Vice President JD Vance said the war between Israel and Iran could be an inflection moment for the Middle East after President Donald Trump announced an end to the war on Monday.
Vance appeared on Fox News shortly after the president announced a ceasefire and end-of-the-war agreement had been reached in a post on Truth Social. Vance credited the president for “working the phones constantly” to bring about an end to the war.
Vance also credited the president for accomplishing the objective of creating “a world where Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon.”
“Look, this is a great thing. For Israel – think about this – they&#8217;ve accomplished an important military objective. They&#8217;ve helped us destroy the Iranian nuclear program. They&#8217;ve also destroyed the conventional missile capability of Iran that threatened the country of Israel,” Vance said.
“For the Iranians, I think this is a new opportunity to actually pursue the path of peace. As I said yesterday, what the Iranians have showed through their support of terror networks, through their now-failed effort to build a nuclear weapon, is that they&#8217;re just not very good at war,” he continued.
“I think the president really hit the reset button and said, look, let&#8217;s actually produce long-term peace for the region. That&#8217;s always been his goal. I actually think when we look back, we will say the 12 Day War was an important reset moment for the entire region,” Vance said.
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&quot;The President really hit the reset button and said, &#39;Look, let&#39;s actually produce long-term peace for the region,&#39;&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> on the Israel-Iran ceasefire.
&quot;I actually think when we look back, we will say the 12 Day War was an important reset moment for the entire region.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/wFgJ8GXMva">pic.twitter.com/wFgJ8GXMva</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1937273721162522943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social Monday afternoon that Israel and Iran would begin a ceasefire after final missions are completed. The ceasefire will last for 12 hours, at the end of which “the War will be considered, ENDED!” the president wrote.
“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR,’” wrote Trump. “This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”
Over the past two weeks, Israel’s air force has operated essentially freely over the skies of Tehran, knocking out key military sites and leaders. Israel also hit some political and propaganda sites, such as Iran’s state-run news agency and Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison where the regime regularly locked up political prisoners.
Attacks by the United States and Israel have all but destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, a goal Trump stated months ago as the United States undertook negotiations with Iran to deconstruct its nuclear enrichment facilities.

JD Vance

JD Vance: End Of Israel-Iran War ‘An Important Reset Moment’ For Middle East

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Iran

Israel

World

Israel launched an airstrike on the Iranian regime’s infamous Evin prison on Monday, where thousands of political prisoners have been executed by the Islamic regime.
&#8220;Security footage shows one missile strike blasting open the doors of Evin Prison, where the Islamic Republic held its opponents and critics in brutal conditions, with public hangings,&#8221; the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/23/world-news/dramatic-footage-shows-israel-striking-irans-most-notorious-prison-blowing-doors-off-its-hinges/">reported</a>.
“In accordance with the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and me, the IDF is now attacking with unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, including the Basij headquarters, Evin Prison for political prisoners and opponents of the regime, the ‘Destruction of Israel’ clock in Palestine Square, the internal security headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards, the Ideology Headquarters, and other regime targets,” Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, wrote on X.
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בהתאם להנחיית ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו ושלי צה&#8221;ל תוקף כעת בעוצמה חסרת תקדים מטרות משטר וגופי דיכוי שלטוניים בלב טהרן וביניהם &#8211; מטה הבסיג’, בית הכלא אווין לאסירים פוליטיים ומתנגדי משטר, השעון &#8220;להשמדת ישראל&#8221; בכיכר פלסטין, מפקדות ביטחון פנים של משמרות המהפכה, מפקדת האידיאולוגיה…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1937086162415321107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“In 1988, <a href="https://archive.is/o/C6q4d/https:/www.hrw.org/reports/2004/iran0604/5.htm">thousands of Evin prisoners</a> were executed after cursory trials, according to Human Rights Watch. Many of those killed were viewed as a threat to the new Islamic government,” The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/world/middleeast/evin-prison-iran.html">reported</a>.
Iraj Mesdaghi, a former Iranian political prisoner who was tortured by the Islamic regime while in Evin prison, told <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-858736">The Jerusalem Post</a>: “When I saw the images, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, I was worried about the fate of the political prisoners, but on the other, I was glad the killers were being targeted. This was a powerful moment for us — to see those who tormented us finally being held accountable. But I must say: as long as Khamenei is alive, the cycle of violence isn&#8217;t over.&#8221;
Mesdaghi recalled what he had suffered while in the prison: ‘The torture wasn’t just to extract information — it was constant. I was kept in solitary confinement for months, blindfolded, shoved into what they called &#8216;the grave&#8217; — a tiny box. They lashed the soles of my feet with electric cables. Every part of my body was in pain.&#8221;
Noted Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad <a href="https://x.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1937210268074852481">stated</a> on X, “The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released not held hostage. If you want to act, aim your pressure at the Islamic Republic to release them now.”
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The Islamic Republic’s notorious prison, Evin was bombed by Israel. The regime responded by surrounding the prison with security forces to make sure none of the political prisoners could escape. This is the reality in Iran. At a time of war, political prisoners must be released… <a href="https://t.co/xCkBexTZEO">pic.twitter.com/xCkBexTZEO</a>
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1937210268074852481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“I really don&#8217;t know what will happen next,” Mesdaghi wondered. “If Khamenei survives this attack, I fear the regime will retaliate by executing more political prisoners. That’s why the world has to care — has to stand with the Iranian people, especially those being held hostage by this regime.”

