Daily World Briefing, June 19

2 Iranian centrifuge facilities attacked: IAEA

Two centrifuge production facilities in Iran, the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center, have been struck, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday.

Both sites were previously under the monitoring and verification regime of the IAEA as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the agency said in a post on the social media platform X.

At the Tehran site, one building was hit while at the other site, two buildings were destroyed.

On Friday, the IAEA called for an end to attacks on nuclear facilities. "Nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said at the Board of Governors meeting.

"Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security," he said.

Israeli defense minister says destroyed Iran's "internal security headquarters"

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israeli Air Force fighter jets had destroyed "the headquarters of Iran's internal security forces."

The minister added Israel will continue to target "symbols of Iran's rule", without providing further details on the operation or its objectives.

His remarks came shortly after the Israeli military said its warplanes had launched a new wave of airstrikes, hitting "military targets belonging to the Iranian regime" in Tehran.

Videos circulating on social media showed plumes of smoke rising from several locations in eastern and southeastern Tehran following the blasts.

Iran's Fars news agency reported that Israel also targeted Payam International Airport, a key aviation hub for Iran near Tehran, on Wednesday. Fire and rescue teams were operating at the scene of an explosion northwest of Tehran, the agency added.

Iran launches new missile attack on Israel, army says

Several Iranian missiles were launched toward central Israel on Wednesday evening, as the conflict between the two countries entered its sixth day.

The Israeli military released a statement saying its air defense systems were operating to intercept a new missile attack launched from Iran, urging residents to enter shelters.

Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported later that about five missiles were launched, with at least three of them being intercepted. The broadcaster reported that some of the missiles were intercepted above Jordan and Syria.

Zaki Heler, spokesperson for Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service, said the service received no immediate reports of hits or casualties.

Earlier on Wednesday, Israel eased some of the restrictions on civilians initially imposed on Friday, when Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran, as the frequency of Iranian missile strikes began to decline.

Russia, Ukraine ready to meet for peace talks after June 22: Putin

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are prepared to resume direct talks after June 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday during a meeting with the leaders of major global news agencies in St. Petersburg.

Putin reaffirmed Russia's openness to dialogue, including a possible meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, he raised concerns over the legitimacy of Zelensky's authority.

"I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky," Putin said. "That is not the issue. If Ukraine entrusts him to negotiate, let it be Zelensky. The real question is: who will sign any resulting documents? We are not dealing with propaganda here; when it comes to serious matters, what matters is not political messaging but legal legitimacy."

Putin also said that if no peaceful resolution is reached, Russia will pursue its objectives in Ukraine by military means.

U.S. Fed keeps interest rates unchanged as wait-and-see mode continues

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday left the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 4.25 percent to 4.5 percent, as solid expansion of economic activity supports the wait-and-see mode.

This widely expected decision marked the fourth time that the Fed chose to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged in a row.

"Although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace," said the Fed in a statement.

The United States continues to have a low unemployment rate, a solid labor market and somewhat elevated inflation, according to the Fed.

"Uncertainty about the economic outlook has diminished but remains elevated," added the statement.■