Tehran: Israel reportedly launched a missile attack on Iran. According to various media reports, sounds of multiple explosions had been heard in Tehran. Majid Akhavan, spokesman for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization, according to an Aljazeera report has announced in an interview with the Mehr news agency that “the entire country’s airspace has been closed until further notice”.
The report cited an anonymous US official claiming that the United States took part in the strikes. This comes at a time when a critical round of indirect nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran, mediated by Oman, concluded on Thursday in Geneva without a formal deal. The launch comes hours after US President Donald Trump said he was “not happy” with Iran, according to reports.
Oman’s foreign minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi described the talks as having achieved “significant progress in the negotiation” and said discussions will resume after consultations in Washington and Tehran, with technical-level meetings scheduled in Vienna next week.
The indirect negotiations — one of the most intensive rounds between the long-time adversaries — focused primarily on constraints to Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for relief from US sanctions and broader security assurances. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi led Tehran’s delegation in Geneva, while the US team was headed by special envoys including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Iran continues to insist on its right to a civilian nuclear programme, including limited uranium enrichment, and seeks the lifting of punitive US sanctions.
The US has pressed for more extensive cuts to Tehran’s nuclear activities, as well as broader constraints on missile development and Iran’s regional influence.
Analysts say that while the Geneva round showed indications of engagement on both sides, fundamental gaps over nuclear rights and sanctions relief mean a breakthrough remains uncertain. The upcoming technical discussions in Vienna will be closely watched, opined analysts.
