The White House on Monday defended the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling Iran an "imminent threat" and asserting that the attacks crippled Tehran’s ability to build a nuclear weapon.
Speaking to ABC News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Iran was an imminent threat, and President Trump is the first president with the guts to actually do something about it."
Leavitt said the US strikes had “taken away Iran’s ability to create a nuclear bomb.”
Three oil and chemical tankers have changed course and diverted away from the Strait of Hormuz, tracking data showed on Monday, as tensions mount following US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and fears of possible Iranian retaliation in the strategic waterway.
MarineTraffic data showed the Marie C and Red Ruby, both sailing in ballast and previously headed toward the Strait, had dropped anchor near Fujairah, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A third vessel, the Kohzan Maru, was navigating in the Gulf of Oman, close to Omani waters.
Japan's Nippon Yusen and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said on Monday they had issued guidance to their ships to minimize time spent in the Persian Gulf while maintaining operations through the Strait.
A map showing the Strait of Hormuz is seen in this illustration taken June 22, 2025.
Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, said on Monday that the Islamic Republic is nearing collapse.
“Today it is clearer than ever. The Islamic Republic is collapsing,” Pahlavi told reporters at a press conference in Paris. “The regime is on its last legs.”
He added that Iran’s military was increasingly divided amid growing unrest, and said that “the people are united” against the government. “The foundations of this 46-year tyranny are shaking,” he said.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran, attends a press conference about the situation in Iran and the need to support Iranians, in Paris, France, June 23, 2025.
Pahlavi also announced the launch of a secure communications platform aimed at members of Iran’s military, police, and security forces seeking to defect from the Islamic Republic.
“I am establishing a formal channel for military, security, and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation,” Pahlavi said.
“This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.”
He described the channel as part of an organized effort to support “patriotic members of our armed forces” and urged them to act.
“For those patriotic members of our armed forces, the time is now to join the nation,” he said. “If you do, I will make sure your service to Iran is not forgotten and is celebrated.”
Israel’s military has launched a series of strikes targeting what it described as key government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday.
According to a statement from the Office of the Minister of Defense, the airstrikes—conducted under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz—were aimed specifically at institutions linked to domestic political control and internal security.
“The IDF is now attacking with unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”
Among the targets struck were the headquarters of the Basij paramilitary force, Evin prison—used to detain political prisoners and dissidents—the internal security division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Islamic Republic's ideological command centers.
Also hit was the "Israel Destruction" clock in Palestine Square, a longstanding symbol of Tehran's hostility toward the Jewish state.
“For every shot fired at the Israeli home front, the Iranian dictator will be punished and the attacks will continue with full force,” added the statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in talks in Moscow that aggression against Iran was groundless.
"The absolutely unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis and no justification. For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people," Putin said in the meeting.
"I am very glad that you are in Moscow today, this will give us the opportunity to discuss all these pressing issues and think together about how we could get out of today's situation."
A view from the meeting between Araghchi and Putin
Araghchi thanked Putin for condemning US strikes on Iran, telling him Russia stood on "the right side of history".
“Consultations between Iran and Russia have always existed. On every issue, we have worked closely together, held discussions, and coordinated our positions... My trip had been planned in advance — to come here after Istanbul and meet with Mr. Putin to discuss the Israeli aggression and other regional threats — which, of course, have now also involved an American attack,” Araghchi said before meeting Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 23, 2025.
Israeli forces carried out a new wave of strikes on Monday targeting a range of military and security sites tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other state security agencies.
Among the locations hit were the Basij headquarters, the Seyyed al-Shohada base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Tharallah Base in Tehran, the IRGC unit in Alborz province, the Intelligence Protection Command of the IRGC, and the Intelligence Directorate of Iran’s national police, according to reports shared with Iran International
The Tharallah (Sarallah) Base, a central command unit tasked with managing major security incidents in the capital, was reportedly one of the main targets. It operates under the direct supervision of the IRGC’s top command and plays a key role in suppressing domestic unrest.
