Only way to deal with Iran is maximum pressure, Haley says

Iran has escalated its dispute with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing its inspectors of using slanderous language and presenting false and recycled information, according to a legal brief cited by Bloomberg.

The 19-page document, circulated to diplomats ahead of a key IAEA meeting on June 9, reflects deepening tensions as Western nations consider referring Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to meet its nuclear safeguards obligations.

The Iranian brief is a response to a May 31 IAEA report that raised concerns about Tehran’s possession of confidential agency documents.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi wrote that “Conclusive evidence of highly-confidential documents belonging to the agency having been actively collected and analyzed by Iran raises serious concerns regarding Iran’s spirit of collaboration and may undermine the effective application of safeguards in Iran.”

Iran rejected the accusation and claimed Grossi had overstepped his authority.

Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has sharply criticized renewed calls in Washington for military action against Iran, accusing proponents of exaggerating the threat posed by Tehran’s nuclear program and pursuing regime change under the guise of national security.

In a lengthy post on X, Carlson singled out media personality Mark Levin, who he said had visited the White House to advocate for “war with Iran.” Carlson wrote, “Mark Levin was at the White House today, lobbying for war with Iran. To be clear, Levin has no plans to fight in this or any other war. He’s demanding that American troops do it.”

Carlson argued that claims about Iran being weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon are not supported by credible intelligence. “In fact, there is zero credible intelligence that suggests Iran is anywhere near building a bomb, or has plans to. None,” he wrote. “If the US government knew Iran was weeks from possessing a nuclear weapon, we’d be at war already.”

He also criticized US policy toward disarmament and cited the example of Libya. “Iran knows it’s unwise to give up its weapons program entirely. Muammar Gaddafi tried that and wound up sodomized with a bayonet,” Carlson said. “As soon as Gaddafi disarmed, NATO killed him. Iran’s leaders saw that happen. They learned the obvious lesson.”

Carlson alleged that the real aim of voices pushing confrontation is regime change, not nonproliferation. “So why is Mark Levin once again hyperventilating about weapons of mass destruction? To distract you from the real goal, which is regime change — young Americans heading back to the Middle East to topple yet another government.”

The event, organized as part of Iran’s official Hajj program, took place in tents allocated to Iranian pilgrims and was attended by senior officials, including Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the country’s top Hajj representative.

Participants carried placards with slogans such as “Al-Quds is ours” and “Israel is absolute evil.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran has long regarded the “Disavowal of Polytheists” as a politically symbolic ritual, tying religious observance to opposition to perceived global oppressors. The chant “Death to America” has been a staple of the ceremony since it was first introduced after the 1979 revolution.

In 1987, the event led to a deadly confrontation between Iranian pilgrims and Saudi security forces, resulting in more than 400 deaths. Following that incident, the ceremony was suspended for several years and resumed in 2001 in a more restricted format. It is now conducted inside enclosed tents under Iranian supervision and coordinated with Saudi authorities.

"The Tehran reactor we use was built by the Americans. In Canada and the United States, reactors operate with 90% enriched fuel," Mohammad Eslami said on Iranian state television. "So the percentage of enrichment has no particular significance."

The nuclear chief also stressed that 20% enrichment is necessary for research reactors. "Without the capability to design and manufacture reactors and complete the fuel cycle, one cannot claim to be nuclear-capable — and we are now at that level," he said.

Eslami emphasized that Iran’s nuclear development is rooted in national capability. "We have now reached full maturity in the nuclear fuel cycle, which is the foundation of the nuclear industry," he said.

"The West cannot tolerate this and continues to escalate its hostility toward us in every possible way."

He accused the United States and its allies of trying to maintain monopolistic control over nuclear technology. "They have always said Iran should have no domestic reactor and must import fuel indefinitely," Eslami said. "Our response has always been clear: we will not accept such dependency."

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  Khamenei dismisses US proposal: ‘US can’t do a damn thing about our program’

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  Nuclear chief aligns with Khamenei: No retreat on Iran’s program

He said the West’s portrayal of Iran’s nuclear intentions was misleading. "They do not want development unless it’s under their flag," he said. "But all our progress has been achieved by our own youth."

On Wednesday, Eslami vowed to continue advancing the country’s nuclear program with “faith, revolutionary spirit, and heartfelt conviction,” asserting that Iran will resist excessive demands from the United States and other global powers in a statement addressed to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Diplomatic talks mediated by Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff have stalled over Iran’s insistence on maintaining enrichment activities inside the country.

US and Iran want an agreement, UN nuclear watchdog says

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi, speaking in Damascus, said that the agency is not party to the negotiations but remains in close contact with both sides.

"They are negotiating, not us, but it is obvious that the IAEA will have to be the guarantor of whichever agreement they come to," he said.

Grossi expressed cautious optimism. "I think they both want an agreement, which doesn’t mean that it’s easy to get," he said. "But having two sides that want a deal is already a big advantage."

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump urged Tehran to respond swiftly to American demands. "Time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered to mediate.

In March, Trump warned that if a deal was not agreed upon within two months, the US would bomb Tehran, though he did not state a deadline.

Iran has consistently said that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. However, Western powers have accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons capabilities—allegations Iran denies.

Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% U-235. The IAEA has consistently maintained that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to this level, which is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% fissile material.

Arab states astride the Persian Gulf, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are pursuing a hedging strategy to navigate growing risks from Iran’s advancing nuclear program, according to an analysis published Thursday by Israel’s Alma Research and Education Center.

The report said that Iran’s uranium stockpile enriched to 60% now exceeds 400 kg—theoretically enough for nearly ten nuclear weapons.

According to the analysis, Iran’s Persian Gulf neighbors are preparing for two possible outcomes: a military strike—likely Israeli or US-led—on Iran’s nuclear facilities, or a new US-Iran agreement that might allow Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

While publicly supporting diplomacy, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are quietly distancing themselves from direct confrontation with Iran, balancing outreach with deterrence, Alma said. The UAE maintains economic ties with Tehran while cooperating militarily with Israel under the Abraham Accords, and Riyadh is boosting its defense posture through a $142 billionarms framework with the United States.

“There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia continues to see Iran and its proxies as a central threat,” Alma said.