Apartment building in Qom targeted as Israel strikes central Iran
The Israeli Air Force has started a series of strikes against missile storage and launching infrastructure sites in central Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced, amid reports of air defense activity in the central Iranian city of Qom.
An apartment building in Qom was hit by a projectile early Saturday, a video released by Iranian state media purportedly shows.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that Iran must show its willingness to join the platform of negotiations the West is proposing.
“It is essential to prioritize a return to substantive negotiations, which include nuclear — to move to zero enrichment — ballistic missiles, limiting Iran’s capacities, and financing terrorist groups that destabilize the region," he said.
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy also said after meeting his Iranian counterpart, “We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue its talks with the United States.”
Iran and the three European powers met in Geneva on Friday after US President Donald Trump set a two-week deadline to assess progress of talks.
According to European foreign ministers, talks with Iran are open on non-nuclear issues like ballistic missiles and will continue within a week.
American citizens are being detained and imprisoned in Iran, the Washington Post reported Friday citing a State Department cable, as hundreds of other US nationals left the country through land borders amid Israeli airstrikes.
"There are a small number of unconfirmed reports of Americans being detained and imprisoned," the report said, citing the cable.
US diplomats are following up on these reports, the cable said, acknowledging that many Americans are in harm's way as Donald Trump considers military action against Iran.
Many of the US citizens who were leaving Iran faced delays and harassment, the Washington Post reported, citing the cable.
There is no definitive count of how many US citizens remain in Iran. The State Department has said it is not offering US government-assisted departures from Iran. Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said on Friday, “Americans seeking to depart should take advantage of existing means to leave.”
Detentions and diplomatic strain persist
Since the beginning of the Iran-Israel conflict on June 13, foreign nationals have been advised to leave Iran and avoid travelling to the country.
The Islamic Republic has a long history of detaining and convicting foreign nationals, using them as leverage in negotiations with world powers.
US permanent resident Shahab Dalili is among those known to be imprisoned in Iran.
Iran and the US broke diplomatic ties following the 1979 hostage crisis involving US diplomats in Tehran, which lasted 444 days.
US warns citizens to leave Iran as land borders remain limited
The US Virtual Embassy in Tehran urged American citizens to leave Iran immediately, citing continued airspace closures and security risks amid hostilities with Israel, according to a security alert issued on their website.
The alert said land borders with Armenia and Turkey are open, while crossings into Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan require prior government approval. The embassy warned it cannot guarantee the safety of those attempting to exit by land and noted internet disruptions and limited consular support.
US citizens were advised to prepare for emergencies and avoid relying on the US government for evacuation assistance.
American citizens are being detained and imprisoned in Iran, the Washington Post reported Friday citing a State Department cable, as hundreds of other US nationals left the country through land borders amid Israeli airstrikes.
"There are a small number of unconfirmed reports of Americans being detained and imprisoned," the report said, citing the cable.
US diplomats are following up on these reports, the cable said, acknowledging that many Americans are in harm's way as Donald Trump considers military action against Iran.
Israeli airstrikes on Iran have killed at least 722 people and injured 2,546 over the past eight days, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said.
The toll includes 285 civilian deaths and 198 military personnel, while the status of 239 others remains unclear, according to the report.
The airstrikes have affected 25 of 31 Iranian provinces, the report said.
There are still no signs of instability within Iran's government a week into its conflict with Israel, the Jerusalem Post reported on Friday, citing three Israeli officials.
“There are currently no indications that the central government in Tehran is losing control — quite the opposite. The Iranian regime appears to be tightening its grip,” the officials were quoted as saying.
Dr. Raz Zimmt, director of the Iran Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, added: “Most Iranians are hostile to the regime and oppose it, but there is a sense of national solidarity at the moment. Right now, the people are focused on one thing: survival.”
