Iran-Israel latest: Trump says G7 exit nothing to do with ceasefire after urging Tehran residents to evacuate – UK Times

Donald Trump said this morning that his early departure from the Group of Seven nations summit has “nothing to do with” working on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, refuting comments by French president Emmanuel Macron, who said the US president made a ceasefire proposal.

Mr Macron “mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to DC to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

“He [Macron] 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,” Mr Trump ranted.

At least two staff members of Iran’s state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the network’s building in northern Tehran, according to Iranian media reports.

Israeli forces yesterday struck Iran’s state-run television station during a live broadcast.

As the news anchor reported on another attack, a loud bang could be heard, and the camera shook when the building was targeted.

The news anchor fled the scene as the studio filled with dust and debris, before the channel switched to a pre-recorded broadcast.

News editor Nima Rajabpour and Masoumeh Azimi, a secretariat staffer, died following injuries sustained in the attack.

The Indian embassy in Iran this morning has asked all Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin to move out of Tehran to a safe location using their own resources.

“All Indian Nationals who are in Tehran and not in touch with the Embassy are requested to contact the Embassy of India in Tehran immediately and provide their location and contact numbers,” the embassy said on X.

More than 10,000 Indian nationals are believed to be living across cities in Iran, according to The Wire, an Indian news website.

India’s foreign ministry yesterday said it was relocating some students to safer places within Iran.

“Other feasible options are also under examination,” it added.

The US embassy in Jerusalem said that, given the crisis in Israel, it will be closed today and is unable to evacuate or directly assist American nationals wishing to depart Israel.

“The US Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel,” the embassy said in a statement on its website.

Ben Gurion Airport in Israel “remains closed, and there are no commercial or charter flights operating from there,” it said, adding that the seaports in Israel were also closed.

The embassy also directed that all US government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice.

The US is discussing with Iran the possibility of a meeting this week between envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a nuclear deal and an end to the war between Israel and Iran, Axios reported.

The report comes after French president Emmanuel Marcon said that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, has offered to broker a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

British maritime security firm Ambrey said this morning that it was aware of an incident 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, near the Strait of Hormuz, as Israel and Iran attack each other for a fifth straight day.

The firm, however, did not elaborate on the incident.

The Strait lies between Oman and Iran and links the Gulf north of it with the Gulf of Oman to the south and the Arabian Sea beyond.

About a fifth of the world’s total oil consumption passes through the strait.

Between the start of 2022 and last month, roughly 17.8 million to 20.8 million barrels of crude, condensate and fuels flowed through the strait daily, according to data from Vortexa.

The G7 leaders have issued a joint statement calling for the “de-escalation” of the Iran-Israel crisis while expressing support for Israel’s actions in the Middle East.

“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself,” the statement said.

“We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

“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.”

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has claimed that president Donald Trump is still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between Tehran and Israel.

“Of course,” Mr Hegseth said on Fox News when asked if Mr Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran.

“We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here,” Mr Hegseth said.

In a social media post yesterday, Mr Trump said, “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran,” citing what he said was the country’s rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development.