Israel-Iran conflict as it happened: Australia deploys ADF to Middle East to evacuate citizens after embassy in Tehran closes; Trump to decide on US involvement ‘within two weeks’

Thank you for joining us today as we continue our live coverage of the Israel-Iran conflict.

We’ll be back in the morning with more live coverage as the two countries trade missile strikes in a crisis that shows no signs of easing.

Here’s a quick overview of the latest developments:

• US President Donald Trump issued an official statement about 3.30am AEST, saying: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”
• Israel said it had used more than 60 air force fighter jets to attack military and industrial sites in Iran, and struck the headquarters of the SPND nuclear weapons research and development site.
• An Iranian missile struck a technology park at Beersheba in Israel, coming close to apartment blocks and injuring several people. Israel claimed it had thwarted further missile strikes by Iran, by targeting missile launchers.
• Iranian Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi reportedly said his country would not hold talks with the US as it was a “partner to Israeli crime” against Iran.
• Araghchi was set to due his British, French and German counterparts as well as the European Union’s top diplomat in Geneva late on Friday, AEST.
• Two American airlines stopped regular flight routes to the Middle East because of escalating concern about flight safety in the region.
• Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined demands for Iran to stop its nuclear weapons program and come to the negotiating table within the two-week deadline set by Trump.
• Australia shut its embassy in Tehran, and sent defence personnel and assets to the region to help evacuate Australians.

Germany, together with its European partners, is open to further discussions with Iran if there is a serious willingness from Tehran to provide assurances on its nuclear and missile programs, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.

“My colleagues in the United Kingdom, France and also the High Representative (for the European Union) have always said that we are ready to talk,” Wadephul said before meeting the Iranian foreign minister in Geneva.

“This requires Iran’s serious willingness to renounce any enrichment of nuclear material, which could lead to nuclear weaponisation. This also requires that the missile program can be included. If this serious willingness exists, then the consequence on our part will also be that we are prepared to hold further talks.”

Reuters

An Israeli drone has struck an apartment in a residential building in Tehran’s central Gisha district, the Iranian news website Asriran reports.

Local Iranian and Israeli media reports circulating online, including from The Jerusalem Post, claim the strike was an assassination attempt on a nuclear scientist.

The Israeli military also claims it destroyed about 35 missile launchers and storage sites at Tabriz and Kermanshah in Iran this morning, local time.

It has almost turned 1pm in Iran.

We reported earlier that an Iranian missile had struck near apartment blocks in the city of Beersheba in Israel’s south.

At the time, five people were reported as lightly injured. That number has now climbed to seven, medics said.

“Injuries [were] sustained while running to protected areas and as a result of the impact,” a Soroka medical centre spokesperson said, according to the BBC.

“All are being treated by the team at the emergency medical services, which continues to respond to urgent cases in a protected area.”

The situation at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, where hundreds of Russian specialists work, is normal and under control, according to Russian nuclear energy chief Alexei Likhachev.

The Israeli military yesterday said it had struck the Russian-built Bushehr facility, but later withdrew the comment, saying it was made by mistake. Likhachev, the head of the state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, yesterday said any attack on the plant could cause a Chernobyl-style nuclear disaster.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to Alexei Likhachev during a meeting in October last year.Credit: AP

Bushehr is Iran’s only operating nuclear power plant and uses Russian fuel, which Russia then takes back when it is spent to reduce proliferation risk.

Asked today about the situation at Bushehr, Likhachev told reporters: “So far the situation is completely under control, everything is normal. The night passed in the usual anxious but manageable atmosphere.

“We continue to work in pre-mobilisation mode and very much hope that all our signals from yesterday reached the Israeli leadership.”

The “pre-mobilisation” comment appeared to refer to the possibility of evacuating staff in the event of an emergency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earier this week that Russia had up to 600 staff at Bushehr, including 250 permanent workers and others on temporary assignment. He said Israel had issued a promise to Russia over their safety – a message reiterated by the Krelim this evening.

Likhachev said yesterday that some of those on assignment had been evacuated, but the core staff remained for now.

Reuters

Australia’s sharemarket has given up a five-week winning streak, as investors grapple with military conflict, global growth concerns and lofty valuations.

The slump came after a week of surging oil prices amid escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and as US President Donald Trump flagged potential American military involvement within two weeks.

The ASX fell on Friday amid escalating Middle East tensions.Credit: Oscar Colman

The S&P/ASX 200 fell 18.2 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8505.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.9 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8723.5. Six of 11 local sectors improved on Friday, but a 4.5 per cent slump in Australia’s raw materials sector over the week weighed on the bourse, as weak manufacturing data from China dragged iron ore prices down to nine-month lows.

The Australian dollar is buying US64.91¢, up slightly from US64.71¢ on Thursday at 5pm, coiling tightly within its recent range with the greenback.

Click here to read the full five-minute recap of the trading day.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country has no choice but to “unconditionally” pursue an end to Israel’s aggression.

“Iran has always sought peace, but the only way to end the current war is an unconditional stop to Israeli aggression and a firm guarantee against future attacks”, Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.Credit: Getty Images

The president said Iran has to guarantee an end to “Zionist terrorists’” ventures, Reuters reported.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi reportedly told state media Tehran’s ballistic missile program was non-negotiable, and that his talks with Britain, France and Germany in Geneva would focus solely on nuclear and regional issues, Reuters reported.

The UK will push for a “diplomatic solution” to the Israel-Iran conflict in Geneva, where Iranian Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi will meet his British, French and German counterparts, as well as the European Union’s top diplomat.

The UK government said Foreign Secretary David Lammy would reiterate in today’s meetings “the UK’s longstanding concerns about Iran’s nuclear program”, the BBC reported.

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy (left) leaves Downing Street after an emergency Cobra meeting on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images

Lammy, in a previous statement, said the UK was “determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon”.

“A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,” Lammy said, according to the BBC.

Further to our previous post, Iran Foreign Minister Sayyid Abbas Araghchi reportedly said his country would not hold talks with the US as it was a “partner to Israel crime” against Iran.

“The Americans want negotiations and have sent messages several times, but we have clearly said that there is no room for dialogue until the [aggression stops],” IRNA quoted Araghchi as saying.

“We have no talks with America as a partner in this crime.”

Speaking on state television, Araghchi reportedly said Iran had never targeted civilian areas – especially not hospitals – as opposed to Israel, which the foreign minister said intentionally targeted hospitals in Gaza.

On Thursday, Israel slammed Iran for targeting civilians in a strike on a hospital, which it branded a “war crime”.

Despite Araghchi’s apparent assertion Iran would refuse to formally negotiate with the US, the two countries have been in contact since the Israel-Iran conflict began.

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff has spoken to Araghchi several times since June 13, Reuters reported.

With Reuters

Iran’s foreign minister has condemned an Israeli strike on its Arak heavy water reactor, saying any assault on nuclear facilities is an assault on nuclear safeguards.

The heavy water reactor reportedly contained no nuclear material and was non-operational at the time of the strike yesterday, but Sayyid Abbas Araghchi said the facility came under comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

“As the Security Council convenes today, it is imperative that it upholds and enforces its own Resolution 487-adopted unanimously in response to the Israeli regime’s 1981 attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility,” Araghchi said in a post shared on X.

“The language in that resolution is unambiguous: any military attack on nuclear facilities is an assault on the entire IAEA safeguards regime and ultimately the NPT.

“It applies not only to past actions but also to future conduct, setting a clear legal standard against the use or threat of force targeting safeguarded nuclear installations.”