from the News Desk at The Cradle, Published on Popular Resistance, June 23, 2025
This report is nearly a week old, published the day after (written the day before) the United States bombed 3 nuclear sites in Iran, calling an end to the war between Israel and Iran, at least for the time being. It is a critical snap shot of events at a critical moment.
Israel is signaling an interest in concluding its war with Iran in the near future, according to Israeli and Arab officials who spoke with the Wall Street Journal. The effort comes after US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and another wave of Iranian missiles targeting Israel.
Israeli officials said they believe the current military phase is nearing its conclusion and expect to finish striking the remaining targets in Iran within days. The goal, officials added, is to pressure Iran back to the negotiating table and secure a commitment to permanently abandon its nuclear program.
On Monday, Iran conducted the 21st wave of missile and drone attacks on Israel, inflicting heavy damage in multiple cities.
Tehran has used advanced missiles in the attacks as well as special tactics to render Israel’s air defense ineffective, Iranian media reported.
Earlier on Monday, Iran’s army announced that it had launched tens of kamikaze drones equipped with warheads towards Israel.
VIDEO | IRGC publishes footage of its launches towards Israeli targets this morning, Sunday, 22 June. pic.twitter.com/ZOXpQAO8Vi
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) June 22, 2025
Another Israeli official added that Tel Aviv reserves the right to act militarily again if Iran attempts to revive its nuclear ambitions.
Iran has the right under international law to enrich uranium for a peaceful nuclear program as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
On Monday, the Israeli Air Force allegedly carried out a major attack on Tehran. Among the targets were IRGC camps, command centers, as well as Evin Prison.
Israel also launched fresh strikes on Fordow while assessments continue at Natanz and Isfahan. According to Israeli intelligence, the Natanz nuclear site has been completely destroyed, with dozens of IRGC personnel reportedly killed in the strikes.
Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions have escalated beyond the battlefield. Iran’s parliament has reportedly backed a plan to close the Strait of Hormuz, though the final decision lies with the Supreme National Security Council.
The move – if carried out – would disrupt roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply and risk triggering global economic shockwaves.
🚨Senator Marco Rubio urges the #CCP to call Iran about its move to close the Strait of Hormuz—an escalation that would rattle global markets.
He also confirmed reports that Chinese jets recently spotted in Iran were solely there to extract Chinese nationals—exactly as NFSC… pic.twitter.com/6tyn8ZdIe7
— NFSC Red Leaf Canada (@hli953777191713) June 23, 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to use its influence to prevent Tehran from taking such an action. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that,” Rubio said in a Fox News interview. “If they close the Straits, it will be economic suicide for them … it would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours.” If Iran does close the strait, “We have responses that are devastating,” he added.
China, Iran’s largest oil customer, would be significantly affected by such a closure. Energy analyst Vandana Hari warned that Iran has “little to gain and too much to lose” from closing the Strait. “Iran risks turning its oil and gas producing neighbors in the Gulf into enemies and invoking the ire of its key market, China,” she told BBC.
Putin tells Iranian FM ‘no justification’ for US-Israeli war, offers support for Tehran
Russia, China, and Pakistan have submitted a draft UNSC resolution for an ‘immediate and unconditional’ ceasefire in Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on 23 June that the US-Israeli war on Iran has “no justification,” one day after Washington’s attack on Iranian nuclear sites.
“This is an absolutely unprovoked act of aggression against Iran; it has no basis or justification. Our position on the current events is well known. It has been clearly articulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of Russia,” Putin stated.
“For our part, we are making efforts to help the Iranian people,” he added. The president said Araghchi’s visit to Russia “will allow us to discuss and consider how to get out of the current situation in the [region].”
During the meeting, Araghchi said that “Tehran considers the actions of the US and Israel against Iran illegitimate,” adding that “defending the Islamic Republic is legitimate.”
“We also wanted to thank Russia for its strong condemnation of these actions. Russia stands today on the side of history and international law, and the Iranian Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) and the Iranian President Mr. (Masoud) Pezeshkian asked me to convey their best wishes to you, and I hope that today we can discuss all issues related to this event,” he added.
According to an Arab diplomatic source cited by Al Jadeed, Putin is hoping to persuade Washington to back a UNSC resolution for a ceasefire, which would help him convince Iran “to refrain from responding to the US strike,” “return to the negotiating table,” and “agree to transfer the high-grade uranium enrichment to Russian territory.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Moscow has offered to mediate and that any additional assistance would “depend on what Iran needs.”
The meeting between Putin and Araghchi came one day after a session at the UN Security Council (UNSC), initiated at the request of Iran.
During the UNSC session, Russia, China, and Pakistan submitted a draft resolution calling for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” and condemning “attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iran.”
Russia and China strongly condemned the US attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which took place hours before the UNSC session.
US “credibility” was “damaged both as a country and as a participant in any international negotiations,” China’s UN ambassador Fu Cong stated.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US marks a perilous turn.”
Iran’s UN representative Saeed Iravani said Tehran “reserves its legitimate right to defend itself and respond” to Washington’s attack on the Fordow nuclear site and others in Iran.
Russia, China, and Pakistan have requested that UNSC members share their comments by Monday evening. A resolution requires a minimum of nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, France, Britain, Russia, or China in order to pass.
*Featured Image: Credit ~Reuters