Israel-Targets-Evin-Prison-in-Tehran

Israel Bombed Infamous Iranian Prison. Former Prisoner: ‘This Was A Powerful Moment For Us’

Prison

A Georgetown University professor expressed his &#8220;hope&#8221; that Iran would strike an American military base — just one day before it did so.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not an expert, but I assume Iran could still get a bomb easily,&#8221; Dr. Jonathan Brown wrote in a since-deleted X post on Sunday. &#8220;I hope Iran does some symbolic strike on a base, then everyone stops.&#8221;
Brown — who serves as Chair of the department of Arabic and Islamic studies and the Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at <a href="https://gufaculty360.georgetown.edu/s/contact/00336000014RYoCAAW/jonathan-a-c-brown">Georgetown </a> — went on to lob crude insults at both the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran.
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/in-address-to-nation-trump-warns-iran-to-make-peace-or-face-his-wrath?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=In+Address+To+Nation%2C+Trump+Warns+Iran+To+Make+Peace+Or+Face+His+Wrath">announced</a> late Saturday that the United States struck Iran&#8217;s secret, underground nuclear facility with six 30,000-pound &#8220;bunker buster&#8221; bombs. Iran retaliated on Monday, firing missiles at an American military base in Qatar. There have been no reported injuries.
The Daily Wire obtained comments from Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) on the professor&#8217;s post in light of the recent attacks on the American military base in Qatar.
Ernst said, &#8220;Especially after Iranian missiles were launched at American bases, it is disgusting for a professor in our homeland to wish for an attack on our brave servicemembers and call for more harm to Israel.&#8221;
&#8220;Antisemitic campus crazies continue to have a shameful obsession with supporting Iran and its terrorist proxies,&#8221; Ernst continued. &#8220;Make no mistake &#8212; the American people are safer and more secure today because of President Trump&#8217;s leadership.&#8221;
Brown deleted his post and shared an apology after being met with backlash.
&#8220;I deleted my previous tweet because a lot of people were interpreting it as a call for violence,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;That’s not what I intended. I have two immediate family members in the US military who’ve served abroad and wouldn’t want any harm to befall American soldiers… or anyone!&#8221;
Brown’s father-in-law, Sami Al-Arian, is also a well-known academic and is convicted of aiding a terrorist group. Al-Arian, who was a professor of computer science at the University of South Florida, was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2006/May/06_crm_260.html">sentenced</a> to almost five years in prison for assisting the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in 2006. Al-Arian was subsequently <a href="https://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2015/02/al-arian-saga-ends-with-deportation-202233">deported</a> to Turkey in 2015.

Tehran

Georgetown Prof Expressed ‘Hope’ Iran Would Strike U.S. Base. He Got His Wish.

