"An entire civilization will die tonight, never to be revived. I don't want it to happen, but it probably will." This was US President Donald Trump 's shocking warning to Iran. Words widely described as "unacceptable" and even branded as such by Pope Leo XIV.

Meanwhile, the US and Israel have launched a new barrage of attacks in Iran, including civilian infrastructure. Local media reported explosions following attacks on Kharg Island (a key transit hub for ships carrying Iranian oil) and Khorramabad Airport, while two people were killed in a raid on a railway bridge in the city of Kashan . A bridge near the city of Qom , south of Tehran, was also hit.

The threats and new raids against infrastructure have, as mentioned, triggered strong international reactions. The European Union, through a spokesperson, stated that it "firmly rejects" any threat or attack "against essential civilian infrastructure," also to avoid "a further and dangerous escalation." The EU itself urges all parties to demonstrate "maximum restraint," to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to fully respect international law and international humanitarian law.

Live updates:

- Media: "Iran is positively evaluating Pakistan's request."

A senior Iranian official says Iran is positively considering Pakistan's request for a two-week ceasefire. Reuters reports this on its website.

- Palazzo Chigi: "Iranians cannot pay for the regime's sins."

Italy reiterates its firm and resolute condemnation of the Tehran regime's destabilizing conduct: from missile attacks threatening the security of Gulf nations, to repeated intimidation aimed at compromising freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for the global economy—to the systematic and brutal internal repression of its own people. However, it is essential to clearly distinguish between the responsibilities of a regime and the fate of millions of ordinary citizens. The Iranian civilian population cannot and must not pay the price for the sins of their leaders. This is stated in a statement from Palazzo Chigi, which explains that "the Italian government continues to closely monitor the evolution of the Middle East crisis and the risk of further military escalation that could involve the entire Iranian territory, without distinction between strategic, military, and civilian targets."

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Pakistani PM: "A two-week ceasefire is needed for agreement."

Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif called on all parties to the ongoing Middle East conflict to respect a "two-week ceasefire" to allow diplomacy to reach a definitive solution. Sharif asked Iranian authorities to open the Strait of Hormuz during the same period, "as a gesture of goodwill," and urged US President Donald Trump "to extend the deadline" for intervention in Iran by two weeks. The prime minister stated that diplomatic efforts for a peaceful resolution to the conflict are proceeding "steadily."

- UNIFIL: "UN soldier detained for an hour by the IDF, rights violated"

"Early in the evening, the Israel Defense Forces detained a UNIFIL peacekeeper after blocking a logistics convoy. Following direct and immediate contact by the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander and our Liaison Section, the peacekeeper was released within an hour." UNIFIL reported, emphasizing: "Any detention of a UN peacekeeper constitutes a clear violation of international law. We expect full respect for the protected status of UN peacekeepers by all actors and that all refrain from interfering in any way with their freedom of movement." According to reports, no Italian military personnel were involved.

Iran to the US: "We are ready for any scenario."

Iran is ready for "all scenarios" following Donald Trump's threat to annihilate Iranian civilization, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated. "National security and the sustainability of infrastructure are the subject of precise calculations. The government has defined in detail the necessary measures for all scenarios. No threat is beyond our preparedness and intelligence capabilities," Aref stated in a post on X.

- Pope Leo: "Threats to the people of Iran are unacceptable."

"Today, as we all know, there has been this threat against the entire people of Iran. This is truly unacceptable. There are certainly issues of international law at stake here, but much more. It is a moral issue for the good of the entire people. I would like to invite everyone to truly think in the hearts of so many innocent people, so many children, so many elderly people, totally innocent, who would also be victims of this escalation of a war that began days ago." The Pope said this at Castel Gandolfo, referring to Donald Trump's warning to Iran.

Iran at the UN: "Trump's words herald war crimes"

Iran's ambassador to the UN harshly criticized Donald Trump's threats against his country, after the US president warned that "an entire civilization will perish" if Tehran does not comply with his demands. "Trump has once again resorted to language that is not only profoundly irresponsible, but also profoundly alarming," Amir Saeid Iravani emphasized during the Security Council session, adding that the tycoon's comments "openly reveal his intention to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity."

- Trump: "An entire civilization will die tonight."

"An entire civilization will die tonight, never to be revived. I don't want it to happen, but it probably will," Donald Trump said on his social media platform, Truth.

- Iran: "No oil in the West for years."

"If Iran's red lines were crossed, the scale of the retaliatory response against the infrastructure of the United States and its allies would deprive them of oil and gas in the region for years." This is the stark warning from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, reported by the Iranian news agency Tasnim. The IRGC, the agency reports, urged the United States' regional partners to acknowledge that, "up to now, Iran has shown considerable restraint out of goodwill toward its neighbors and has taken various factors into account when selecting retaliatory targets, but all these considerations have now been set aside."

WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST: ALL THE NEWS

(Unioneonline)

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