Tehran warns US against helping Israel thwart Iranian counterattack

Two senior Iranian lawmakers publicly called on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to authorize the development of nuclear weapons, following Israel's strikes on Iran.

In remarks aired on Iranian media, MP Hossein-Ali Shahriari, a prominent conservative legislator, said: “As members of parliament, we humbly ask the Supreme Leader to give the order allowing Iran to possess nuclear bombs.”

Ahmad Naderi, a member of the parliament’s presiding board, echoed the call, saying: “We ask the Supreme Leader to allow us to move toward filling the deterrence gap with nuclear weapons.”

The United Nations Security Council will meet later on Friday over Israel's strikes on Iran following a request by the country’s foreign minister, Reuters reported.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi requested the meeting in a letter to the 15-member body, saying Israel "has now crossed every red line, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished."

"Iran reaffirms its inherent right to self-defense as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter and will respond decisively and proportionately to these unlawful and cowardly acts," Araghchi wrote.

Article 51 of the UN Charter covers the individual or collective right of states to self-defense against armed attack.

US President Donald Trump praised Israel’s strikes on Iran as "a very successful attack" and warned Tehran to return to negotiations before it is too late, during a phone interview with CNN journalist Dana Bash on Friday.

Trump expressed strong support for Israel’s military actions against Iran. "We of course support Israel, obviously and supported it like nobody has ever supported it," Trump said.

He said that Iran had ignored a 60-day ultimatum he had previously issued. "Iran should have listened to me when I said – you know I gave them, I don’t know if you know but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61."

Trump cautioned that Tehran must now "come to the table to make a deal before it’s too late. It will be too late for them. You know the people I was dealing with are dead, the hardliners.”

Responding to whether these deaths were the result of Israel’s strikes, Trump replied sarcastically, "They didn’t die of the flu; they didn’t die of Covid."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to hold calls with US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer following overnight strikes on Iran, Ynet reported Friday, citing a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Netanyahu has already spoken with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and French President Emmanuel Macron. According to the statement, the leaders “expressed understanding for Israel’s defense needs against Iran’s threat of annihilation.”

The Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu would maintain close contact with international leaders in the coming days.

Iran, Iraq and Jordan closed their airspace and Israel shut its main airport on Friday after Israeli strikes disrupted global aviation.

Thousands of flights were cancelled or diverted, with Eurocontrol estimating at least 1,800 affected in Europe alone.

Airlines including El Al, Air France, Lufthansa, Ryanair, and Qatar Airways suspended or rerouted operations.

Shares in major carriers fell, and oil prices surged amid fears of escalation.