Georgetown University

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council took a page directly from the Baghdad Bob playbook and claimed on Monday that Iranian missiles had &#8220;destroyed the U.S. air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar,&#8221; in response to the targeted American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites that took place on Saturday.
As reported by i24 News Senior Middle East correspondent Ariel Oseran, &#8220;Iran’s Supreme National Security Council: &#8216;Our forces destroyed the U.S. air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar, in response to America&#8217;s attack against our nuclear facilities&#8230; This action does not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar.'&#8221;
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Iran’s Supreme National Security Council: “Our forces destroyed the U.S. air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar, in response to America&#8217;s attack against our nuclear facilities&#8230; This action does not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar.” <a href="https://t.co/8DKcT854A8">pic.twitter.com/8DKcT854A8</a>
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) <a href="https://twitter.com/ariel_oseran/status/1937199317434933419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But Oseran also noted that Qatari officials had reported a different version of events: &#8220;Qatari air defenses shot down 9 out of 10 Iranian missiles launched at the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar’s Al-Araby TV reports. One Iranian missile fell in an open area at the air base.&#8221;
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Qatari air defenses shot down 9 out of 10 Iranian missiles launched at the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar’s Al-Araby TV reports. One Iranian missile fell in an open area at at the air base. <a href="https://t.co/9UVSxt4Pb5">https://t.co/9UVSxt4Pb5</a>
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) <a href="https://twitter.com/ariel_oseran/status/1937200155859566667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari released a statement condemning the attack, but also casting doubt on the Iranian version of events.
<blockquote>We express the State of Qatar&#8217;s strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar&#8217;s sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter. We affirm that the State of Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner proportional to the nature and scale of this blatant aggression and in accordance with international law. We are reassured that Qatari air defenses thwarted the attack and successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles. The Ministry of Defense will issue a statement clarifying the circumstances of the attack later.
We also affirm that the continuation of such escalating military actions will undermine security and stability in the region and drag it into situations that will have disastrous repercussions for international peace and security. We call for an immediate cessation of all military actions and a serious return to the negotiating table and dialogue. We emphasize that the State of Qatar was among the first countries to warn against the consequences of Israeli escalation in the region*, calling for the priority of diplomatic solutions, and adhering to the principles of good neighborliness and non-escalation, affirming that dialogue is the only way to overcome current crises and preserve the security of the region and the peace of its peoples.
The base had been evacuated earlier in accordance with approved security and precautionary measures, in light of the tensions currently prevailing in the region. All necessary measures were taken to ensure the safety of the base&#8217;s personnel, including members of the Qatari Armed Forces, friendly forces, and others. He confirmed that no injuries or human losses occurred as a result of the attack.</blockquote>
Multiple reports also claimed that Iran had warned Qatar prior to the attack: &#8220;Iran symbolically needed to strike back at the U.S. but at the same time carry it out in in a way that allowed all sides an exit ramp.&#8221;
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NYT: Iran coordinated the attack with Qatar to minimize casualties.
“Iran symbolically needed to strike back at the U.S.” and “allow all sides an exit ramp” — similar to their response in 2020 following Soleimani <a href="https://t.co/9aM6yEOk8K">pic.twitter.com/9aM6yEOk8K</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1937203513534349649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald Trump also responded to the attack, confirming that there were no reported casualties.
&#8220;I’d like to thank the Highly Respected Emir of Qatar for all that he has done in seeking Peace for the Region. Regarding the attack today at the American Base in Qatar, I am pleased to report that, in addition to no Americans being killed or wounded, very importantly, there have also been no Qataris killed or wounded. Thank you for your attention to this matter!&#8221; he posted via his Truth Social account.
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<a href="https://t.co/y2PfbJGgZY">pic.twitter.com/y2PfbJGgZY</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1937238331009695862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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TOPSHOT-QATAR-IRAN-US-ISRAEL

