PINNED
3 months agoAs we wrap up our live coverage, here's where things stand
- For the second day in a row, Iran has vowed to defend its people, territory, and sovereignty by "all means necessary"following the historic US strikes on three of its key nuclear facilities.
- The country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a warning, declaring the US must "receive a response" to the attack and that it had waged a war under "an absurd pretext".
- Iran's allies around the world also called for a "united front against aggression".
- Further details about how the US bombings played out have come to light. It is now known that American stealth bombers struck their targets in a highly coordinated surprise raid in an operation code-named Midnight Hammer.
- The Australian government backed the US attacks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying Iran "cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon". There is no expectation that Australian troops will become involved, with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong saying the US had not asked for help.
- Members of US President Donald Trump's government have said America's strikes on Iran were not aimed at instigating a regime change, only at dismantling its nuclear capabilities; however, on social media, Trump indicated pushing for regime change was not out of the question.
- The UN Security Council met to discuss the strikes on Iran, with Russia, China, and Pakistan proposing that the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.
- In an emergency gathering on Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that the US attack had likely caused "very significant" damage to the underground areas of the Fordow uranium enrichment plant.
- Iran's foreign minister travelled to Russia to speak directly with President Vladimir Putin. Formal talks are set to take place overnight (AEST).
- Throughout the day, both Iran and Israel continued to trade strikes, with a clear picture of the full extent of the fighting not yet known.
