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Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned in an address to the European Parliament on Tuesday that Israel’s “attacks” on Iran threatened to dangerously escalate tensions in the “region and beyond”.Speaking as the arch foes traded fire for a fifth day, Abdullah said that “with Israel’s expansion of its offensive to include Iran, there is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end”.”And that, my friends, is a threat to people everywhere,” he told lawmakers in Strasbourg.Israel says its air campaign aims to prevent its sworn enemy from acquiring nuclear weapons, an ambition Tehran denies.The escalation — capping decades of enmity that has spiked with the war in Gaza — has derailed nuclear talks with Iran and stoked fears of a broader conflict.Abdullah addressed lawmakers at length on the “shameful” situation in Gaza, urging the international community to keep pressing for a resolution to the eight-decade Israeli-Palestinian conflict as critical to “our mutual security”.”What version of our humanity allows the unthinkable to become routine, permits weaponising famine against children, normalises the targeting of health workers, journalists and civilians seeking refuge in camps,” he asked.”This conflict must end, and the only viable solution is one grounded in a just peace, international law and mutual recognition.”Israel has pounded most of Gaza into rubble following Hamas’s attack of October 7, 2023. The death toll in the Palestinian territory has surpassed 55,000 people, the majority of them civilians.

As Israeli air strikes on Tehran show no sign of abating, many residents have fled the Iranian capital. But for others, escape is not an option.”I’ve heard multiple explosions near my home in western Tehran,” said Mina, a 37-year-old computer scientist. “I wanted to leave, but I have several cats and I can’t abandon them.”Israel launched a devastating attack on Friday that has killed at least 224 people — including women and children — leading many parts of the Iranian capital to empty out.The assault prompted a retaliatory barrage from Iran that has killed at least 24 people in Israel, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office.Israel on Monday warned residents to leave a northern district of the capital before striking the headquarters of state television — an attack the broadcaster said killed three people.It came two days after Israel declared it had “opened a path to Tehran” by knocking out Iran’s air defences.But amid the ensuing exodus, those left behind are grappling with fear, shortages and a sense of defiant endurance.On Tuesday, long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations — some several kilometres (miles) long — as remaining residents rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies.Grocery and convenience stores stayed open, but markets and jewellery shops across the city remained closed.Security checkpoints have been set up across Tehran, adding to the atmosphere of tension as authorities monitor movement in and out of key districts.- Subdued cityscape  -Traffic in central Tehran was visibly thinner, with sporadic lines forming outside pharmacies.Images posted online — though unverified — showed extensive damage to homes: shattered windows, collapsed facades and debris-filled living rooms.In Tajrish Square, workers scrambled to repair a water pipeline damaged in an earlier strike, while some residents relocated temporarily to access running water.”The regime (Israel) must await harsh punishment,” read one banner in downtown Tehran, displayed alongside portraits of slain Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists.Other banners quoted Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: “The powerful hand of the Islamic Republic’s armed forces will not relent against the Zionist regime.”The banners -— along with headlines from foreign outlets reporting on Iran’s retaliation — dotted an otherwise subdued cityscape.The Grand Bazaar stayed shut, while a banner in Vali-Asr Square honoured Sahar Emami, the state TV anchor who remained on air during the Israeli strike on the broadcaster’s headquarters.Her image, finger raised in defiance, was paired with a verse from the Persian poet Ferdowsi, celebrating the courage of women “on the battlefield”.While fear grips the capital, what remains is a patchwork of resilience, helplessness — and an uneasy stillness as many await what comes next.

