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Mr Trump said he would make the call on whether to order US warplanes to strike Iranian nuclear sites depending on whether Tehran engages in talks over ending its nuclear weapons programme.
“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,” he said.
Mr Katz said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist".
US officials said this week that Mr Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Mr Khamenei.
Iran held direct talks with US after Israeli strikes
US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi have spoken by phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis.
Three diplomats told Reuters that Mr Araqchi said Tehran would not return to negotiations unless Israel stopped the attacks, which began last Friday.
They said the talks included a brief discussion of a US proposal given to Iran at the end of May that aims to create a regional consortium that would enrich uranium outside of Iran, an offer Tehran has so far rejected.
A regional diplomat close to Tehran said Mr Araqchi had told Mr Witkoff that Tehran "could show flexibility in the nuclear issue" if Washington pressured Israel to end the war.
A European diplomat said: "Araqchi told Witkoff Iran was ready to come back to nuclear talks, but it could not if Israel continued its bombing."
Mr Araghchi was due today in Geneva to negotiate with European diplomats, the country's first face-to-face talks in the crisis.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 June 2025 04:08
Israeli airstrikes reach city of Rasht
Israeli airstrikes reached the city of Rasht in Northern Iran, according to the Associated Press.
It’s unclear what the Israeli military is targeting in the city, the AP reports.
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 03:03
Trump relying on small group of advisers for Iran strategy: report
President Donald Trump is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers to decide whether or not to strike Iran, NBC News reports.
He’s also crowdsourcing opinions from various allies who don’t have formal positions in his administration, according to the outlet.
Earlier today, the president said he would make the call on whether to order US warplanes to strike Iranian nuclear sites depending on whether Tehran engages in talks over ending its nuclear weapons program.
“I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” he said.
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 02:01
IDF intercepts Iranian drone: report
The Israeli military intercepted an Iranian drone over the Dead Sea, according to a report from The Guardian.
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 01:21
Iran says Israel struck industrial complex in north
Iranian state media said Israeli strikes hit an industrial complex in the Sefid-Rud area in Northern Iran, The New York Times reports.
State media also reported strikes around Rasht, a city in northern Iran.
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 01:10
Netanyahu faces backlash for describing 'personal cost' of war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing backlash after describing the “personal cost” his family has paid for the war.
“There are people who were killed, families who grieved loved ones, I really appreciate that,” he said in a television interview at the site of a hospital destroyed by an Iranian missile strike.
“Each of us bears a personal cost, and my family has not been exempt,” he added. “This is the second time that my son Avner, due to missile threats and rocket fire, has cancelled a wedding. It is a personal cost for his fiancee as well, and I must say that my dear wife is a hero, and she bears a personal cost.”
Knesset member Gilad Kariv called the prime minister a “narcissist” following his remarks.
“I know many families who were not forced to postpone a wedding, but who will now never celebrate the weddings that were once meant to take place,” the lawmaker said, according to The Guardian.
Yehuda Cohen, whose son is being held hostage in Gaza, also criticized Netanyahu’s remarks, according to The New York Times. He said his son “can’t breathe, he can’t see daylight and has been in danger of death for more than 20 months.”
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 00:30
German chancellor urges Israel to use restraint: report
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz privately urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use restraint in the campaign against Iran, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
The German chancellor said he supports Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities while emphasizing the importance of a diplomatic solution, according to Reuters.
Katie Hawkinson20 June 2025 00:10
Lammy calls for de-escalation over Iran-Israel conflict
The Foreign Secretary said he will join European leaders in Geneva on Friday for talks with the Iranian foreign minister as the UK continues to call for de-escalation over the Iran-Israel conflict.
David Lammy met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House on Thursday and said they discussed a deal to find a diplomatic solution.
Mr Lammy said: “The situation in the Middle East remains perilous. We are determined that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon.
“Meeting with Secretary of State Rubio and special envoy to the Middle East Witkoff in the White House today, we discussed how a deal could avoid a deepening conflict.
“A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution.
“Tomorrow, I will be heading to Geneva to meet with the Iranian foreign minister alongside my French, German and EU counterparts.
“Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one.”
White House: Trump to decide on Iran action 'within two weeks'
Alexander Butler19 June 2025 23:30
Ukrainians who fled from war to Israel facing new conflict
“I don’t stop seeing dreams that I’m hiding somewhere, running from Shahed drones, bombs, and looking for shelter somewhere,” said a Ukrainian woman whose new life has been shattered:
Jane Dalton19 June 2025 22:45
