Iran's Military Holds Drills on Its Southern Coast

Iran regularly holds such drills and says they assess the troops’ combat readiness and demonstrate the nation’s military capabilities. (AFP)
Iran regularly holds such drills and says they assess the troops’ combat readiness and demonstrate the nation’s military capabilities. (AFP)
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Iran's Military Holds Drills on Its Southern Coast

Iran regularly holds such drills and says they assess the troops’ combat readiness and demonstrate the nation’s military capabilities. (AFP)
Iran regularly holds such drills and says they assess the troops’ combat readiness and demonstrate the nation’s military capabilities. (AFP)

Iran's military launched an annual exercise on its southern coast on Sunday, Iranian state television reported, a few weeks before resumption of talks between Tehran and world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal.

The exercise covers an area from the eastern parts of the Strait of Hormuz to the northern parts of the Indian Ocean and parts of the Red Sea, state television reported.

Periodic confrontations have taken place between Iran’s military and US forces in the Gulf since 2018, when former US President Donald Trump exited the nuclear pact and
reimposed harsh sanctions against Tehran.

Iran has reacted by breaching the deal's limits on its nuclear program.

Last week, Iran claimed that it had thwarted an attempt by the US Navy to seize a tanker in the Sea of Oman carrying its oil, and that the vessel was back in Iranian waters.

The Pentagon denied these claims, describing them as "completely false, untrue... and ridiculous."



European Leaders Push for De-Escalation Between Israel and Iran 

Police stand next to a crater at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. (Reuters)
Police stand next to a crater at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. (Reuters)
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European Leaders Push for De-Escalation Between Israel and Iran 

Police stand next to a crater at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. (Reuters)
Police stand next to a crater at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Herzliya, Israel, June 17, 2025. (Reuters)

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday night and then in the ensuing hours with the Iranian, British and German foreign ministers about the situation in the Middle East.

The French, British and German ministers passed on joint messages to the Iranian foreign minister about the need for a de-escalation and a return to diplomacy, according to a French diplomatic official.

They urged Iran to return to negotiations as soon as possible, without conditions, the official said.

They urged Iran to avoid any threats to Western interests, any extension of hostilities elsewhere in the region and any nuclear escalation including leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty, stopping cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or pursuing further enrichment, the official said.

The ministers also passed along messages to Israel on the need to not target Iranian authorities, infrastructure and the civilian population, the official said.

The official was not authorized to be publicly named in accordance with Foreign Ministry policy.