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Iran on Thursday denied it is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States after the end of a 12-day war with Israel, and accused Washington of exaggerating the impact of US strikes.The most serious conflict yet between Israel and Iran derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, but President Donald Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff expressing hope “for a comprehensive peace agreement”.But Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shut down what he said was “speculation” that Tehran would come to the table and said it “should not be taken seriously”.”I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations,” he said on state television. “No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.”Araghchi’s denial came as Iranian lawmakers passed a “binding” bill suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.In a televised speech — his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel — Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran’s “victory” over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating “slap”.”The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran’s nuclear programme had been set back by decades.The strikes, he insisted, had done “nothing significant” to Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Araghchi, for his part, called the damage “serious” and said a detailed assessment was under way.Trump said key facilities, including the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site, had been “obliterated” by American B-2 bombers.Doubts remain about whether Iran quietly removed some 400 kilogrammes (880 pounds) of enriched uranium from its most sensitive sites before the strikes — potentially hiding nuclear material elsewhere in the country.But posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump dismissed such speculation, saying: “Nothing was taken out… too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!”He added that satellite images showed trucks at the site only because Iranian crews were attempting to shield the facility with concrete.Khamenei dismissed such claims, saying “the Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America”.Both sides have claimed victory: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “historic win”, while Khamenei said Iran’s missile retaliation had brought Israel to the brink of collapse.- US defence -In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates.A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran’s nuclear programme may be less severe than initially claimed — possibly delaying progress by only a few months.That contrasts with statements from senior US officials.CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be “rebuilt over the course of years”.Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accused the media of misrepresenting the operation.He said the United States used massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Fordo and another underground site, while submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles targeted a third facility.”President Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating — choose your word — obliterating, destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” Hegseth said.- Netanyahu says Iran ‘thwarted’ -Following waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites and retaliatory missile fire from Iran since mid-June — the deadliest between the two countries to date — the US bombed three key Iranian atomic facilities.Initial intelligence reports, first revealed by CNN, suggested the strikes did not destroy critical components and delayed Iran’s nuclear programme only by months.The Israeli military said Iran’s nuclear sites had taken a “significant” blow, but cautioned it was “still early” to fully assess the damage.Netanyahu said Israel had “thwarted Iran’s nuclear project”, warning any attempt by Iran to rebuild it would be met with the same determination and intensity.Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon while defending its “legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic energy.It has also said it is willing to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington.French President Emmanuel Macron told journalist after an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday that US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were “genuinely effective”.But Macron said that the “worst-case scenario” would be if Tehran now exits the global non-proliferation treaty that is meant to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran’s health ministry said.Iran’s attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures.burs-kir/dv/phz/jhb/stu

