crisis live

At least 49 people were killed across Gaza by Israeli strikes, health staff sayEmirates extended its cancellation of flights to and from Iran’s capital Tehran until July 5 due to the “regional situation“, it said in a statement on Saturday, Reuters reports.The Dubai-based airline said it will recommence operations to Baghdad on 1 July and Basra on 2 July. Continue reading...

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6 h. ago Qatar sees ‘window of opportunity’ for Gaza truce as dozens reported killed by Israel – Middle East crisis live

At least 34 people were killed across Gaza by Israeli strikes, health staff sayIran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Iranians had given their “blood” during a 12-day war with Israel but “not honour”, AFP reports.“Iranians gave blood, not land; gave their loved ones, not honour; they withstood a thousand-ton rain of bombs, but did not surrender,” Abbas Araghchi said on his Instagram account, adding that Iran does not recognise the word “surrender”. Continue reading...

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7 h. ago Trump says he would ‘absolutely’ consider bombing Iran again – Middle East crisis live

US president tells White House briefing he would ‘without question’ attack the country if Tehran is enriching uranium to concerning levelsWe have more on the state funeral being held in Tehran for around 60 people, including its military commanders and nuclear scientists.The proceedings started at 8.00am local time (04.30 GMT) in the capital as government offices and many businesses were closed on Saturday for the occasion, AFP reports. Continue reading...

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51 h. ago Iran delivered ‘heavy slap to US’s face’, says Khamenei as he threatens further attacks on American bases – Middle East crisis live

In his first comments since the ceasefire, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US ‘gained no achievement’ when it joined the war with Israel against TehranIsrael’s national security minister called for a “complete halt” of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Thursday, claiming that Hamas is taking control of the supplied goods and food.Itamar Ben-Gvir says that he will “demand” Benjamin Netanyahu put a new vote to the country’s cabinet on the issue of the introduction of aid to Gaza.The humanitarian aid currently entering Gaza is an absolute disgrace. What is needed in Gaza is not a temporary halt to the “humanitarian” aid, but a complete halt to it.When I warned and warned, and unfortunately the only one who voted a month and a half ago against the introduction of the aid, it was clear to me that it would give oxygen to Hamas.With all due respect and gratitude to the president of the United States, he’s not supposed to intervene in a legal process of an independent state.I hope and suppose tha...

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3 d. ago ‘It’s like being walled in’: young Iranians break through internet blackout

Desperate for news on war with Israel, people are searching for proxy links that route messages through servers outside Iran• Middle East crisis – live updatesAmir* hasn’t slept much in days. From his apartment in northern Tehran, the 23-year-old spends his nights searching for proxy links – fragile digital lifelines that briefly break through the internet blackout.Iran remains under a near-total internet shutdown, severely limiting access to information. A group of young Iranians are, however, working non-stop to breech the blackout to ensure their voices go out to the outside world. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘It’s like being walled in’: young Iranians try to break through internet blackout

Desperate for news on war with Israel, people search for proxy links to route messages through servers outside Iran• Middle East crisis – live updatesAmir* hasn’t slept much in days. From his apartment in northern Tehran, the 23-year-old spends his nights searching for proxy links, fragile digital lifelines that briefly break through the internet blackout.Iran remains under a near-total internet shutdown, severely limiting access to information. A group of young Iranians are, however, working non-stop to ensure their voices reach the outside world. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump casts doubt on commitment to defending Nato partners as he arrives in Europe for annual summit – live

US president arrives in Amsterdam, where he is expected to take victory lap over apparent conclusion of Israel-Iran conflictIt’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago Trump arrives in Europe for annual Nato summit after Rutte praises his ‘decisive action in Iran’ – live updates

US president arrives in Amsterdam, where he is expected to take victory lap over apparent conclusion of Israel-Iran conflictIt’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago The Guardian view on Trump’s vacillating approach to Iran: a ceasefire is welcome, but the danger isn’t over | Editorial

Better diplomacy than war, but the US president’s inconsistency and Benjamin Netanyahu’s political needs increase the dangers in this Middle East crisisDonald Trump declared a ceasefire that would last “for ever”. Or perhaps not. Within hours, he had attacked both Israel and Iran for breaking the deal he took credit for, though there seemed to be a precarious peace. But the volatility of events owes much to the unpredictability of Mr Trump’s own rhetoric and actions. The Middle East crisis will continue to overshadow the Nato summit in The Hague, intended to shore up support for Ukraine.It is just over two weeks since Mr Trump told Israel’s prime minister not to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, hoping for a deal with Tehran. Benjamin Netanyahu ignored him – and within hours, as Fox News celebrated the Israeli offensive, the president sought to associate himself with it. He demanded Iran’s unconditional surrender and threatened its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei...

