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Smoke rises from Edwards Air Force Base after the crash of a US Air Force B-52 bomber aircraft in Edwards, California, US, June 15, 2026, in a still image from an ALERTCalifornia fire surveillance camera.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the agreement on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran, praising the State of Qatar's role in supporting the diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving this understanding.President Erdogan expressed his thanks in a post on X to the leadership of the US and Iran, as well as Pakistan, for their mediation efforts. He also expressed appreciation for the support provided by the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the diplomatic initiatives.He added that the MoU between the US and Iran represents an important development in consolidating peace and stability in the region, expressing his hope that it will contribute to creating lasting security and reassurance.'I would like to emphasize the importance of refraining from rhetoric, provocations and actions that could escalate tensions, and of remaining vigilant against possible acts of sabotage until the day the signatures are affixed,' he added.The Turkish President said, 'as Turkiye, we will continue to support all efforts aimed at establishing peace, stability and prosperity in our region, and contribute to lasting solutions based on diplomacy and international law.'
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement reached between the United States and Iran, which provides an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.In a statement released on Monday, his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said that Guterres called it a "critical step” towards peace in the Middle East.The UN Secretary-General said he hopes the parties will build on the momentum and "redouble their efforts” toward a final resolution.
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The UK, France, Germany, and Italy have welcomed the peace agreement reached between the United States and Iran.In a joint statement reported by the BBC on Monday, the leaders of the four countries affirmed their commitment to working intensively with the United States, Iran, and regional partners to seize this moment, maintain momentum, and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement. They expressed their readiness to lift sanctions imposed on Iran in response to clear and verifiable steps by Iran regarding its nuclear program."Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon," the statement emphasized, adding that the four countries are ready to work with the US, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure that goal is achieved.US President Donald Trump had previously announced the peace agreement with Iran.In this context, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that the agreement will be signed during an official ceremony next Friday in Switzerland. He added that, under the agreement, mediators will facilitate a series of meetings this week, noting that these discussions will pave the way for technical talks and the official signing ceremony.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the agreement reached today between the United States and Iran, stressing that it represents a very important step towards ending the war, ensuring regional stability, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.In a statement issued on Monday, Starmer praised the efforts of international mediators, foremost among them Pakistan and Qatar, as well as other parties who contributed to pushing the negotiations in this direction.The British Prime Minister stressed the need to focus on the full implementation of the memorandum of understanding to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and its continued full and permanent opening, as well as finalizing the details of the nuclear agreement."We stand ready to support the technical talks that will now begin. Our priority is that this becomes a durable and lasting peace, and we will work with international partners to support that," Starmer added.The statement continued, "we are clear that toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored in the Strait of Hormuz, to begin easing the severe economic impacts that have been felt for several months - on families here in the UK and around the world."He noted that Britain would continue to work with its partners to support this objective, "including, if required. through standing up the defensive, independent multilateral mission which the UK and France have taken a leading role in planning up to this point, particularly to offer support on mine clearance in an agreed way.""For any peace to endure, it is essential that the commitments made, particularly in relation to Iran’s nuclear program, are robust, verifiable and fully implemented. It remains the UK’s firm and longstanding position that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon," Starmer added.
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US President Donald Trump announced that a peace agreement has been reached with Iran.In a post on the Truth Social platform, the US president said, "The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all.""I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow," Trump added.