Iran Goes Full Baghdad Bob, Claims Attack ‘Destroyed’ U.S. Air Base In Qatar

Media

Military

Propaganda

Qatar

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) revealed on Monday that U.S. intelligence contradicts claims that Iran moved nuclear materials before President Trump&#8217;s weekend airstrikes, which the senator believes &#8220;severely damaged, if not completely destroyed&#8221; Iran&#8217;s nuclear weapons capabilities.
Satellite imagery taken prior to the attack, circulating across social media over the weekend, revealed trucks surrounding Fordo allegedly poised to haul away all nuclear material, which the senator rejects.
&#8220;[Israel and Iran] are claiming that they moved some material,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;Our intelligence report says they didn&#8217;t. In fact, we actually believe they stored more of it in Fordo because they believe Fordo was impenetrable,&#8221; the Oklahoma Republican <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/23/us-iran-nuclear-fordo-mullin-intelligence.html">said</a> in an interview on CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box.&#8221;
The Fordo facility, located 300 feet underneath a mountain, was one of three Iranian nuclear sites targeted by American air strikes on Saturday, along with facilities at Natanz and Isfahan.
“We have the ability to destroy things that people think were undestroyable. And so we think we did a really good job,” Mullin said.
Spencer Faragasso, senior research fellow at the Institute for Science and International Security, echoed Mullin’s sentiment, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/06/22/iran-strikes-nuclear-site-damage-visuals/">telling</a> The Washington Post that the satellite images taken prior to the attack appear to feature dump trucks intent on reinforcing Fordo, not evacuating it.
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High-res satellite imagery shows 16 cargo trucks entering tunnels at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility shortly before the U.S./Israeli strike—raising concerns Tehran may have secretly relocated enriched uranium or critical nuclear materials ahead of the bombing. <a href="https://t.co/IU5tyLZyG3">pic.twitter.com/IU5tyLZyG3</a>
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/1936979978576699830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“If they evacuated any equipment, it had to happen prior to the filling of the tunnels,” Faragasso said, pointing out that using dump trucks to transport uranium and centrifuges could easily damage them, and hazardous chemicals could leak. “It would be a large and complicated undertaking.”
Experts told the Post that the tunnel entrances where the trucks were spotted appear to have been filled with dirt post-attack, either as a result of reinforcing the tunnels in preparation for a strike or from the shock wave caused by the bombing.
Senator Mullin, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the strikes had “severely damaged, if not completely destroyed, their ability to have a nuclear weapon,” but suggested the possibility of continued military action if necessary. &#8220;If we find that we didn&#8217;t completely destroy Fordo&#8217;s nuclear production capabilities, we will be working with our allies to finish the job, or we will finish the job.&#8221;
“We have made it very clear, President Trump has made clear for 10 years, we will not allow Iran, the world’s sponsor of terror, to have a nuclear weapon any way whatsoever,” Mullin added.
President Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114734021412822365">declared</a> the strikes had “totally destroyed” Iran&#8217;s major enrichment facilities and blasted mainstream media outlets that attempted to contradict this assessment. “It never ends with the sleazebags in the Media, and that’s why their Ratings are at an ALL TIME LOW — ZERO CREDIBILITY!” the president posted on Truth Social.

DOD Secretary Hegseth And Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Caine Brief On Iran Strike

U.S. Intel Confirms Iran Failed to Move Nuclear Materials Before Trump Strikes, Senator Reveals

