عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Netanyahu Rebuffs IAEA Chief’s Remarks against Possible Attack on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem , 05 March 2023. (EPA)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem , 05 March 2023. (EPA)
TT
20
TT

Netanyahu Rebuffs IAEA Chief’s Remarks against Possible Attack on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem , 05 March 2023. (EPA)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem , 05 March 2023. (EPA)

Israel rebuffed as "unworthy" on Sunday comments by the UN nuclear watchdog chief that any Israeli or US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would be illegal.

Having visited Tehran in a bid to loosen deadlocked talks on renewing its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, International Atomic Energy Agency chairman Raphael Grossi on Saturday said "any military attack on nuclear facilities is outlawed".

He was responding to a reporter's question about threats by Israel and the United States to attack Iran's nuclear facilities if they deem diplomacy meant to deny it the bomb to be at a dead end. Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful.

"Rafael Grossi is a worthy person who made an unworthy remark," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in televised remarks on Sunday.

"Outside what law? Is it permissible for Iran, which openly calls for our destruction, to organize the tools of slaughter for our destruction? Are we forbidden from defending ourselves? We are obviously permitted to do this."

The IAEA said on Saturday Grossi had received sweeping assurances from Iran that it will assist a long-stalled investigation into uranium particles found at undeclared sites and re-install removed monitoring equipment.

Most Viewed

 
World

Typhoon Podul Slams Into Southern Taiwan, Hundreds of Flights Cancelled 

This picture taken and released by Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) on August 13, 2025 shows waves generated by Typhoon Podul breaking along the coast in Taitung. (AFP)
This picture taken and released by Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) on August 13, 2025 shows waves generated by Typhoon Podul breaking along the coast in Taitung. (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Typhoon Podul Slams Into Southern Taiwan, Hundreds of Flights Cancelled 

This picture taken and released by Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) on August 13, 2025 shows waves generated by Typhoon Podul breaking along the coast in Taitung. (AFP)
This picture taken and released by Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) on August 13, 2025 shows waves generated by Typhoon Podul breaking along the coast in Taitung. (AFP)

Typhoon Podul hit Taiwan's sparsely populated southeast coast on Wednesday packing winds of up to 191 kph (118 mph), as a large swathe of southern and eastern parts of the island shut down and hundreds of flights were cancelled.

Taiwan is regularly hit by typhoons, generally along its mountainous east coast facing the Pacific.

Podul slammed into the southeastern city of Taitung around 1 p.m. (0500GMT), Taiwan's Central Weather Administration said.

"Destructive winds from typhoon expected. Take shelter ASAP," read a text message alert issued to cellphone users in parts of Taitung early on Wednesday. The alert warned people of gusts above 150 kph (93 mph) in the coming hours.

Nine cities and counties announced the suspension of work and school for Wednesday, including the southern metropolises of Kaohsiung and Tainan. In the capital Taipei, home to Taiwan's financial markets, there were blustery winds but no impact.

Authorities are also working to evacuate those whose homes were damaged by a July typhoon that brought record winds and damaged the electricity grid in a rare direct hit to Taiwan's west coast.

The government said more than 5,500 people had been evacuated ahead of the typhoon's arrival.

All domestic flights were cancelled on Wednesday - 252 in total - while 129 international ones were axed too, the transport ministry said.

Taiwan's two main international carriers China Airlines and EVA Air said their cancellations were focused on routes out of Kaohsiung, with some flights from the island's main international airport at Taoyuan stopped as well.

After making landfall, the storm is expected to hit Taiwan's much more densely populated western coast before heading for China's southern province of Fujian later this week.

As much as 600 mm (24 inches) of rain was forecast in southern mountainous areas over the next few days, the Central Weather Administration said.

More than a year's rainfall fell in a single week this month in some southern areas, unleashing widespread landslides and flooding, with four deaths.