Israel-Iran Conflict Day 9 LIVE: Israel launches fresh wave of attacks as Iran rules out nuclear talks

June 21, 2025, 12:05:56 (IST)

Israelis in Tel Aviv have been taking shelter in old nuclear bunkers under a dilapidated bus station as Iran continued to launch air attacks in full force.

A migrant family from the Philippines arrives to spend the night in an old nuclear shelter under Tel Aviv’s central bus station recommissioned by Israeli volunteers Brothers and Sisters in Arms, in the southern area of the city, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 20, 2025. REUTERS

A Filipino migrant family gathers between rows of tents in an old nuclear shelter under Tel Aviv’s central bus station in the southern area of the city, recommissioned by Israeli volunteers Brothers and Sisters in Arms, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 20, 2025. REUTERS

A resident prepares to spend the night in an old reopened nuclear shelter under Tel Aviv’s central bus station in the southern area of the city, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tel Aviv, Israel, June 20, 2025. REUTERS

June 21, 2025, 11:52:26 (IST)

Iran’s government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Moha’Jerani, has said that while Tehran remains open to dialogue, the country would give a “proportional response” if Israeli attacks escalate. “We believe in listening to the other side. That’s why our diplomats are present in Geneva, to hear the other side out,” she told Al Jazeera. 

“What truly matters now is that the world must first acknowledge that a genuinely aggressive regime attacked Iran, targeting our military commanders, children, women, scientists, and ordinary citizens in the middle of the night,” Moha’Jerani added.

June 21, 2025, 11:33:02 (IST)

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Shea, accidentally named Israel as the country that is spreading “chaos” in West Asia before she corrected herself as she gave a statement in the Security Council meeting.

“Israel’s government has also spread chaos, terror and suffering throughout the region,” she said.

US representative to the UN Dorothy Shea:

“Israel’s government has also spread chaos, terror and suffering throughout the region…”

Awkward pause.

“Iran’s government has also spread chaos, terror and suffering throughout the region…”

It’s always foreign policy that brings… pic.twitter.com/W5UMV52rVn

— Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) June 20, 2025

June 21, 2025, 11:11:56 (IST)

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that the commander of the Palestinian Corps, Saeed Izadi, was assassinated in Iran’s Qom earlier today.

Israeli strikes targeted an apartment in the city of Qom early morning, killing at least two people, including a teenager.

“[Izadi’s assassination is] a huge achievement for Israeli intelligence and air force, justice for the murdered and kidnapped. Israel’s long arm will reach all its enemies,” Katz said.

June 21, 2025, 11:03:03 (IST)

The Israel Defense Forces have said that the army intercepted an Iranian drone that triggered sirens in the Golan Heights earlier today.

Israel targeted the Isfahan nuclear site but authorities have not reported any leak or casualties from the area.

June 21, 2025, 10:31:00 (IST)

India will now carry out the evacuations of Nepali and Sri Lankan citizens from Iran after the governments of these two nations requested to repatriate them from the conflict zone.

“On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the Indian Embassy in Iran said.

⚠️
On request of the Governments of Nepal and Sri Lanka, the Indian Embassy’s evacuation efforts in Iran will also cover Citizens of Nepal and Sri Lanka. https://t.co/eHIOhmNN7M

— India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) June 21, 2025

Meanwhile, a plane carrying 250 Indian students landed in New Delhi late at night as part of rescue efforts under Operation Sindhu.

June 21, 2025, 10:19:28 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 10:06:52 (IST)

Police in Iran’s Qom province has said that 22 people “linked to Israeli spy services” had been arrested since June 13, Fars news agency reported.

“22 people were identified and arrested on charges of being linked to the Zionist regime’s spy services, disturbing public opinion, and supporting the criminal regime,” the agency stated, citing the head of police intelligence in Iran’s Qom province.

June 21, 2025, 09:41:53 (IST)

It’s past 7 am in Iran and Israel and here’s what has happened so far:

• Israeli strikes have killed a second commander in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit of the IRGC. The official has been identified as Amin Pour Jodkhi
• Two people have been killed and four others were injured in Iran’s Qom after Israel launched a fresh wave of attacks in the morning
• Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi is in Turkey to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting
• Iranian state media have said that blasts were heard in Isfahan, the Iranian town which houses a key nuclear facility
• Iran has rejected nuclear talks at the United Nations, setting a condition for Israel to stop attacking the country for any possible discussions in the future
• The nuclear talks in Geneva failed to achieve any breakthrough despite European leaders coaxing Iran to negotiate a ceasefire deal
• Trump said the Europeans were “not going to be able to help” end the conflict, reiterating that Iran has “maximum” two weeks until the US enters directly in the conflict

June 21, 2025, 09:23:03 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 09:06:55 (IST)

The Israeli military has said that a second commander in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has been killed.

In a statement posted on social media, the Israeli military said its Air Force warplanes had targeted a commander identified as Amin Pour Jodkhi, accusing him of directing the launch of “hundreds” of UAV drones toward Israel from southwestern Iran.

June 21, 2025, 08:54:15 (IST)

Hundreds of American citizens have departed Iran using land routes over the past week since an aerial war between the Islamic Republic and Israel broke out, according to an internal State Department cable.

While many left without problem, “numerous” citizens had faced “delays and harassment” while trying to exit, the cable said. It said, without giving further details, that one unidentified family had reported that two U.S. citizens attempting to leave Iran had been detained.

