TOP STORIES
Trump Criticizes Iran’s Continued Nuclear Enrichment Demands After Bibi Call | Jewish Insider
President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Iran’s continued demands on uranium enrichment as part of the terms of a nuclear deal with the United States. . . . “They [Iran] are good negotiators, but they’re tough. Sometimes they can be too tough, that’s the problem. So we’re trying to make a deal so that there’s no destruction and death. We told them that. I have told them that. I hope that is the way it works out. It might not work out,” Trump said. Asked what the main impediment to getting a deal with Iran is, Trump replied: “They’re just asking for things that you can’t do. They don’t want to give up what they have to give up, you know what that is. They seek enrichment, we can’t have enrichment. We want just the opposite. And so far, they’re not there. I hate to say that because the alternative is a very, very dire one, but they’re not there. They have given us their thoughts on the deal and I’ve said it’s just not acceptable.”
Iran to Present Counter-Proposal to US, Trump Says Talks to Resume | Reuters
Iran said on Monday it will soon hand a counter-proposal for a nuclear deal to the United States in response to a U.S. offer that Tehran deems “unacceptable,” while U.S. President Donald Trump said talks would continue. . . . Following Trump’s remarks, Baghaei said “based on recent consultations, the next round of Iran–U.S. indirect negotiations is being planned for next Sunday in Muscat,” according to the ministry’s Telegram channel. The U.S. official said the talks, led by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, could be on Friday or Sunday, possibly in Oman or Oslo.
Iran Seeks ‘Framework’ Deal in US Nuclear Talks, Official Says | Bloomberg
Iran will suggest a framework agreement in nuclear talks with the US, a senior official said, raising the prospect of an interim deal that could be followed by further negotiations. Tehran is working on a fresh proposal regarding its atomic activities ahead of a sixth round of talks with Washington in Oman on Sunday. That “can be used as a basis for work,” Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told state-run Islamic Republic News Agency in an interview on Tuesday. “We aren’t currently discussing a very long text because we don’t want to present a comprehensive and lengthy agreement or memorandum that would be difficult and time-consuming to prepare,” he said. “If we reach an agreement on this framework, more detailed discussions about its specifics will begin.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
As a 60-day deadline for an Iran deal expires Wednesday and negotiations with the Islamic Republic appear to be stuck, President Trump’s Monday phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu is raising speculation that options other than diplomacy are on the table. . . . America and three European powers are preparing a censure resolution that will include the “finding that Iran has violated its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,” the policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran, Jason Brodsky, tells the Sun. The resolution, Mr. Brodsky says, will likely allow Iran a small window of time to resolve the outstanding safeguard issues, after which the IAEA board will refer the file to the United Nations Security Council. By August, the council will likely pass a resolution to “snapback” the JCPOA, which will put back in place all previous global sanctions on Iran.
UANI Policy Director Jason Brodksy Discusses Iran | i24
IAEA raises flags over Iran's nuclear enrichment but says only diplomacy can stop Tehran 'The Islamic Republic believes that the credible military threat from the United States has waned... but President Trump is sticking to his red lines,' @JasonMBrodsky tells @natasharaquel_.
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY & NUCLEAR PROGRAM
IAEA Chief Relays Iran Warning Against Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Facilities | Reuters
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said Iranians warned him that an Israel strike on the country's nuclear facilities could cause Iran to be more determined about developing a nuclear weapon, according to an interview broadcast and published on Monday. “A strike could potentially have an amalgamating effect, solidifying Iran’s determinationI will say it plainly – to pursue a nuclear weapon or withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” Grossi said in the interview, published on the Jerusalem Post website and broadcast on i24NEWS TV on Monday.
Iran Warns of Firm Response Ahead of IAEA Board Resolution Push | Iran International
Iran said it will respond firmly to any politically motivated or unlawful action against its nuclear program, as Western powers push for a non-compliance resolution at the UN nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors meeting in Vienna. The draft resolution, backed by the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, follows a confidential report by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, circulated to member states late last month. The report raised concerns over undeclared nuclear activity at multiple Iranian sites and Iran’s continued accumulation of highly enriched uranium. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected both the IAEA report and the resolution as politically driven. “Any extralegal action against Iran’s national interests will be met with a strong and proportionate response,” he said in a radio interview aired by Iranian state media on Tuesday.