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3 d. ago Trump heads to annual Nato summit after Rutte praises his ‘decisive action in Iran’ – live updates

Nato secretary general congratulated and thanked Trump for action in Iran, calling it ‘truly extraordinary’ and ‘something no one else dared to do’It’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago Republican House speaker says law to check president’s authority over military action is unconstitutional – live

Mike Johnson calls 1973 War Powers Act unconstitutional and says Trump had right to order a recent air strike in Iran without congressional approvalIt’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago US immigration officials say they’ve arrested 11 Iranian nationals since the weekend – live

Ice claims all Iranian nationals arrested were in the US illegallyIt’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Trump officials can resume deporting migrants to third countries after supreme court ruling – US politics live

Administration will be allowed to deport immigrants to countries other than their ownIt’s Richard Luscombe in the US taking over from my colleague Tom Ambrose, and I’ll be here to guide you through the day’s political developments.The conflict consuming Israel and Iran is dominating headlines, and you can follow happenings in our Middle East crisis liveblog here.Right now, the bill is held together with happy thoughts and spit. I think we’ll eventually pass something, I just can’t tell you when. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Trump lashes out at Israel and Iran after ceasefire he brokered is violated

US president orders Israel to turn around its planes, warning bombing sorties would be ‘major violation’Middle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has reacted furiously after an Israel-Iran ceasefire he had brokered and taken credit for was violated within a few hours, ordering Israel to turn its warplanes around midair and abort their planned bombing sorties, which he warned would be a “major violation”.Israel claimed Iran had been the first to break the truce, saying it had shot down two ballistic missiles heading for northern Israel at about 10.30am, about two and a half hours after the ceasefire was announced. Continue reading...

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4 d. ago Keir Starmer makes major UK defence announcement as Middle East crisis spirals

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain would meet this 'era of radical uncertainty' by pouring cash into defence and security as he jets to the NATO summit in the Hague

Events

4 d. ago Qatar Airways plane diverted back to UK after Iran opens fire on US base

A Qatar Airways flight from Manchester Airport to Doha is diverting back to the UK - after Iran launched attacks against a US base in Qatar as the crisis in the Middle East escalates

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4 d. ago The Donald’s bunker busters leave Lammy dreaming of his duvet | John Crace

The foreign secretary was trying to catch up, unsure whether it would be better to have been in on the plan, or have deniabilityThe situation was, said the foreign secretary, “fast-moving”. Fast-moving as in totally suboptimal. Fast-moving as in completely out of his control. Fast-moving as in he would rather have pulled the duvet over his head and pretended the whole thing had been a bad dream. That he could go back to sleep for a while and wake up to the world as it was.Maybe we all wish we could do that. These are the days that many of us would rather had never happened. Does the world feel any safer to you today? Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago David Lammy ducks over whether UK supports US bombing of Iran... as he claims the government was NOT given legal advice on joining action

Foreign Secretary David Lammy urged Tehran to 'take the off ramp' of negotiations as he made a statement in the Commons on the burgeoning crisis in the Middle East.

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5 d. ago Why is Iran’s nuclear programme so essential to its identity?

Why does a country with large oil reserves feel such a need to have home-grown civil nuclear energy?Middle East crisis – live updatesIn October 1978, two leaders of the Iranian opposition to the British-backed shah of Iran met in the Paris suburbs of Neauphle-le-Château to plan for the final stages of the revolution, a revolution that after 46 momentous and often brutal years may now be close to expiring.The two men had little in common but their nationality, age and determination to remove the shah from power. Karim Sanjabi, the leader of the secular liberal National Front, was a former Sorbonne-educated professor of law. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was the leading Shia opponent of the Iranian monarchy since the 1960s. Both were in their 70s at the time. Continue reading...

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5 d. ago Never here Keir! Starmer won't come to the Commons to field questions on Iran crisis and will miss PMQs AGAIN this week... after dodging grilling on grooming gangs

Keir Starmer is sending Foreign Secretary David Lammy to deliver a Commons statement on the burgeoning crisis in the Middle East this afternoon.

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