Middle East

Nuclear

President Donald Trump scolded Russia for &#8220;casually throwing around the &#8216;N word'&#8221; on Monday after Russian Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia, along with other nations, were planning to send nuclear warheads to Iran.
Medvedev, the former president of Russia, <a href="https://x.com/MedvedevRussiaE/status/1936725778701701276">said</a> on Sunday that Iran&#8217;s &#8220;enrichment of nuclear material&#8221; and &#8220;the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue&#8221; after the United States bombed three major Iranian nuclear facilities in what the Trump administration called an &#8220;obliteration&#8221; of the Ayatollah&#8217;s nuclear ambitions. After the United States&#8217; attack on Iran, Medvedev added that multiple countries &#8220;are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114733380709403439">responded</a> to Medvedev&#8217;s comments, writing on Truth Social, &#8220;Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the &#8216;N word&#8217; (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination?&#8221;
&#8220;If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;The &#8216;N word&#8217; should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s &#8216;THE BOSS.'&#8221;
The president then praised the U.S. military&#8217;s &#8220;hardware,&#8221; which was put on display during the strikes on Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities on Saturday.
&#8220;By the way, if anyone thinks our &#8216;hardware&#8217; was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines. They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly,&#8221; he wrote.
Russia and Iran have found common ground in their anti-West sentiment for decades. Iran has recently supplied Russia with missiles that the country has used in its war against Ukraine, and Russia has <a href="https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-857124">reportedly</a> agreed to help Iran build eight nuclear power plants.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the U.S. attack on Iran on Monday, calling it “absolutely unprovoked,” The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/06/23/iran-russia-alliance-strikes-nuclear/">reported</a>. Putin added that U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict &#8220;is bringing the world to a very dangerous point.&#8221; Russia, however, has yet to take any action in support of Iran since the U.S. jumped into the conflict.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/obliteration-is-an-accurate-term-trump-says-iran-satellite-images-show-monumental-damage?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=%E2%80%98Obliteration+Is+An+Accurate+Term%21%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Says+Iran+Satellite+Images+Show+%E2%80%98Monumental+Damage%E2%80%99">said</a> on Sunday night that satellite imagery shows that “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran.&#8221;
“Obliteration is an accurate term!&#8221; he added.

Trump Tells Russian Leader To Stop Using The ‘N Word’ After Nuclear Threats

Dmitry Medvedev

Nuclear Weapons

Politics

Russia

Vladimir Putin

Iran launched an attack at a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday, firing a barrage of missiles after the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/iran-retaliation-trump-israel-war">reported</a>.
Explosions were heard near Qatar&#8217;s capital city of Doha on Monday night local time, and the United States told citizens in the country to shelter in place until further notice, according to Reuters. Iran issued a statement through its state media announcing its attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/23/world/iran-trump-israel-news/11cfa03e-588d-5ff5-ba20-9f9369cb6b38?smid=url-share">according</a> to The New York Times.
The Trump administration was given a &#8220;good advance warning&#8221; of the Iranian attack, a source &#8220;familiar with the matter&#8221; told Axios. Iran also <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/23/world/iran-trump-israel-news/82bf4cc2-e1b6-52cf-be4f-18c58b88975c?smid=url-share">reportedly</a> gave its ally Qatar an advanced notice before launching the missiles at the American base. Qatar closed its airspace before the Iranian missile barrage, and the U.S and British governments warned citizens in Qatar to shelter in place.
&#8220;The base that was targeted in the attack by the powerful Iranian forces was far from urban facilities and residential areas in Qatar,&#8221; Iran&#8217;s Supreme National Security Council said in a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/iran-retaliation-trump-israel-war">statement</a>. &#8220;This action did not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar, and its noble people.&#8221;
President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet with his National Security team at the White House at 1:00 p.m. As the Iranians fired missiles at the U.S. base, Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were monitoring the attack in the Situation Room, CNN <a href="https://x.com/kaitlancollins/status/1937191275272257726">reported</a>.
The White House and Department of Defense are aware of, and closely monitoring, potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a senior White House official <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1937191022863266201">told</a> Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan.
Trump previously warned Iran against any retaliation, saying it &#8220;will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed.&#8221;
Many of the personnel and aircraft at the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest military base in the Middle East, were evacuated in recent days as tensions rose in the Middle East. The base is also fortified by air defenses, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/23/world/iran-trump-israel-news/68ad47d2-2786-5d78-bdd1-bf35a98dcff6?smid=url-share">reported</a>.
Videos posted on social media showed missiles being intercepted over Qatar.
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US defenses intercept Islamic Republic of Iran missiles in Qatar. <a href="https://t.co/EkLxXt0oWT">pic.twitter.com/EkLxXt0oWT</a>
&mdash; Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1937193695356551560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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This is a breaking story; refresh the page for updates.

