United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump on Sunday issued a stark warning to Iran against retaliating on US targets in the Middle East while also predicting Israel and Iran would “soon” make a deal to end their escalating conflict. Trump in a social media posting said the United States “had nothing to do with the attack on Iran” as Israel and Iran traded missile attacks for the third straight day. Iran, however, has said that it would hold the US—which has provided Israel with much of its deep arsenal of weaponry—for its backing of Israel. Israel targeted Iran’s Defence Ministry headquarters in Tehran and sites it alleged were associated with Iran’s nuclear program, while Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defences and slammed into buildings deep inside Israel, reports AP. “If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump said. Hours later Trump took to social media again to predict “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal." The US president said he has a track record for de-escalating conflicts, and that he would get Israel and Iran to cease hostilities “just like I got India and Pakistan to make" after the two countries' recent cross-border confrontation. Iran reaffirms self-reliance in defence after Israeli strikes: FM Araqchi India struck targets inside Pakistan after militants in April massacred 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any links to the attackers. Following India’s strikes in Pakistan, the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto borders, followed by missile and drone strikes into each other’s territories, mainly targeting military installations and airbases. It was the most serious confrontation in decades between the countries. Trump on Sunday repeated his claim, disputed by India, that the two sides agreed to a ceasefire after he had offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate. Trump also pointed to efforts by his administration during his first term to mediate disputes between Serbia and Kosovo and Egypt and Ethiopia. “Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump said. “Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!” The growing conflict between Israel and Iran is testing Trump who ran on a promise to quickly end the brutal wars in Gaza and Ukraine and build a foreign policy that more broadly favors steering clear of foreign conflicts. Trump has struggled to find an endgame to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

US President Donald Trump on Friday urged Iran to reach a nuclear agreement “before it is too late,” warning of further violence as tensions in the Middle East reach a boiling point following Israel’s devastating strikes on Iranian territory. Trump made the appeal in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he blamed Iran for missing repeated chances to finalise a nuclear deal and warned of “more brutal” attacks in the future if diplomacy fails, reports BBC. "I told them, in the strongest of words, to ‘just do it,’ but no matter how hard they tried, but no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done," he wrote. "There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end." "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE," Trump added. Trump previously said he was aware of Israel's plans before they launched strikes overnight, but made it clear the US military played no part in the operation, according to BBC. Meanwhile, the talks between the US and Iran on a deal were about to enter their sixth round on Sunday. On the other hand, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi strongly condemned the Israeli strikes, calling them a “declaration of war” in a letter to the United Nations, which he also shared on Telegram. Tehran launches massive drone strike in counter-attack on Israeli sites He urged the UN Security Council to "immediately address this issue" and described the attack as a “gross violation of Iran's sovereignty.” According to news agency AP, the Israeli strikes, which took place early Friday, targeted key military and nuclear facilities across Iran in what is being described as one of the most serious escalations between the two regional rivals in decades. Among the targets were Iran’s main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz, where black smoke was seen rising after the attack.