Rival Syrian and Kurdish producers are scrambling for shrinking wheat harvests as the worst drought in decades follows a devastating war, pushing more than 16 million people toward food insecurity.”The country has not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years,” said Haya Abu Assaf, assistant to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representative in Syria.Syria’s water levels have seen “a very significant drop compared to previous years, which is very worrying”, Abu Assaf told AFP, as a relatively short winter rainy season and decreased rainfall take their toll.”A gap of between 2.5 to 2.7 million tonnes in the wheat crop is expected, meaning that the wheat quantity will not be sufficient to meet local needs,” Abu Assaf said, putting “around 16.3 million people at risk of food insecurity in Syria this year”.Before the civil war erupted in 2011, Syria was self-sufficient in wheat, producing an average of 4.1 million tonnes annually.Nearly 14 years of conflict have since crippled production and devastated the economy.The FAO estimates that harsh weather has impacted nearly 2.5 million hectares of wheat-growing land.”Around 75 percent of the cultivated areas” have been affected, as well as “natural pastures for livestock production”, said Abu Assaf.- Imports, competition -To bridge the wheat gap, imports would be essential in a country where around 90 percent of the population lives in poverty.Before his ouster in an Islamist-led offensive in December, Syria’s longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad used to rely on ally Russia for wheat.In April, new authorities reported the first wheat shipment since his removal arrived in Latakia port, with more Russian shipments following. Iraq also donated more than 220,000 tonnes of wheat to Syria.During the war, Damascus competed with the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in the northeast to buy wheat from farmers across fertile lands.Last year, Assad’s government priced wheat at $350 per tonne, and the Kurds at $310.After Assad’s ouster, Damascus and the Kurds agreed in March to integrate Kurdish-led institutions into the new Syrian state, with negotiations ongoing on implementation.Damascus set wheat prices this month at between $290 and $320 per tonne, depending on the quality, plus a $130 bonus.The Kurdish-led administration offered $420 per tonne including a $70 bonus.- ‘Poverty and hunger’ -Damascus’ agriculture ministry expects a harvest of 300,000 to 350,000 tonnes in government-controlled areas this year.Hassan Othman, director of the Syrian Grain Establishment, acknowledged Syria was not self-sufficient, in comments on state television.But he said authorities were working “to ensure food security by importing wheat from abroad and milling it in our mills”.In northeast Syria’s Amuda, farmer Jamshid Hassu, 65, inspected the tiny wheat grains from his fields, which cover around 200 hectares (around 500 acres).Despite heavy irrigation efforts to offset scarce rainfall, he said, production has halved.The FAO’s Abu Assaf said indicators showed that “about 95 percent of rain-fed wheat has been damaged and affected”, while irrigated wheat yields were down 30 to 40 percent.Hassu, who has been farming for four decades, said he had to pump water from depths of more than 160 metres (525 feet) to sustain his crops as groundwater levels plunge.Agriculture remains a vital income source in rural Syria, but without urgent support, farmers face ruin.”Without support, we will not be able to continue,” Hassu warned.”People will suffer from poverty and hunger.”

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signaled Thursday that a deal is forthcoming among G7 nations allowing US firms to be excluded from certain taxes imposed by other countries.”After months of productive dialogue with other countries on the OECD Global Tax Deal, we will announce a joint understanding among G7 countries that defends American interests,” he …

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Thursday became the most prominent European leader to describe the situation in Gaza as a “genocide”, as rescuers in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory said Israeli forces killed 65 people.After more than 20 months of devastating conflict, rights groups say Gaza’s population of more than two million face famine-like conditions.Israel began allowing supplies to trickle in at the end of May following a blockade of more than two months but distribution has been marred by chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Israeli forces firing on those waiting to collect rations.Israel meanwhile is pressing its bombardment of the territory, in a military offensive it says is aimed at defeating militant group Hamas, whose October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the war.Sanchez said Gaza was in a “catastrophic situation of genocide” and urged the European Union to immediately suspend its cooperation deal with Israel.The comments represent the strongest condemnation to date by the Spanish premier, an outspoken critic of Israel’s offensive who is one of the first European leaders, and the most senior, to use the term “genocide” to describe the situation in Gaza.Speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, Sanchez mentioned an EU report which found “indications” Israel was breaching its human rights obligations under the cooperation deal, which forms the basis for trade ties.Israel reacted furiously to Sanchez’s comments.Its embassy in Madrid accused him of “demonising” Israel, saying Spain was “on the wrong side of history”.The Spanish government called the statement “unacceptable” and summoned the embassy’s charge d’affaires.- Rescuers say Gazans killed -The director of medical supplies in Gaza’s civil defence agency, Mohammad Al-Mughair, told AFP 65 people had been killed by Israeli forces in the territory on Thursday.The Israeli military said its troops “fired warning shots” in order to prevent “suspects from approaching them” near the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, where Palestinians gather each night for rations.Israel says its Gaza offensive is aimed at destroying Hamas and rescuing hostages seized during the October 2023 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Israel’s military campaign has killed at least 56,259 people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.- ‘We are dying’ -“My children have nothing to eat. I haven’t had any flour for nearly two months,” said Imad al-Attar, a Gaza resident who obtained a bag of flour in the southern city of Khan Yunis.”We just want to eat,” said another man, Khaled Rashwan. “We are dying, and no one is paying attention to us. Who can we turn to?”Gaza’s health ministry says nearly 550 people have been killed near aid centres while seeking scarce supplies since late May.The United Nations has condemned the “weaponisation of food” in Gaza, and slammed a US- and Israeli-backed foundation that has largely replaced established humanitarian organisations in the territory.The privately run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was brought into the territory in late May, but its operations have been marred by chaotic scenes, deaths and neutrality concerns.The GHF denies deadly incidents have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points.The US State Department said Thursday it had approved its first direct funding — $30 million — for the GHF and urged other countries to follow suit.Israeli restrictions on media in Gaza and difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers and authorities in the territory.The World Health Organization said it had delivered its first medical shipment into Gaza since March 2, adding that the nine truckloads were “a drop in the ocean”.- Ceasefire push -After claiming victory in a 12-day war against Iran that ended with a ceasefire on June 24, Israel said it would refocus on its offensive in Gaza, where Palestinian militants still hold Israeli hostages.US President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday: “I think great progress is being made on Gaza” to end the war, and forecast “very good news”.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing calls from opposition politicians, relatives of hostages held in Gaza and even members of his ruling coalition to end the fighting.Key mediator Qatar said this week it would launch a new push for a ceasefire.Israel said efforts to return Israeli hostages in Gaza were ongoing “on the battlefield and via negotiations”.

