 "FirstUp: Iran minister to meet Putin after US strikes, UN nuclear watchdog to hold emergency meet")
It’s a tense Monday for the world. The US struck Iran early Sunday, targeting three nuclear sites. The big question is how Iran will respond. Meanwhile, Iran and Israel continue to attack each other; the conflict has entered its eleventh day.
While all eyes are on West Asia, in Brussels, foreign ministers from the European Union will meet. They will discuss major global issues, including the two conflicts – Israel-Iran and Russia-Ukraine.
The United Nations Security Council will also hold a meeting today to review the current situation in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, results will be declared today for bypolls in five assembly seats across Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Kerala. A look at the big stories that will grab headlines today.
Iran’s foreign minister to meet Putin
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi he will fly to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin. Araghchi said he would be looking to meet Putin on Monday, after America struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday.
Araghchi said the US had shown it had no respect for international law, and had crossed a “very big red line” by attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities. “They only understand the language of threat and force,” he said.
Speaking during a visit to Turkey, Araghchi said Tehran reserved all options to defend its “security, interest and people”. The country’s armed forces are on full alert, he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said that President Donald Trump had started a new war for the US by attacking Iran. “Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the US,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel, adding that “with this kind of success, Trump won’t win the Nobel Peace Prize”.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIAEA emergency meeting today after US attack on Iran nuclear sites
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, will hold an emergency meeting today “in light of the urgent situation in Iran”
Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslam, has written to the IAEA, informing it that Tehran wants an investigation into the US strikes and is urging the body to condemn the US action, according to reports in the Iranian media.
|Earlier, the IAEA confirmed there has been “no increase” in radiation levels after the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran. Fordow , Natanz and Isfahan were targeted by the US.
While Donald Trump claims that the sites were “totally obliterated”, Iranian officials downplayed the impact of the US strikes.
Oil prices likely to rise
The US attack on Iranian nuclear sites could lead to a knee-jerk reaction in global markets when they open today. Oil prices are expected to see a rise.
“I think the markets are going to be initially alarmed, and I think oil will open higher,” Mark Spindel, chief investment officer at Potomac River Capital told Reuters on Sunday.
A key concern for markets would centre around the potential impact of the developments in West Asia on oil prices and thus on inflation. The price of oil affects everything from petrol and diesel to food.
Israel to begin outgoing flights, allowing people to leave
Israel is likely to begin outgoing flights from today to assist tourists, diplomats, and its own citizens in leaving the country.
Last week, the country’s Transportation Minister Miri Regev said the move would depend on approval from a special government committee handling exceptions.
Under the plan, this committee will give top priority to tourists, diplomats, youth and sports teams, and people needing urgent medical or humanitarian help, who have been stuck in Israel since the conflict with Iran began.
“At the bottom line of the priority list will be Israelis who want to leave the country because they want to go on holidays, as our focus is first to bring back the 100,000 Israelis who are abroad,” Regev said.
Until now, Israel had not allowed foreign nationals or Israelis to fly out. This was to prevent crowds at the airport and reduce the time planes stay on the ground at Ben Gurion Airport, following safety rules issued by the Home Front Command.
Key meeting of EU foreign ministers
European Union foreign ministers will meet today in Belgium’s Brussels, to discuss several important global matters.
The meeting will be led by the EU’s top diplomat for foreign affairs and security policy, Kaja Kallas.
One of the main points of discussion will be the “Russian aggression against Ukraine”, which will follow an informal talk with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
The ministers will also discuss relations with China, European security, and recent events in West Asia following Israeli air strikes on Iran and Iran’s reply. The situation in Gaza and Libya will also be part of the talks.
Macron to visit Norway
French President Emmanuel Macron is on a two-day visit to Norway, June 23 and June 24, ) to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the field of defence. He will then be heading to the Nato summit.
During the visit, the two countries “will elevate their relations to the rank of strategic partnership with the signing of an agreement that will structure and strengthen already close relations in the areas of security and defense, competitiveness, innovation and modern technologies, energy and environmental transition,” the French presidential administration said, quoted by AFP.
UNSC meet on Afghanistan situation
The United Nations Security Council will meet today to examine the situation in Afghanistan.
This comes soon after the start of the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council on June 16 in Geneva, where a report by Richard Bennett, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, was presented.
The report raised serious concerns about ongoing rights abuses, especially those affecting women and girls under Taliban rule.
Today’s meeting will also cover the latest update from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Afghanistan.
The Security Council holds briefings on Afghanistan every three months.
Results for 5 assembly bypolls
Voting for the by-elections in five assembly seats across Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Kerala was held last Thursday.
The counting of votes will take place today.
The bypolls in one seat each in Gujarat, West Bengal, and Punjab were held following the deaths of the sitting MLAs. In Kerala and another seat in Gujarat, the elections were needed after the resignation of two legislators.
In West Bengal’s Kaliganj, located in Nadia district, voter turnout reached 69.85 per cent by 5 pm.
Officials said the voting, which started at 7 am and went on till 6 pm, remained calm for the most part, except for a few minor incidents.
With inputs from agencies
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