Israel-Iran tensions: Israel confirms airstrike on...

Iran's parliament approves proposal to close Strait of Hormuz

Iran's parliament has approved a proposal to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route between Iran and Oman through which about 20% of the world's oil passes each day.

According to Reuters, the final decision will be made by Iran's Supreme National Security Council. If implemented, this move is said to be able to seriously disrupt the global energy supply chain and trade.

Scene of devastation in Tel Aviv after Iran's attack. Photo: Reuters

Although the plan has not yet officially taken effect, Major General Esmail Kosari, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a member of parliament, confirmed that: "Closing the strait is on the agenda and will be carried out when necessary."

Citizens stranded in Iran may have to stay long term

The US State Department has issued a warning saying that US citizens who cannot leave Iran should “prepare to stay put for an extended period of time”, as Washington has no plans to organize the evacuation of its citizens from the country.

The update, issued on Sunday after the US launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, stressed that US citizens “should use all available means to leave Iran.”

The United States currently has no diplomatic representation in Iran , while the Swiss office assisting Americans in Tehran has also been closed until further notice. “The Department has opened an emergency information collection form for U.S. citizens in Iran. However, due to limited consular support, we do not anticipate implementing a plan to evacuate citizens using government resources,” the statement said.

Additionally, dual US-Iranian citizens are warned that they “must depart using an Iranian passport and should be prepared to face inspection and questioning before leaving.”

According to Tehran's regulations, the Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality and will consider US-Iranian citizens to be full Iranian citizens.

CNN cited an internal report from the US State Department saying that hundreds of Americans have left Iran in recent days as tensions with Israel escalated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Ready to negotiate directly with Iran “as early as tomorrow”

Amid escalating tensions following airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is ready to enter direct negotiations with Tehran "as early as tomorrow".

Speaking on Fox News on June 22, Mr. Rubio affirmed that the US does not object to Iran pursuing a civilian nuclear program, as long as it does not include uranium enrichment activities. "Our offer is still valid. We are ready to start negotiations tomorrow," the US Secretary of State said.

However, according to Mr. Rubio, Iran has repeatedly shown bad faith when rejecting the US proposal, not responding and "being silent for 10 days" before the airstrike campaign took place. He also criticized Tehran for continuously sending messages through intermediaries instead of direct dialogue. "They keep sending papers back and forth like elementary school students. We will not continue to do it that way," the US Secretary of State said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Photo: Getty Images

Iran faces a clear choice, he stressed: “If they just want nuclear power, there are dozens of countries that do it without enriching uranium themselves. Iran can do the same.”

“We want a peaceful solution, and that can only be achieved through direct negotiations,” Rubio concluded.

Democratic senator calls for vote on war powers

Senator Adam Schiff, a Democrat, criticized the airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump against Iran, saying the action violated the Constitution because it was not approved by Congress.

Speaking on a CNN program, Mr. Adam Schiff said that the use of force without a declaration from Congress is unconstitutional.

The chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, another senior member of the Democratic Party, also spoke out, affirming that the attacks were evidence of the President's "disdain for the law and the Constitution" "on many fronts."

Speaking on CNN, Schiff said Congress will soon vote on a War Powers Resolution, an effort to limit the president's authority to deploy troops without congressional approval.

In the coming days, both the House and Senate are expected to consider and vote on proposals to limit the president's war-making powers.

Israel confirms airstrike on Iranian port city of Bushehr

Israel has confirmed it carried out an airstrike on the Iranian city of Bushehr, after Iranian state media reported multiple explosions in the area on Sunday morning.

Bushehr is home to Iran's only operational nuclear power plant. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not mention targeting the nuclear power plant, but confirmed that it had struck missile launchers in Bushehr, as well as in Isfahan and Ahvaz.

The IDF also said it had for the first time struck a strategic facility in the city of Yazd, the site where more than 60 rockets were believed to have been fired into Israeli territory.

Ministerial contact group to be established

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said it would establish a ministerial-level contact group to maintain regular exchanges with regional and international parties, supporting efforts to de-escalate tensions and “end military actions against Iran”.

The announcement was made in a joint statement on Sunday, following a meeting of OIC foreign ministers in Istanbul, Türkiye. In the statement, the 57-member organization expressed “deep concern at the risk of serious escalation.”

The joint statement did not mention the US air strikes on Iran, but called on the international community to take measures to end military action.

Military expert: Iran may retaliate against the US with asymmetric tactics

Faced with serious damage to its military capabilities after a series of Israeli airstrikes, Iran is likely to choose asymmetric retaliation measures such as cyber attacks, according to military experts.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is certainly assessing what they have left,” said CNN national security expert David Sanger.

The IRGC is an elite force within the Iranian military, established after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and placed directly under the command of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“I think the IRGC will act cautiously, and will likely turn to non-traditional forms of retaliation such as cyberattacks, an area where the US is unlikely to deploy effective defenses,” Mr. Sanger added.

TRAN HOAI (synthesis)

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