A week into the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, both nations exchanged new attacks on Friday, even as European-led diplomatic efforts unfolded in Geneva. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met for extended talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany.
Following the meeting, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed a strong desire to continue diplomatic engagement with Iran, although officials shared few details and refused to address the media.
Earlier on Friday, protests erupted in Tehran against Israel’s ongoing airstrikes. A hardline demonstrator told the Associated Press, “How can we negotiate with a side that violates agreements?”
That morning, the Israeli military launched air raids using 25 fighter jets on what it claimed were missile storage and launch facilities in western Iran. In retaliation, Iran targeted the Israeli city of Haifa with missile strikes, injuring at least 19 people.
According to Human Rights Activists, a Washington-based watchdog group, Israeli airstrikes over the past week have killed at least 657 people in Iran and wounded more than 2,000.
Latest Regional and International Developments
China Evacuates Citizens:
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported the safe arrival of 330 Chinese nationals in Beijing after being evacuated from Iran via Turkmenistan. According to China’s foreign ministry, approximately 2,000 citizens have been removed from Iran, along with about 400 from Israel.
Arab Foreign Ministers Meet in Istanbul:
Responding to Iraq’s request, Arab foreign ministers convened in Istanbul ahead of an emergency OIC session. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that the conflict’s impact could spread beyond Iran, threatening regional stability and energy supplies. He specifically pointed to the risk of disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil exports.
Trump Reacts to Conflict and Nuclear Tensions:
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing the current crisis, distanced his earlier opposition to the Iraq War from his present stance on Iran. He reiterated skepticism about Iran’s nuclear intentions, criticizing U.S. intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard and citing Iran’s vast oil resources as inconsistent with its stated need for nuclear energy.
Americans Request Evacuation Assistance:
Over 25,000 American citizens have reached out to the U.S. State Department for help evacuating from Israel, the West Bank, or Iran. Although no region-specific numbers were provided, one evacuation flight for nonessential embassy personnel and their families has departed. An estimated 700,000 Americans, mostly dual nationals, reside in Israel, and several thousand are believed to be in Iran.
Diplomatic Channels Remain Open:
Despite ongoing violence, hopes for diplomacy persist. After lengthy Geneva discussions, UK’s David Lammy emphasized that negotiations with Iran must continue and that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the talks “very serious,” but offered no details and took no questions from journalists.
