Iranian FM To Visit Moscow For Talks With Putin Amid Nuclear Tensions

The cable, dated Friday, 20 June, cited an unnamed family member who said the pair were stopped at a land border crossing. While the exact location and circumstances of the detention remain unclear, the report has raised fresh concerns over the safety of American nationals in Iran.

According to the cable, hundreds of US citizens departed Iran via land routes last week. However, Reuters reported that “numerous” Americans were subjected to harassment by Iranian security personnel while crossing the border. Others were able to leave the country without incident.

The internal communication stressed the importance of providing protection and assistance to American citizens seeking to exit Iran safely.

The US State Department has not issued a public statement regarding the report. Iranian authorities have also not commented on the detentions or the broader situation at the border.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Putin said, “We have consistently informed the Israeli leadership that, according to our data, Iran is not seeking to develop nuclear arms.”

Putin also accused Israel of attempting to draw third-party countries into its conflict with Iran, warning against further escalation.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region and growing concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Earlier, Russia’s representative at the United Nations Security Council echoed this stance, saying that Iran’s nuclear activities are well known to the international community and are being monitored.

Russia has maintained close relations with both Iran and Israel, positioning itself as a potential mediator in the ongoing regional crisis.

Israeli media reported that at least three missiles struck locations in Jerusalem and Haifa. The Israeli military confirmed that approximately 25 ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian territory.

Israel’s national emergency service said 16 individuals were injured in the strike on Haifa. Among them, a 16-year-old is in critical condition and a 54-year-old man is in moderate condition, both reportedly wounded by shrapnel. They were transferred to local medical facilities for treatment.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the assault, describing it as the Islamic Republic’s 17th operation against Israel. The IRGC said the attack involved long-range ballistic missiles, combat drones, and suicide drones targeting Israeli infrastructure.

Effie Defrin, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), stated during a daily press briefing on Friday that Israeli forces are conducting operations both underground and in the skies over Iran.

“The coming days will be full of challenges,” Defrin said, noting that airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities are ongoing and that the scope of military operations is expanding.

He emphasised that the destruction of Iran’s missile launch systems is among the key goals of the campaign. “We are acting decisively to remove the existential threat posed by Iran,” he added.

According to Defrin, Israel is currently engaged in military operations on seven different fronts, with Iran at the centre of what the Israeli government views as a regional threat network.

No immediate response has been issued by Iranian officials regarding the latest developments.

“We are being asked to return to diplomacy while we were already in the middle of diplomacy,” Araghchi said, in a pointed response to international calls for de-escalation.

He also condemned Israel’s recent strike on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, urging the United Nations Security Council to uphold and enforce Resolution 487. The Security Council is expected to convene later today.

The Iranian foreign minister argued that the resolution—originally passed in 1981 following Israel’s attack on Iraq’s nuclear facilities—clearly states that any military assault on nuclear infrastructure constitutes an attack on the safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency and a violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.