Iran-Missiles-Display-44th-Anniversary-War

Iran Attacks U.S. Military Base

Military Bases

United States

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the reality that China would be severely damaged by Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, challenged the Chinese government on Sunday to tell the despotic Iranian regime not to do so.
“China in particular buys more oil from Iran than any other nation &#8211; with its imports from Iran surpassing 1.8 million barrels per day last month, according to data by ship tracking firm Vortexa,” the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c056pyv723vo">noted</a>. Iran&#8217;s state-run Press TV reported that the Iranian Parliament had endorsed closing the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision would be made by the Supreme National Security Council.
“Do you expect Iran to move to close the Strait of Hormuz, to try to disrupt oil transportation across the world?” Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo asked Rubio on Fox&#8217;s &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures.&#8221;
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio answered. “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake; it’s economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries&#8217; economies a lot worse than ours. It would be, I think, a massive escalation that would merit a response, not just by us, but from others.”
“So, look, they’re going to say what they need to say, you know,” he continued. “These are the things that need to happen for their own internal politics, and so forth. But in the end, we’re going to judge them by the actions that they take moving forward. We had three objectives; we struck those three objectives with decisive force, and that was the point of this mission. And what happens next will depend on what they do. If they want to negotiate, we’re ready to negotiate. If they want to get cute, and do things that are dangerous, we have responses available that are devastating.”
Rubio&#8217;s words may well have been heard in China; on Monday, it was reported that China warned Iran to back down from its threat to close the Strait.
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China warns Iran after its threats to close the Strait of Hormuz: “The Persian Gulf and surrounding waters are critical trade routes and must remain stable and open.” <a href="https://t.co/xzIrnzkVQd">pic.twitter.com/xzIrnzkVQd</a>
&mdash; Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolymarketIntel/status/1937133481378619475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“We estimate that 84% of the crude oil and condensate and 83% of the liquefied natural gas that moved through the Strait of Hormuz went to Asian markets in 2024,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration has <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504">reported</a>. “China, India, Japan, and South Korea were the top destinations for crude oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz to Asia, accounting for a combined 69% of all Hormuz crude oil and condensate flows in 2024. These markets would likely be most affected by supply disruptions at Hormuz.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/APD5gNeIJjY?si=EBFV0xwOmPE7Z-IH&amp;start=1022" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies on the 2026 Budget In House Hearing

Rubio Challenges China: Tell Iran Not To Close Strait Of Hormuz. The Next Day, China Warns Iran.

China

Marco Rubio

Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dispatched his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday, seeking Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s support after President Donald Trump ordered devastating strikes against Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reportedly arrived in Moscow carrying a letter from Khamenei specifically requesting Putin&#8217;s backing, senior sources <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/irans-supreme-leader-asks-putin-do-more-after-us-strikes-2025-06-23/">told</a> Reuters.
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-israel-strikes-iran?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+Trump+Bombs+Iran%2C+Hits+All+Three+Nuclear+Sites+With+%E2%80%98Full+Payload%E2%80%99">ordered</a> strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Iranian nuclear program was “devastated” and “obliterated.”
Reuters reported that Tehran has not been impressed with Putin’s tepid support thus far, and the letter requests that Putin take stronger measures backing Iran against Israel and the United States, though what assistance was being requested was not specified.
Putin met with the Iranian Foreign Minister in the Kremlin early Monday, where he blasted the &#8220;unjustified&#8221; U.S. attacks and warned that regime change could destabilize the region.
&#8220;The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification,&#8221; Putin <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/irans-supreme-leader-asks-putin-do-more-after-us-strikes-2025-06-23/">told</a> the Iranian Foreign Minister, indicating a desire to calm the crisis. &#8220;For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people,&#8221; but again neglected to provide specifics.
Last week, Putin called for peace and offered Moscow&#8217;s services as a mediator, showing little appetite for direct confrontation with Trump as he fights a protracted war in Ukraine.
Russia’s peacemaker approach to the conflict comes only a year after signing a 20-year strategic partnership with Iran. The countries agreed to “work together against common military threats, develop their military-technical cooperation, and take part in joint exercises,” Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/iran-parliament-approves-strategic-pact-with-russia-2025-05-21/">reported</a>.
However, the partnership does not include a mutual defense clause that would obligate Moscow to defend Iran militarily against external attacks.
At the United Nations Security Council on Sunday, Russia joined China and Pakistan in proposing a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, with Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia comparing the situation to Colin Powell&#8217;s 2003 Iraq presentation.
“Again, we&#8217;re being asked to believe the U.S.&#8217;s fairy tales, to once again inflict suffering on millions of people living in the Middle East. This cements our conviction that history has taught our U.S. colleagues nothing,” the ambassador stated.
Putin has maintained communication with Israel during the escalating tensions. Israeli officials have reportedly assured Putin that Russian specialists currently helping build two additional reactors at Iran&#8217;s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant would be safe.
For Moscow, which has historically played a role in Iran&#8217;s nuclear negotiations with the West as both a veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member and signatory to the original nuclear deal, the current crisis presents a delicate balancing act between supporting a regional ally and avoiding direct conflict with the United States.