Trump Warns of Decision Time as Iran Prepares Nuclear Counter-Proposal | Agence France-Presse
President Donald Trump said Monday that new US-Iran talks this week could make clear if a nuclear deal is possible to avoid military action, as Tehran readies a counter-proposal on a potential agreement . . . Trump said the latest meeting with Iran was expected Thursday, although a source familiar with preparations said it would more likely be on Friday or Saturday.
Iran Obtaining IAEA Documents Is ‘Bad,’ Shows Poor Cooperation, Grossi Says | Reuters
Iran's acquisition of confidential U.N. nuclear watchdog documents is a ‘bad’ step that goes against the spirit of cooperation that should exist between the agency and Tehran, its chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday. The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report on Iran to member states on May 31 seen by Reuters that it had “conclusive evidence of highly confidential documents belonging to the Agency having been actively collected and analysed by Iran.”
SANCTIONS, SHIPPING, BUSINESS RISKS, & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
Iran Air Looks for Planes and Partners in Post-Sanctions Order | Bloomberg
Iran’s national airline is preparing for the day when it’s finally released from the US sanctions that have worn down its fleet and crimped access to other nations. With nuclear talks under way between Iran and the US, executives from Iran Air used the annual gathering of the International Air Transport Association in New Delhi last week to sound out potential airline partners and suppliers who were in attendance, according to people familiar with the matter.
MISSILE PROGRAM, RUSSIA, UKRAINE, & IRAN
Sharing a mutual disdain for what they perceive as American hegemony, Russia and Iran are leaning on each other more to fulfill their respective defense needs. From unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles to airframes and other munitions, the exchange of military systems between these two rogue allies is on the rise. Russia has been largely isolated from the international community for its Ukraine invasion, while Iran has been sanctioned for its nuclear-related pursuits, building up this co-reliant relationship. Last month, reports indicated that Tehran was gearing up to deliver its Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers to Moscow. While arms exchanges between the two nations have ramped up in recent years, this move signifies an even stronger partnership.
Russia to Construct Eight Nuclear Power Plants in Iran—IRNA | Jerusalem Post
Russia signed an agreement to construct eight nuclear power plants in Iran, including four in Bushehr, according to a report on Monday by Iran’s state media IRNA, which cited the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
PROTESTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Murder of Young Iranian Woman Reignites Debates on Sexism and Justice | Iran International
The murder of 24-year-old Elahe Hosseinnejad gripped Iran, sparking grief and anger over gender violence, legal discrimination and the state’s failure to protect women. Hosseinnejad, a nail technician from Eslamshahr, south of Tehran, vanished on May 25 after leaving work to care for her younger brother. Her disappearance quickly drew attention after her family raised the alarm on social media, prompting thousands to share her photo in hopes of locating her. Instagram posts by Hosseinnejad show a determined young woman supporting her family, expressing sympathy for executed protesters and backing the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. On June 5, police arrested a man in his early 30s in connection with her death. Authorities said he operated an unlicensed taxi and had a criminal record.
Iran Polices Hijab with Cameras but Fails to Protect Women from Murder | IranWire
[Elaheh Hosseinnajad’s] murder has sparked anger across the country and highlighted serious issues in Iranian society, such as rising crime linked to the economy and the failure of security cameras that quickly track protesters but didn't record her kidnapping. She has become a powerful symbol beyond Tehran’s suburbs, representing the risks Iranian women face in a country where poverty, violence, and neglect jeopardize their safety.
Iranian-American Journalist Begins Hunger Strike in Iran Prison | IranWire
An Iranian-American journalist imprisoned in Iran began a hunger strike on Saturday to protest authorities’ refusal to return his identification documents. Reza Valizadeh started the hunger strike after security officials refused to hand over his personal belongings, including his birth certificate, despite a final court ruling. . . . Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 and returned to Iran in March 2023 to visit his family after living abroad. He was arrested in October 2023. . . . After his arrest, two compressed court sessions presided over by Judge Iman Afshari sentenced him to 10 years in prison, prohibition from residing in Tehran and neighboring provinces, a travel ban, and two years of deprivation from membership in political and social parties and groups. He was charged with “cooperation with the hostile government of America.”
Iranian Security Forces Raid Four Baha’i Homes in Yazd | IranWire
Intelligence agents of the Islamic Republic raided the homes of four Baha'i citizens in the central city of Yazd, forcibly entering by breaking locks and confiscating religious materials and personal belongings. According to reports, male and female agents broke the entrance locks of the homes of Saman Zaer and Nosrat Mohammadi around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. The masked security agents conducted the raids without presenting warrants. . . . Baha’is in Iran have long faced persecution for their religious beliefs and are frequently accused of espionage or acting against the state.
