Protesters demonstrate in Tehran's Enqelab Square on Friday after Israel's strikes. Getty Images
Protesters demonstrate in Tehran's Enqelab Square on Friday after Israel's strikes. Getty Images
Protesters demonstrate in Tehran's Enqelab Square on Friday after Israel's strikes. Getty Images
Protesters demonstrate in Tehran's Enqelab Square on Friday after Israel's strikes. Getty Images

Fate of Iran nuclear talks in doubt as Israel continues attacks


Thomas Watkins
  • English
  • Arabic

The US hopes that talks with Tehran about its nuclear programme will continue, despite Israel's attacks on Iran that have called into question the merit of negotiations.

Following Friday's strikes, Iran said it was withdrawing from the sixth round of nuclear negotiations that were due to take place in Oman on Sunday with US Special Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.

The talks were supposed to forestall military action against Iran by forcing it to give up all uranium enrichment capabilities and abandon its drive to develop a nuclear weapon. For weeks, US President Donald Trump sounded optimistic that a deal could be achieved, while also threatening dire consequences for Iran if it did not reach an agreement.

Ultimately, Israel rendered those talks moot by launching a “pre-emptive” strike against Iran's military leaders and its nuclear sites.

Despite those actions, Mr Trump insisted Iran possibly has a “second chance” to come to the negotiating table.

US President Donald Trump posted this message on Truth Social on June 13, 2025
US President Donald Trump posted this message on Truth Social on June 13, 2025

“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian empire. No more death, no more destruction, just do it, before it is too late,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Israel began striking Iranian targets in the early hours of Friday and continued its attacks throughout the day. Iran later responded, unleashing dozens of missiles at Israel.

Israel's strikes were far more extensive than those it conducted against Iran last year, and underscored the country’s growing assertiveness, as well as its military and intelligence capabilities.

Mossad released video that it claims shows its agents deployed in Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran will make Israel regret its attacks.

“The Iranian nation and the country's officials will not remain silent in the face of this crime, and the legitimate and powerful response of the Islamic Republic of Iran will make the enemy regret its foolish act,” Mr Pezeshkian said in a video statement aired on state TV.

Israel says it killed the Iranian commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' aerospace force Amir Ali Hajizadeh. AFP
Israel says it killed the Iranian commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' aerospace force Amir Ali Hajizadeh. AFP

Mr Trump later told Reuters that the US still has nuclear talks planned with Iran on Sunday but that he is not sure if they will take place.

“I tried to save Iran humiliation and death,” Mr Trump said, adding he is not concerned about a regional war breaking out as a result of Israel's strikes.

A US official told The National that Washington is planning for talks to continue.

“We still intend to have talks,” the official said, without specifying when these might occur.

Israel said it struck around 100 targets across Iranian cities on Friday morning, using 200 planes. The attacks caused oil prices to surge and investors to buy safe havens such as gold and US Treasuries.

When asked by NBC News why he thinks Iran would still want to hold talks, Mr Trump said Iranian representatives were calling him to suggest they still wanted a deal.

Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said Iran might continue talks, provided the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is willing to do so.

He “has to make a decision” about how much he wants to respond, Mr Vatanka said.

“If he wants to step down, the obvious thing to do is to go back to the negotiations, to look for a way to either give up enrichment, temporarily or for good, or find a compromise somewhere between,” Mr Vatanka said.

“If you can avoid humiliating Ali Khamenei, if you think … he's going to stay in power, then don't humiliate him. Find a way for him to find it easy to come back and negotiate”.

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Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
 
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
 
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
 
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
 
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
 
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket

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Australia 2nd; Bahrain 3rd; China 4th; Azerbaijan 1st; Spain 1st; Monaco 3rd; Canada 5th; France 1st; Austria DNF; Britain 2nd; Germany 1st; Hungary 1st; Belgium 2nd; Italy 1st; Singapore 1st; Russia 1st; Japan 1st; United States 3rd; Mexico 4th

6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m

Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

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The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

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Omar Yabroudi's factfile

Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah

Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University

2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship

2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy

2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment

2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment

2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager

 

 

 

 

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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Updated: June 14, 2025, 8:45 AM