The dollar hit a three-year low on Thursday as President Donald Trump eyed candidates to succeed Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell, fueling bets of cuts to US interest rates.But Wall Street rose handsomely, lifting the S&P 500 to near a closing record, following solid earnings from chip company Micron and a signal that the White …

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The Trump administration went on the offensive against the media Thursday over coverage of strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, insisting the operation was a total success and berating journalists for reporting on an intelligence assessment that raised doubts.American B-2 bombers hit two Iranian nuclear sites with massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs last weekend, while a guided missile submarine struck a third site with Tomahawk cruise missiles.President Donald Trump “created the conditions to end the war, decimating — choose your word — obliterating, destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a news conference at the Pentagon, referring to a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.Trump himself has called the strikes a “spectacular military success” and repeatedly said they “obliterated” the nuclear sites.But US media revealed a preliminary American intelligence assessment earlier this week that said the strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear program by months — coverage sharply criticized by Hegseth and others.”Whether it’s fake news CNN, MSNBC or the New York Times, there’s been fawning coverage of a preliminary assessment,” Hegseth said.The document was “leaked because someone had an agenda to try to muddy the waters and make it look like this historic strike wasn’t successful,” he said.Trump — who has also personally slammed coverage of the intelligence report, calling for journalists to lose their jobs — on Thursday accused Democrats of leaking the assessment and said they should be prosecuted.- ‘Get a big shovel’ -White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt meanwhile told journalists that the Iran strikes were “one of the most successful operations in United States history,” and joined Trump in lashing out personally at CNN’s Natasha Bertrand — one of the reporters who broke the story on the preliminary assessment.Bertrand has been “used by people who dislike Donald Trump in this government to push fake and false narratives,” Leavitt said.CNN has issued a statement saying it stands behind the journalist and her reporting.In his remarks Thursday morning, Hegseth did not definitively state that the enriched uranium and centrifuges at the heart of Iran’s controversial nuclear program had been wiped out. He cited intelligence officials as saying the nuclear facilities were destroyed, but gave little detail.”If you want to know what’s going on at Fordo, you better go there and get a big shovel, because no one’s under there right now,” he said, referring to the deep-underground nuclear site.Among the officials cited by Hegseth was US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who said the previous day that “Iran’s nuclear facilities have been destroyed.”He also referred to a statement by CIA chief John Ratcliffe, who pointed to a “historically reliable and accurate” source of information indicating that “several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.”Israel launched an unprecedented air campaign targeting Iranian nuclear sites, scientists and top military brass on June 13 in a bid to end the country’s nuclear program, which Tehran says is for civilian purposes but Washington and other powers insist is aimed at acquiring atomic weapons.Trump had spent weeks pursuing a diplomatic path to replace the nuclear deal with Tehran that he tore up during his first term in 2018, but he ultimately decided to take military action.The US operation was massive, involving more than 125 US aircraft including stealth bombers, fighters and aerial refueling tankers as well as a guided missile submarine.