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MOSCOW, RUSSIA | TASS | A ceasefire between Israel and Iran has come into effect, following mutual strikes by the Islamic Republic and the Jewish state. Both sides have reported casualties and injuries.
TASS has summed up the key facts about the development of the Middle East conflict.
Ceasefire announcement
US President Donald Trump stated that the ceasefire between Israel and Iran is already in full effect. The US leader called for it to be respected on his Truth Social media network. Iran’s Press TV channel also reported that a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel has come into force.
According to Trump, Israel and Iran almost simultaneously approached him with requests to mediate an end to the conflict and establish peace. Trump expects that the ceasefire would be indefinite: “It’s going to go forever.”
He suggested that the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities contributed to the ceasefire agreement between the Islamic Republic and Israel, ultimately ending their conflict. He noted that he found it “very ironic” how the strike “brought everyone together, and the deal was made.”
Reuters reported, citing a White House official, that Trump reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a ceasefire between the Jewish state and the Islamic Republic during a phone conversation held on June 23. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the US leader’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, held direct and indirect consultations with Iranian representatives. Reuters also reported, citing an Iranian official, that Tehran has accepted the US proposal for a ceasefire with Israel, mediated by Qatar.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested that officials refrain from commenting on reports of a ceasefire agreement with Iran following a cabinet meeting, according to Israeli television channel N12.
Final strikes
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has detected a fresh wave of missile launches from Iranian territory, the sixth on June 24. One of the missiles fired during the second wave struck a seven-story residential building in the city of Be’er Sheva. That strike resulted in the death of four people and injuries to others.
In the northern Iranian province of Gilan, at least nine people were killed and 33 others were wounded as a result of explosions following an Israeli attack morning of June 24.
Iran’s nuclear program
US Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington hopes Tehran will not resume its nuclear program.
Earlier, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi reported that the agency had recorded destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan by the US bombing. So far, the IAEA has reported no increase in radiation levels.
On the night of June 22, the US army attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. On the evening of June 23, Tehran launched a missile strike on the Al Udeid air base in Qatar. According to US authorities, there were no casualties and no significant damage was inflicted. Trump confirmed that Iran had warned Washington about the strike.
The Kremlin earlier described the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as a highly dangerous precedent. On June 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the possibilities for de-escalation amid confrontation between the Islamic Republic and Israel.
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SOURCE: TASS