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Firefighters work on the site of an aircraft crash in Butler, Missouri, US, June 14, 2026, in this still image taken from a video. REUTERS Wreckage lies in a field next to Butler Memorial Airport
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Hungarian lawmakers Monday voted overwhelmingly to limit prime ministers' terms in office to a maximum of eight years, a constitutional change that blocks nationalist Viktor Orban's return.The amendment was a key campaign promise of pro-EU conservative Peter Magyar, who in April elections ousted Orban from office, promising sweeping reforms as part of a "regime change".Magyar argued the possibility of limitless tenure can lead to power concentration, pointing to his predecessor as an example, whom critics accused of constantly tweaking Hungary's political system to keep a tight grip on power.Orban's party opposed term limits, arguing that it could possibly restrict popular will.The amendment passed parliament with 135 votes for, 50 against, and six abstentions. Under Hungarian law, such a measure can be passed by a two-thirds supermajority without needing a referendum.Some countries around the globe impose term-limits on their top leaders, with such restrictions usually placed on presidents.The tenure of Hungary's president, whose role is largely ceremonial, is already limited: he can be reelected only once to a second five-year term.The adopted term limit does not completely rule out Orban's return to power, however, as it could be revoked in the future by another constitutional change.This is the 16th time Hungary's Basic Law has been changed since its adoption in 2011.The approved amendment also removed a provision stipulating the need for independent body to "safeguard" the country's "constitutional identity".This was done to prepare the ground for disbanding the Sovereignty Protection Office.The controversial agency, established under the previous government in 2024, was entrusted with broad investigative powers ostensibly to curb "foreign influence".But it mainly targeted Orban's critics, accusing independent media and NGOs like Transparency International of serving foreign interests for its scrutiny of the government.The agency has not released any official reports since Magyar won the election.Hungary's parliament is set to vote on a bill for the agency's dissolution at the end of June. Related Story
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EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas answers questions in an interview at the EU headquarters in Brussels on June 3, 2026. (AFP) The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said Monday there is no unanimity in the bloc to impose sanctions on far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir, despite pressure from several countries."Many member states have also proposed to sanction Minister Ben Gvir, but no consensus on that was reached today," Kallas said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.Calls to blacklist Ben Gvir grew after he published video last month of himself mocking bound activists seized by Israeli soldiers on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.France in response banned Ben Gvir from entering the country and called for the EU to impose bloc-wide sanctions.EU sanctions have to be signed off by all the 27 member states and staunch supporters of Israel had refused to go along with the push.Meanwhile, Kallas said that the EU would also look to lay out options for restricting trade with Israeli settlements after calls from some countries."On the issue of trade with illegal settlements, many member states called for proposals from the European Commission," she said.She said she would ask the EU's executive to prepare "a list of options for possible trade measures" ahead of a next meeting of EU foreign ministers in July.Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and since then settlement expansion has been a policy under successive Israeli governments.But it has accelerated significantly under the current coalition government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis now live in the West Bank in settlements that are illegal under international law, among some three mn Palestinians. Related Story
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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj in Rome, Monday. (Reuters) Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday she hopes a long delayed project to build a bridge across Italy's Strait of Messina will get off the ground soon and showcase bilateral co-operation, given the involvement of Japanese companies.The project to construct a 3.7-km (2.3-mile) bridge between the Sicilian city of Messina and mainland Italy is led by the Eurolink consortium, which includes Italy's largest construction group Webuild, Japan's IHI and Spain's Sacyr. But it has been held back for years by a number of problems, including criticism that a bridge could harm the environment and pose risks in an earthquake-prone area.In 2012, the project was halted under a government austerity drive, prompting the consortium to file a €700mn ($811mn) compensation claim that will only be withdrawn if work resumes."I sincerely hope that the construction project for the Messina Strait Bridge, in which Japanese companies are participating, will become a landmark project symbolising economic co-operation between our two countries," Takaichi said during a visit to Rome.She was speaking alongside Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after they held talks at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili ahead of a Group of Seven (G7) summit in France, which they will both attend."I also hope that Japan's expertise and experience will contribute to its early realisation," Takaichi added.Meloni's government argues that improved road and rail links are essential to boost economic growth in Italy's underdeveloped south. Sicily is currently connected to the mainland by ferries that carry vehicles and trains.However, work on the bridge — estimated at around €13.5bn — is unlikely to begin soon.Italy's Court of Auditors last year declined to approve the project, citing doubts about its compliance with European Union competition rules and noting that the original 2005 tender priced it at just 3.8bn euros.In addition, prosecutors in Rome last week said they had opened a corruption probe into the bridge, casting fresh doubts over government efforts to push the project forward. Related Story