Russian President Putin in Iran

Ayatollah Seeks Putin’s Support After Trump’s Crushing Strike On Iranian Nuclear Sites

The White House released photos taken from inside the White House’s Situation Room on Saturday as American bombers knocked out nuclear facilities in Iran.
The White House posted a series of seven photos on X showing President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and others huddled together watching the mission progress.
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President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/fw70poHb0O">pic.twitter.com/fw70poHb0O</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605842796687502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/QZroRBNW1t">pic.twitter.com/QZroRBNW1t</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605850115657813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/T0ECocToiC">pic.twitter.com/T0ECocToiC</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605859406135328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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President Donald J. Trump in The Situation Room, June 21, 2025 <a href="https://t.co/V4pRVzsqcZ">pic.twitter.com/V4pRVzsqcZ</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1936605863323598879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
American B-2 bombers dropped payloads on three Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday. Bombs struck the nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The White House had said Thursday that the president planned to make a decision on whether or not to bomb Iran “within the next two weeks.” Trump addressed the nation after the mission.
“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran&#8217;s key nuclear facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” the president <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1936607420068856087">said</a>.
Trump threatened further action against Iran unless Tehran chooses peace.
&#8220;This cannot continue. There will be either peace or tragedy for Iran — far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/1936611374458675349">said</a>. “Tonight was the most difficult of them all — by far — and perhaps the most lethal, but if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed, and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”
In the United States, the strike on Iran has already sparked calls for impeachment from Democrats in Congress.
“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1936603028708082160">said</a>. “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1936602051431063760">defended</a> the president in a post on X, noting that “[l]eaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act.”

PHOTOS: Trump, Top Officials Monitor Strike On Iran From Situation Room

Pete Hegseth

White House

Iran&#8217;s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly drafted a short list of potential successors as a contingency in case Israel targets him next.
The Iranian supreme leader has spent much of the last couple of weeks in hiding as Israeli forces systematically targeted nuclear research facilities, nuclear scientists, and military leaders — and as The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/world/middleeast/iran-ayatollah-israel-war.html">reported</a> on Saturday, those targeted strikes have Khamenei worried that he could be next on the list.
According to the report, Khamenei has resorted to speaking through a &#8220;trusted aid&#8221; and refuses to use electronic communications in order to better obscure his location. The NYTimes quoted several anonymous officials as confirming that the ayatollah had also chosen replacements for a number of his military leaders.
Khamenei, the officials said, is taking steps to avoid being assassinated — but they also said that if an attempt were to succeed, he would view himself as a martyr. &#8220;Given the possibility, the ayatollah has made the unusual decision to instruct his nation’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader, to choose his successor swiftly from the three names he has provided,&#8221; the report stated.
Khamenei&#8217;s short list circumvents the typical process for selecting a successor — during which clerics also submit names for consideration — but as Johns Hopkins University professor and Iran expert Vali Nasr explained, &#8220;The top priority is the preservation of the state. It is all calculative and pragmatic.&#8221;
The surprising move, according to the quoted officials, is that Khamenei did not put his son Mojtaba on the list despite most believing that he was a frontrunner for the position. Instead, the list is reportedly comprised of the names of three senior clerics.
The news came just hours before President Donald Trump announced that the American military had successfully executed strikes on three major nuclear targets in Iran.
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The President will make an Address to the Nation at 10:00PM ET. Tune in! <a href="https://t.co/WT0AeS3ghA">pic.twitter.com/WT0AeS3ghA</a>
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1936579227845079385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