In Iraqi airspace, Iranian missiles and drones have crossed paths with Israeli warplanes, forcing Baghdad to step up efforts to avoid being drawn into the region’s latest conflict.But with Baghdad both an ally of Iran and a strategic partner of the United States, Israel’s closest supporter, it may struggle to avoid the fighting spreading to its territory.”There is a sizable risk of a spillover escalation in Iraq,” said political analyst Sajad Jiyad.”Iraqis have a right to be worried,” he added. With warnings of all-out regional war intensifying following Israel’s surprise assault on Iran last week, fears are growing over an intervention by Iran-backed Iraqi factions, which have been calling for the withdrawal of US troops deployed in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition. A senior Iraqi security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that among pro-Iran actors “everyone is cooperating with the government to keep Iraq away from conflict.” But Jiyad warned that if the US supports Israel’s attacks, it “may lead to pro-Iran elements inside Iraq targeting US troops” or other American interests like the embassy in Baghdad or the consulate in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.This could lead to the US and Israel taking retaliatory actions within Iraq, Jiyad added.Iraq, which has been for years navigating a delicate balancing act between Tehran and Washington, has long been a fertile ground for proxy battles.- ‘On standby’ – In 2020, during US President Donald Trump’s first term, Washington killed Iran’s esteemed Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.Most recently, amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iraq was on the brink of being drawn into the conflict after pro-Iran factions launched numerous attacks on US troops in the region, as well as mostly failed attacks on Israel, in support of Palestinians. Washington retaliated by hitting the armed groups. In recent days, Baghdad has been working diplomatic channels to prevent the latest violence from spreading onto its turf.It has called on Washington to prevent Israeli jets from using Iraqi airspace to carry out attacks against Iran. It also asked Iran not to strike US targets in its territory, and was promised “positive things”, according to a senior Iraqi official.Israel’s use of Iraq’s airspace has angered pro-Iran groups, who accused US troops of allowing it.Powerful armed faction Kataeb Hezbollah stressed that Iran does not need “military support”, but it said that the group is “closely monitoring” the US military in the region.It warned that if Washington intervenes in the war, the group “will act directly against its interests and bases in the region without hesitation.” A US official urged the Iraqi government to “protect diplomatic missions, as well as US military personnel.””We believe Iraq will be more stable and sovereign by becoming energy independent and distancing itself from Iran’s malign influence,” the official told AFP, referring to Iraq’s dependency on gas imports from Iran.The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that Iran-backed groups “continue to engage in violent and destabilising activities in Iraq.”- Not alone -Israel’s surprise attack on Iran targeted military and nuclear facilities and killed many top commanders and atomic scientists. Iran responded by unleashing barrages of missile strikes on Israel.Tamer Badawi, an expert on Iraqi armed groups, said “the more Iran struggles to sustain its firepower against Israel, the likelier it becomes that Iraqi paramilitary actors will be drawn in.”For now, “Iran is trying to avoid collateral damage to its network by keeping its regional allies on standby. But this posture could shift,” he added. Before launching its attack on Iran, Israel had badly hit Tehran’s proxies in the region, significantly weakening some groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. “Beyond attacks within Iraq, Iran-backed Iraqi groups retain the capacity to target Israel from western Iraq using their missile arsenals, as they have done before,” Badawi said.They might also target American interests in Jordan. But Iraqi officials say they have other plans for their country, which has only recently regained a semblance of stability after decades of devastating conflicts and turmoil.Iraq is gearing up for its legislative elections in November, which are often marked by heated political wrangling.For armed groups, elections are a crucial battleground as they strive to secure more seats in parliament.”Sometimes, the sword must be kept in the sheath, but this does not mean abandoning our weapons,” a commander of an armed faction told AFP.The armed groups will not leave Iran, their “godfather.. in the battle alone.”

The Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged Tuesday and said it would taper its purchase of government bonds at a slower pace, as trade uncertainty threatens to weigh on the world’s number four economy.The central bank has spent many years buying up Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) to keep yields low as part of an …

Bank of Japan holds rates, will slow bond purchase taper Read More »

Israel and Iran exchanged missile fire for a fifth consecutive day Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump abruptly left the G7 summit and warned Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate” amid rising fears of a wider conflict.The Israeli military said it targeted multiple missile and UAV sites in western Iran, including surface-to-surface missile infrastructure, surface-to-air launchers and drone storage facilities, in a statement accompanied by black-and-white footage showing missile launchers exploding.Shortly after, air raid sirens sounded in parts of Israel. Loud booms were heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, AFP journalists reported, as the Israeli army warned of incoming missiles launched from Iran. “Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran,” the military said, adding the air force was “operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat.”Around 20 minutes later, the army said people could leave protected spaces. Police said shrapnel fell in Tel Aviv, causing damage but no casualties. The fire service said its teams were on the way to battle a blaze in the commercial hub.Despite mounting calls to de-escalate, neither side has backed off from the missile blitz that began Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented aerial campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities.A new wave of Israeli strikes on Tehran — including a dramatic hit on state television’s headquarters that the broadcaster said killed three people — prompted both sides to activate missile defence systems overnight.Israel’s army briefly urged citizens to seek shelter, amid growing fears of a regional war.Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the US was deploying “additional capabilities” to the Middle East. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz left Southeast Asia Monday, scrapping a planned Vietnam stop, amid reports it was heading to the region.A White House spokesman said US forces remained in a defensive posture.The US leader Trump has repeatedly declined to say whether the United States would support Israeli military action and has insisted Washington was not involved in the initial strikes.After calling for talks, Trump issued an extraordinary warning on his Truth Social platform: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” He left the G7 in Canada early to return to Washington.Later, he dismissed reports that he left to broker a ceasefire, lashing out at French President Emmanuel Macron.”Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron… mistakenly said I left the G7… to work on a ‘cease fire,'” Trump posted on Truth Social.”Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.. Stay Tuned!”- ‘One after the other’ – After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel launched its surprise air campaign last week, saying it aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — a charge Tehran denies.Iran has responded with multiple missile salvos. The Revolutionary Guards vowed Monday night the attacks would continue “without interruption until dawn”.The escalation has derailed nuclear talks and stoked fears of broader conflict. Trump urged Iran to return to the negotiating table.US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said a missile strike lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv. The State Department warned Americans not to travel to Israel.At least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to the prime minister’s office.Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was eliminating Iran’s security leadership “one after the other”.”We are changing the face of the Middle East, and that can lead to radical changes inside Iran itself,” he said.- ‘Stop’ civilian strikes -International calls for calm have mounted.At the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, leaders including Trump called Monday for “de-escalation” while stressing Israel had the right to defend itself.”We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza”, G7 leaders said in a joint statement that also affirmed “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon”.China called on Israel and Iran to both “immediately take measures to cool down the tensions” and avoid plunging the region into deeper turmoil.The United States and Iran had engaged in several rounds of indirect talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme in recent weeks, but Iran said after the start of Israel’s campaign that it would not negotiate while under attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that “absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue”. “It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy,” he wrote on X.A senior US official told AFP Trump had intervened to prevent Israel from carrying out an assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.But Netanyahu did not rule out the possibility when asked about the reports during an interview with ABC News.”It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” he said.burs-dv/yad