Iran Amputates Hands of Two Thieves in Isfahan | Iran International
Iran has carried out amputation sentences on two people convicted of theft in Isfahan Central Prison, the head of the Isfahan Justice Department announced on Tuesday. . . . At least 237 individuals in Iran were sentenced to amputation between 1 January 2000 and 24 September 2020, with at least 129 of those sentences carried out, according to Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office.
U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS
Inside the MAGA vs. Hawk Battle to Sway Trump on Bombing Iran | Politico
An influential group of GOP hawks has launched a behind-the-scenes lobbying offensive pressing President Donald Trump to not only back off his administration’s quest for a nuclear deal with Iran, but greenlight an attack on Tehran by Israel. The campaign is raising alarms among Trump and his allies, who have launched a counteroffensive to keep the president’s diplomacy on track.
Trump Discussed Gaza, Iran Goals at Camp David Strategy Session | Axios
President Trump and his entire top foreign policy team huddled in Camp David for hours on Sunday to discuss U.S. strategy on the Iran nuclear crisis and the war in Gaza, two U.S. officials and another source with knowledge tell Axios.
MILITARY/INTELLIGENCE MATTERS & PROXY WARS
Iran Warns of Retaliation Against Israeli Nuclear Sites If Attacked | Iran International
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a warning on Monday that any Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities will be met with a direct response targeting Israel’s concealed nuclear infrastructure.
IRANIAN INTERNAL DEVELOPMENTS
‘Dog Walking Is a Clear Crime’: Iran’s Latest Morality Push | New York Times
When Iran banned dog walking in 2019, few dog owners were all that worried about the order. But after years of lax enforcement, officials in recent days have pledged to crack down, according to the state news media. Prosecutors in at least 20 cities cited public health risks and threats to public safety in announcing the heightened enforcement of the bans, which include both dog walking and driving with dogs. “Dog walking is a clear crime,” Mohammad Hossein Doroudi, the prosecutor in Mashhad, told reporters on Monday as he announced that city’s plan, according to IRNA, a state-owned news outlet.
Iranians Are Accused of Waste While Struggling with Shortages | Iran International
People in Iran are often accused of contributing to the country’s economic woes through wasteful habits—not just by officials, but by one another. But how much truth is there to these claims? . . . The figures don’t lie: Iranians are not consuming too much—they’re getting by with less.
Contrary to the official line—and even public opinion—excess is not a national trait. It’s an alien concept to the majority chasing the basics.
Iran said Tuesday it executed nine militants of the Islamic State group detained after a 2018 attack. The Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news agency announced the executions Tuesday, saying that the death sentences had been upheld by the country’s top court. It described the militants as being detained after they were in a clash in the country’s western region with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, in which three troops and several Islamic State group fighters were killed. Authorities said they had seized a cache of combat weapons, including a machine gun and 50 grenades, after surrounding the militants’ hideout in the country’s west.
CONGRESS & IRAN
Cautious Democrats Seek Iran Talks Success but Question Backroom Approach | Iran International
Democratic lawmakers on the sidelines of the Trump administration’s high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran largely hope for their success but lament being cut out of a process playing out behind closed doors.
ISRAEL & IRAN
US President Donald Trump says his conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today went “very well” and covered a variety of issues, including the ongoing Iran nuclear talks. . . . Asked about the still-stuck hostage talks between Israel and Hamas, Trump says they are ongoing “and Iran actually is involved.” He does not elaborate as to what he means. Iran to date has not been involved in the Gaza ceasefire talks.
Israeli Teenager Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for Iran | Jerusalem Post
A 13-year-old boy from Tel Aviv was arrested by the Tel Aviv District Police and Shin Bet for allegedly carrying out tasks on behalf of Iran. The teenager was said to have admitted during interrogation that Iranian operatives contacted him on Telegram and offered him money for a small number of tasks.
SOUTH KOREA & IRAN
South Korean Lawyers Reject Any Settlement in Iranian Athletes’ Rape Case | Iran International
Lawyers of a South Korean woman allegedly raped by Iranian athletes during the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships say Seoul has full jurisdiction over the case, which may lead to life sentences under domestic sexual violence laws, rejecting any external pressure for a settlement.