White House Reiterates Trump's Warning to Iran

In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony meeting a group of officials as President Masoud Pezeshkian listens, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony meeting a group of officials as President Masoud Pezeshkian listens, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
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White House Reiterates Trump's Warning to Iran

In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony meeting a group of officials as President Masoud Pezeshkian listens, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
In this photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei speaks in a ceremony meeting a group of officials as President Masoud Pezeshkian listens, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

The White House, responding to Iran's rejection of President Donald Trump's call to negotiate a nuclear agreement, on Saturday reiterated Trump's assertion that Tehran can be dealt with either militarily or by making a deal.
"We hope the Iran Regime puts its people and best interests ahead of terror," White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said in a statement, after Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, said Tehran will not be bullied into negotiations.

"The insistence of some bullying governments on negotiations is not to resolve issues. ... Talks for them is a pathway to have new demands, it is not only about Iran's nuclear issue. ... Iran will definitely not accept their expectations," Khamenei was quoted as saying, without directly mentioning Trump.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi has said that time is running out for diplomacy to impose new restrictions on Iran's activities, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade.



Protest Against Gaza War Prevents Israeli Visitors from Touring Greek Island

Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
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Protest Against Gaza War Prevents Israeli Visitors from Touring Greek Island

Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)
Two empty chairs stand on a beach as people cool off during a heat wave, near Athens, Greece, 22 July 2025. (EPA)

A cruise ship carrying Israeli tourists left the Greek island of Syros Tuesday without its passengers disembarking, after more than 150 protesters demonstrated at the island’s port, unfurling Palestinian flags and calling for an end to the war in Gaza.

Carrying banners that read: “Stop the Genocide” and “No a/c in hell” — a reference to the conditions Palestinians face in the Gaza Strip — the protesters chanted slogans on the dock near where the cruise ship, the Crown Iris, was docked on Tuesday, local media said. There were no reports of any violence.

The ship is operated by an Israeli company, Mano Cruise, which said about 1,700 passengers were on board and it is sailing to Cyprus.

Greece’s coast guard said the ship set sail at around 3 p.m., earlier than originally scheduled, but did not immediately have any further details.

“The management of Mano Cruise has decided in light of the situation in the city of Syros to now sail to another tourist destination,” the company said in a press release. “All passengers and crew members are resting and spending time on the ship on their way to the new destination.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar contacted his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, over the incident, the Greek foreign ministry confirmed. It did not release any details of their discussion.