New Delhi: As Iranian and Israeli warplanes pummelled each other’s military bases in renewed full-force sorties in the nine-day conflict, in Geneva, where diplomats from the EU tried but failed to establish a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in the United States, President Donald Trump weighed American military involvement.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that Israel overnight carried out new attacks against Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan, killing three senior Iranian commanders. A missile and drone strike launched by Iranian forces specifically targeted military sites in southwestern Israel earlier this week, and a successful attack was also reported in Ahvaz, Iran, with powerful explosions hitting military infrastructure. According to Iran’s Health Ministry, more than 430 people were killed and 3,500 others were injured in Iran since the Israeli campaign was started on the 13th of June, while the death toll on the side of the Israeli civilians reached 24.
Araghchi was in Geneva, sitting down with the foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany, along with the EU’s top diplomat. He reiterated that Iran would not negotiate with the U.S. until Israel stopped its bombardments. Araghchi, speaking to reporters, dismissed U.S. demands for zero uranium enrichment as a question of national pride, adding, “Diplomacy is only possible after aggression stops.” The talks failed to yield progress, with President Emmanuel Macron pressing Iran to ensure peaceful nuclear purposes in a telephone call to President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Tensions escalated following U.S. military movements, with six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers flying from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Guam, possibly armed with 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker buster bombs able to reach Iran’s Fordow nuclear site. Trump put a two-week timeframe on deciding whether or not the U.S. would become involved, cautioned Iran not to target civilians, and replied to a major European-backed effort to mediate by dismissing the idea. If America interferes, that would be “very dangerous for everyone,” according to Araghchi’s words.
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said to be holed up in a bunker, has identified three clerics as successors, an indication of internal contingency planning. One of his senior advisers promised to remove the chief of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, after the war, accusing him of instigating Israel’s attacks. Police in Iran detained 22 suspected Israeli spies, while a comprehensive internet blackout continued to disrupt communication, according to NetBlocks.
The constant assault on nuclear facilities can lead to catastrophic escalation, as noted by Shaan Shaikh, a nonproliferation expert at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Posts on the social media platform X reflected international discomfort over U.S. involvement and Iranian missile fire.
There is no sign that the conflict will cease, with Israel swearing to eliminate the Iranian nuclear organization’s structure and Iran pledging dire revenge. As U.S. bombers continue to operate in the region, diplomatic efforts stall, potentially leading to a regional conflict.