Iran’s Khamenei Has Drafted Short-List Of Successors In Case Israel Targets Him Next

Iran's Khamenei Has Drafted Short-List Of Successors In Case Israel Targets Him Next

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Syrian-born anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, released from detention despite alleged Hamas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-israel-activist-detained-by-ice-led-activities-aligned-to-hamas-trumps-dhs-says">ties</a>, vowed on Saturday to continue anti-Israel protests while appearing alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) at a New Jersey airport.
Khalil, 30, spent 104 days in a Lousina detention center after his March 8 arrest, as the Trump administration sought to deport the Columbia student for allegedly engaging in activities &#8220;aligned to Hamas,&#8221; the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.
Immediately upon his Friday release following a court order from U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz, Khalil <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/21/us-news/anti-israel-protestor-mahmoud-khalil-makes-emotional-return-home-embraces-wife-and-holds-telling-press-conference-with-aoc/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">bashed</a> the U.S.-funded “genocide” in Gaza, and even vowed to fight for the rights of the “incredible men” he was imprisoned with in Louisiana, per the New York Post.
&#8220;The U.S. government is funding this genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide,&#8221; Khalil declared at the airport. &#8220;This is what I was protesting. This is what I will continue to protest with every one of you. Not only if they threaten me with detention, even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine.&#8221;
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AOC just imbedded herself with a Terrorist Hamas supporter 👍👍👍 Dems 80/20 &#8211; we&#39;ll take 20 🤣
BREAKING: Mahmoud Khalil Holds Press Gaggle With AOC After Being Released From Immigration Detention <a href="https://t.co/WOiRdLUc5k">https://t.co/WOiRdLUc5k</a> <a href="https://t.co/zk8712HIqG">pic.twitter.com/zk8712HIqG</a>
&mdash; Joni Job (@jj_talking) <a href="https://twitter.com/jj_talking/status/1936485070191423943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who joined Khalil at Newark Liberty International Airport alongside his wife and their newborn son, claimed the allegations against Khalil were politically motivated.
&#8220;Because Mahmoud Khalil is an advocate for Palestinian human rights, he has been accused, baselessly, of horrific allegations, simply because the Trump administration and our overall establishment disagrees with his political speech,&#8221; the congresswoman claimed to reporters. “We will continue to resist the politicization and the continued political persecution that ICE is engaged in.”
The conditions of Khalil&#8217;s bail included surrendering his passport and travel restrictions limiting him to New York, New Jersey, Michigan, to visit his family, Washington, D.C., and Louisiana, where his immigration trial will be held.
Khalil graduated from Columbia in December, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused him of leading “antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-rules-columbias-pro-hamas-agitator-mahmoud-khalil-can-be-deported">reported</a>.
“Condoning antisemitic conduct and disruptive protests in the United States would severely undermine that significant foreign policy objective,” Rubio added, citing the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act, which authorizes the U.S. Secretary of State to deport anyone whose continued residence in the country “would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences.&#8221;
Defense attorneys for Khalil celebrated the Syrian’s release as a “significant and important victory,&#8221; per the Post.
The Trump administration is <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/anti-israel-activist-mahmoud-khalil-released-following-judges-order">appealing</a> Judge Farbiarz’s preliminary injunction and Khalil&#8217;s release on bail to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

US-POLITICS-MIGRANTS-KHALIL-EDUCATION-MIGRATION

Pro-Hamas Agitator Mahmoud Khalil Bashes U.S. ‘Genocide’ With AOC After Judge Orders Release

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