Iran is prepared to persist in its fight as long as necessary, according to Saeed Khatibzadeh, the deputy minister for foreign affairs in education and research.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Khatibzadeh expressed Iran’s firm stance against Israel’s “outrageous, reckless, and rogue actions,” underscoring the nation’s determination to respond to what it sees as unjust and unprovoked Israeli attacks that started on June 13.
“We will keep fighting,” he stated, drawing a comparison to the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war to emphasize Iran’s willingness to continue its defense. “We are prepared to go to the end,” Khatibzadeh added.
Israel’s military has confirmed it carried out an operation targeting the access routes to Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, which had been struck by the US the previous day.
According to a statement released by Israel’s armed forces, the strike aimed to “disrupt access routes” to the facility, located 30 km northeast of Qom in northwestern Iran.
The Israeli Army Radio later cited an unnamed security source who clarified that the army targeted an “access road” leading to Fordow, rather than the facility itself.
Lee Jae-myung warns of global economic risks
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has raised alarms about the escalating situation in the Middle East, following the recent Israel-US strikes on Iran.
He expressed concerns over the economic consequences, particularly the potential for rising oil prices to fuel inflation, which could negatively impact the livelihoods of South Koreans.
‘Bullseye’
Iran said on Monday that the United States’ attack on its nuclear sites expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces after US President Donald Trump hinted at a regime change in Tehran.
Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, said the US should expect heavy consequences for its actions.
“Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,” said Zolfaqari at the end of a recorded video statement.
Iran and Israel traded air and missile strikes as the world braced for Tehran’s response to the US attack on its nuclear sites over the weekend, which Trump suggested could lead to the overthrow of the Iranian government.
Commercial satellite imagery indicated Saturday’s attack on Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant far underground had severely damaged or destroyed the site and the uranium-enriching centrifuges it housed, but its status remained unconfirmed, experts said.
In his latest social media comments on the US strikes, Trump said: “Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran.”
“The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Earlier, he wrote, “It’s not politically correct to use the term ‘regime change,’ but if the current Iranian regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change??? MIGA!!!”
His comments contradicted assurances from members of his administration with US Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth both publicly stating that Washington is not pursuing the overthrow of the Iranian government.
‘Operation Midnight’
Entering the war early Sunday, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan — using the US Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bombers.
The US launched 75 precision-guided munitions including bunker-buster bombs and more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles against three Iranian nuclear sites, the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, told reporters.
Iran condemned the attack and responded with a barrage of missiles aimed at Israeli targets, injuring civilians and causing significant destruction in Tel Aviv.
Read: Iran vows self-defence with ‘all force’ after US strikes three nuclear installations
Tehran, which insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, claimed that most of its enriched uranium had been relocated before the strikes. The claim, made by an unnamed Iranian official, could not be independently verified.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported no rise in off-site radiation levels following the airstrikes. Director General Rafael Grossi told CNN that a full assessment of the damage, particularly underground, was still underway.
Trump’s remarks came amid growing international calls for restraint and a return to diplomacy. His suggestion of regime change signalled a potentially more confrontational stance in US policy toward Iran.
Iran’s vow to defend itself has heightened concerns of a wider regional conflict. Analysts warn that continued military exchanges could escalate into a broader confrontation involving global powers.
Israeli attacks on airports
The Israeli military has confirmed it launched airstrikes targeting at least six airports across western, eastern, and central Iran, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
In a statement shared on its official Hebrew X (formerly Twitter) account, Israel said it used remotely-operated aircraft to destroy 15 Iranian planes and helicopters.
The strikes reportedly damaged runways, underground shelters, a refuelling aircraft, and several military aircraft, including F-14s, F-5s, and AH-1 helicopters.
Israel claimed the attacks disrupted Iran’s ability to launch aircraft from these airbases and weakened the operational capabilities of its air force.
Missile sirens across Israel
The Israeli military has detected new missile launches from Iran, prompting the activation of air raid sirens across central and southern Israel, Israeli media reported.
According to The Times of Israel, sirens in Jerusalem caused lawmakers at the Knesset to quickly seek shelter.
Read More: What to know about bunker bombs, US strike on Iran’s Fordow
These alerts followed shortly after similar warnings were sounded in northern Israel due to another wave of Iranian missile attacks.
Yemen officially joins war
Yemen has announced its entry into the ongoing conflict following US airstrikes on Iran.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, declared the move in a statement on his personal social media account: “Yemen is officially entering the war (against the United States and Israel). Keep your ships away from our territorial waters”.
Protest in Iran
Residents of Qom assembled at the holy shrine of Hazrat Masumeh (SA) to condemn Israeli and American attacks on their country.
Source: AFP
Anti-war protests erupt across US
After the US strikes on Iran, protests against Washington entering the war broke out in several cities across the country.
A protestor holds a sign at Lafayette Square outside The White House in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Pope Leo calls for peace
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV issued an urgent plea for peace in the Middle East, warning that recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran’s missile retaliation against Israeli cities risk triggering uncontrollable escalation.
Addressing the faithful from the Apostolic Palace following the Angelus prayer, the pontiff described the situation as “alarming” and “dramatic.” He expressed concern that the suffering of civilians, especially in Gaza and other conflict zones, might be overlooked amid ongoing violence.
Also Read: World reacts to US bombing of Iran
“We must halt the tragedy of war before it descends into an irreparable abyss,” he said, according to a Vatican statement.
The Pope emphasised that humanity is crying out for peace and that this call must be met with “responsibility and reason,” rather than drowned out by “the noise of weapons and rhetoric that fuel conflict.”
ICAN condemns US attack
The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) also denounced the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities as illegal.
In a statement on Sunday, ICAN called on the United States to stop its “illegal” military actions against Iran and to return to diplomatic negotiations.
Quoting ICAN Executive Director Melissa Parke, the statement said the US’s involvement alongside Israel in attacking Iran violates international law.
Parke argued that military action is not the solution to concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme. She pointed out that US intelligence agencies have assessed Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, making the strikes senseless and dangerous, potentially undermining global non-proliferation efforts.
