United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on Iranians to evacuate Tehran, placing blame on their government for rejecting a proposed nuclear deal.
His statement came as hostilities between Iran and Israel extended into a fifth consecutive day, marked by mutual airstrikes and mounting civilian casualties.
At the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, global leaders issued a joint plea for de-escalation, describing the situation as the most severe confrontation between the two nations to date.
The G7 also emphasized Israel’s right to self-defense and reiterated their position that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
French President Emmanuel Macron disclosed that Trump, who left the summit early due to the unfolding crisis, had presented a proposal to both Iran and Israel aimed at ending the conflict.
“There is an offer that has been made, especially to have a ceasefire and to initiate broader discussions. And I think this is a very good thing,” Macron said. “So now we need to see what the stakeholders will do.”
Trump has continued to express a hardline stance against Iran’s nuclear development. On Monday, he posted on his Truth Social platform, “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Axios reported that the White House is considering diplomatic avenues this week, possibly involving a meeting between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Reuters, however, noted it could not independently verify these discussions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking on Fox News, confirmed that Trump remains committed to negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran and assured that the United States would continue protecting its assets in the region.
On Tuesday, Iranian media reported multiple explosions and the deployment of air defense systems across Tehran, particularly in the eastern districts. Similar defensive actions were reported in Natanz, a key site in Iran’s nuclear program, located about 320 kilometers away, according to the Asriran website.
The previous evening, Israel claimed responsibility for a strike on Iran’s state broadcasting agency. Footage from the incident showed a news anchor abandoning her desk as an explosion disrupted a live broadcast. Iranian outlets reported two deaths resulting from the attack.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight, though no direct hits were reported.
Iranian officials said 224 people, mostly civilians, have died since the conflict began. Israel, for its part, reported 24 civilian fatalities and said around 3,000 Israelis have been displaced due to Iranian strikes, according to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Reuters sources indicated that Iran has approached Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia to urge them to convince Trump to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would reportedly consider more flexibility in nuclear negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X, “If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential. Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue.”
Iran has consistently maintained that it does not seek nuclear weapons, asserting its right to peaceful nuclear energy under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In contrast, Israel—widely believed to possess a nuclear arsenal—is not a signatory to the treaty and neither confirms nor denies its nuclear capabilities.
Global oil markets reacted to Trump’s warning, with prices climbing more than 2% in early Asian trading Tuesday, rebounding from earlier losses amid reports of Iran signaling interest in ending hostilities.
Amid rising security concerns and Israeli airspace closures, the Chinese embassy in Israel advised its citizens to leave the country immediately via land border routes.
The conflict escalated significantly on Monday as Israeli forces targeted Iranian nuclear sites and media outlets. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC that Iran’s Natanz facility had sustained severe damage, potentially destroying 15,000 centrifuges, though the Fordow site appeared mostly intact.
Originally scheduled nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. were canceled. Oman was set to host the dialogue on June 15, but Iran cited continuing military attacks as an obstacle to diplomacy.
The conflict began with a surprise Israeli offensive that reportedly decimated much of Iran’s senior military leadership and top nuclear scientists. Israel has since claimed aerial dominance over Iranian skies and signaled its intention to intensify operations further.
Trump has reiterated that the conflict could be resolved quickly if Iran concedes to U.S. demands on limiting its nuclear program.