The internal cable dated June 20 underscores the challenge Washington is facing in trying to protect and assist its citizens in a country with which it has no diplomatic relations and in a war in which the United States may soon get involved.

June 21, 2025, 08:36:28 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 08:24:03 (IST)

Cracks seemed to appear between US President Donald Trump and his US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard over Iran’s nuclear programme, compelling the latter to backtrack on her assessment. For the second time this week, Trump publicly undermined Gabbard and rejected her analysis of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Read more

June 21, 2025, 08:10:14 (IST)

Iran has not been connected to the global internet for over 60 hours, according to the NetBlocks monitor. It said that the internet shutdown “continues to severely limit the public’s ability to express political viewpoints, communicate freely, and follow safety alerts”.

The outage is a result of Iran’s government orders to block access for residents to protect the country from Israeli cyberattacks.

⚠️ Update: #Iran has now been largely offline for 60 hours; metrics show the internet shutdown continues to severely limit the public’s ability to express political viewpoints, communicate freely, and follow safety alerts amid ongoing conflict with Israel ⏱️ pic.twitter.com/EkYtbTvkiY

— NetBlocks (@netblocks) June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025, 07:59:04 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 07:52:48 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 07:15:03 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 07:10:38 (IST)

Israel estimates its strikes on Iran have delayed Tehran’s potential to develop a nuclear weapon by “at least two or three years”, Israel’s foreign minister has said.

Israel’s offensive, which has hit hundreds of nuclear and military sites, killing top commanders and nuclear scientists, has produced “very significant” results, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told German newspaper Bild.

“According to the assessment we hear, we already delayed for at least two or three years the possibility for them to have a nuclear bomb,” said Saar.

“The fact that we took out those people who led and pushed the weaponisation of the nuclear program is extremely important,” he told Bild.

June 21, 2025, 06:56:39 (IST)

Israel’s national emergency services have said that a roof caught fire in a residential building in central Israel following Iran’s early morning strikes.

Israeli fire and rescue services confirmed via a statement on Telegram that they were working to put out a fire on the roof of a three-story building in Gush Dan, the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area that includes Holon.

Authorities have said that the fire was caused by shrapnel after a missile was intercepted by the Israeli military.

No casualties have been reported so far.

MDA Spokesperson: Following the recent Red Alert sirens heard across the country:

No major incidents have been reported, except for one event in central Israel where a fire was reported on the roof of a building. pic.twitter.com/PvR3E3d8Ua

— Magen David Adom (@Mdais) June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025, 06:43:58 (IST)

Iran has filed an official complaint against Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The complaint has been filed with the United Nations secretary-general and president of the Security Council over Grossi’s “approach regarding Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities” and “failure” to condemn Israeli actions.

Earlier this week, Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s atomic energy agency, threatened legal action against the IAEA chief, saying, “It is necessary to fulfil your constitutional duties by immediately ending this inaction and condemning these actions of the Zionist regime that are contrary to international regulations.”

June 21, 2025, 06:18:41 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 06:11:47 (IST)

The Israel-Iran conflict has entered its second week, and here’s what happened on day 8 of fighting:

• Iran has rejected nuclear talks at the United Nations, setting a condition for Israel to stop attacking the country for any possible discussions in the future
• The nuclear talks in Geneva failed to achieve any breakthrough despite European leaders coaxing Iran to negotiate a ceasefire deal
• Trump said the Europeans were “not going to be able to help” end the conflict, reiterating that Iran has “maximum” two weeks until the US enters directly in the conflict
• Israel has refused to apologise for its attack on Iran and has pledged to continue striking the country “until Iran’s nuclear threat is dismantled”
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had launched a 17th wave of missiles targeting Israeli military sites, including the Nevatim and Hatzerim air bases

June 21, 2025, 05:49:36 (IST)

June 21, 2025, 05:35:46 (IST)

A flight carrying 290 Indian students has landed in New Delhi after Iran opened its airspace for the evacuation under India’s Operation Sindhu. Iran has announced that it would make an exception for Indian students stranded in the conflict in West Asia and is coordinating with India to ensure they return home safely.

Read more

June 21, 2025, 05:20:25 (IST)

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran had a “maximum” of two weeks to avoid possible American air strikes. Trump’s latest comments indicated he could decide on the fortnight deadline he set a day earlier, as he dismissed European efforts to end the conflict and said it would be “very hard” to ask Israel to cease its attacks.

As Trump mulls the prospect of joining the war on Israel’s side, top diplomats from Britain, France and Germany met their Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva and urged him to resume talks with the United States that had been derailed by Israel’s attacks.

Trump was dismissive of European efforts, telling reporters, “Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this.”

June 21, 2025, 01:04:45 (IST)

The Trump administration will deliver its first all-senators classified briefing on the escalating Israel-Iran conflict on Tuesday, CNN reported, citing two sources familiar with the arrangements.

The session comes amid growing bipartisan pressure from lawmakers seeking clarity on the administration’s strategy and intelligence assessments.

Expected to brief the Senate are Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, and Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau.

June 21, 2025, 01:04:00 (IST)

European foreign ministers and Iranian officials concluded four hours of discussions in Geneva without reaching any breakthrough as hopes for restarting US-Iran dialogue remained stalled, according to report.

While both sides expressed willingness to continue engagement,