G7 leaders on Monday called for “de-escalation” in the Middle East starting with the Israel-Iran conflict, as US President Donald Trump hastily left the group’s summit.Trump, who was making his return to the international diplomatic calendar, departed the gathering in the Canadian Rockies a day early as ally Israel pounded Iran.After a day of statements backing diplomacy, Trump ominously took to social media to sound a warning to people in the Iranian capital, whose population is nearly 10 million.”Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.Having earlier hesitated at backing a joint statement on the crisis, Trump relented during a dinner at a forested lodge under the snow-capped mountains in Kananaskis.”We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” said the joint statement released by Canada.The statement said Israel “has a right to defend itself” and stressed “the importance of the protection of civilians,” as the growing attacks kill civilians on both sides.The leaders of the club of industrial democracies — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — stated their conviction that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.”Trump for weeks said he favored diplomacy, and his envoy Steve Witkoff met five times with Iranian envoys, but he quickly backed Israel’s strikes and said Tehran’s clerical state should have agreed to his terms.At a group photo with fellow G7 leaders before the dinner, Trump said: “I have to be back as soon as I can. I wish I could stay for tomorrow, but they understand, this is big stuff.”French President Emmanuel Macron suggested the United States was ready to make a diplomatic overture.”There was an offer made for a meeting and an exchange,” Macron told reporters.”If the United States can obtain a ceasefire, it is a very good thing,” he added.Soon after his early exit, Trump rebuked his French counterpart, accusing Macron of mischaracterizing the reason for his departure.”Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.”Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong. Stay tuned!”Before his decision to leave early was announced, Trump had told reporters: “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something.”He has repeatedly declined to say if the United States would participate in Israeli military action, although he has said Washington was not involved in initial strikes and the White House said US forces remained in a defensive posture.- Onus on Iran -Trump earlier said Iran would be “foolish” not to agree to a negotiated settlement.”It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk, and they should talk immediately, before it’s too late,” Trump told reporters as he met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.The US president will miss a day of G7 meetings that was expected to include discussions with the leaders of Ukraine and Mexico.Since Friday, Israel has struck major nuclear and military sites and killed leading commanders and nuclear scientists in Iran, which has responded with its own volley of drones and missiles on Israel.Macron voiced objections to what increasingly appeared to be Israel’s goal — toppling the clerical state that took power after the 1979 revolution toppled the pro-Western shah.”All who have thought that by bombing from the outside you can save a country in spite of itself have always been mistaken,” he said.Iran, since Trump pulled out of an earlier nuclear deal in 2018, has ramped up uranium enrichment but not yet at levels to create an atomic bomb. Israel is widely known to have nuclear weapons but does not acknowledge them publicly.- Tariff talks -The summit comes after months of tumult on the global stage since Trump’s return to the White House.Seeking to shatter a decades-old US-led global economic order, Trump has vowed sweeping tariffs on friends and foes alike although he has postponed implementation until July 9.But Trump voiced optimism about a resolution with Canada and signed documents with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to confirm an agreement with Britain.Trump has previously mocked host Canada, stating that the vast but less populated neighbor should become the 51st US state.But Trump has appeared to show more respect to Canada since Carney, a staid former central banker, took over from the more flamboyant Justin Trudeau in March.Trump had taken office seeking diplomacy both on Iran and Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022.He has since voiced frustration that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not accepted a US proposal for a ceasefire.