2025-06-22 06:02
ISTANBUL, June 22 (Reuters) - Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister said the country was hoping to hold a tender for 5G network services in August, adding that the mobile communication service was expected to start next year. "I think we will hold this tender in August if there are no issues," Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu told reporters in Istanbul during a briefing. Sign up here. "Instead of covering the entire country in the first stage, I think we will cover the densely populated provinces (first) and roll out this process gradually within the framework of the programme, this was the case in 4.5G as well," he added. Asked about the impact on aviation of the Iran-Israel conflict, Uraloglu said Turkish airline companies had seven civilian aircraft stranded in Iran currently and four others in Iraq due to the closure of airspace in the region. "We are following this up through our foreign ministry and MIT (intelligence agency). Given that air traffic is very intense in this region, neither us nor the relevant countries could take that risk," Uraloglu said. "At the first opportunity we will bring them back," he added, referring to the planes, which he said belonged to Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) , opens new tab, its subsidiary AJet, Pegasus Airlines (PGSUS.IS) , opens new tab and Tailwind Airlines. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-hoping-hold-5g-tender-august-minister-says-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 04:28
DUBAI, June 22 (Reuters) - Iran reserves all options to defend itself after U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday on X, saying the attacks were "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences". Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-says-it-reserves-all-options-response-outrageous-us-strikes-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 02:14
CAIRO, June 22 (Reuters) - Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said on Sunday it would not allow the development of its "national industry" - an apparent reference to the country's nuclear development - to be stopped. It also said the attacks on its nuclear sites violate international law, without clarifying the extent of the damage from the U.S. strikes that President Donald Trump announced earlier. Sign up here. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-atomic-energy-organization-says-it-will-not-allow-nuclear-development-stop-2025-06-22/
2025-06-22 00:28
US and Israel held tense phone call on Thursday Israel signals it could act on Fordow before end of Trump's deadline Israel is looking at range of options to strike Fordow WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM, June 21 (Reuters) - Israeli officials have told the Trump administration they do not want to wait two weeks for Iran to reach a deal to dismantle key parts of its nuclear program and Israel could act alone before the deadline is up, two sources said, amid a continuing debate on Trump's team about whether the U.S. should get involved. The two sources familiar with the matter said Israel had communicated their concerns to Trump administration officials on Thursday in what they described as a tense phone call. Sign up here. The Israeli officials said they do not want to wait the two weeks that U.S. President Donald Trump presented on Thursday as a deadline for deciding whether the U.S. will get in the Israel-Iran war, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Israeli participants on the call included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir, according to a security source. The Israelis believe they have a limited window of opportunity to move against the deeply buried site at Fordow, the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear program, said the sources. The U.S. is the only country with the bunker-busting bombs powerful enough to reach the facility, which is dug into the side of a mountain. Reuters reported on Saturday that the United States is moving B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, reinforcing the possibility that the U.S. could participate directly in an attack. The B-2 can be equipped to carry America's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy targets deep underground, such as the one at Fordow. A person in Washington familiar with the matter said Israel has communicated to the U.S. administration that it believes Trump's window of up to two weeks is too long and that more urgent action is needed. The person did not say whether the Israelis made that point during the high-level call. During the call, Vice President JD Vance pushed back, saying the U.S. should not be directly involved and suggesting that the Israelis were going to drag the country into war, said the sources. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also participated in the call, said a security source. A White House official strongly disputed the characterization of Vance's comments in the call but declined to elaborate. "The Vice President did not say this during the call," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The Jerusalem Post reported earlier that a phone call had taken place on Thursday. The prospect of a U.S. strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought Trump to power, with some prominent members of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war. Vance has frequently criticized past U.S. involvement in conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan, but has lately defended Trump against Republican critics who urge the administration to stay out of the Iran conflict. Other Republicans, including Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have said they hope Trump will help Israel finish destroying Iran's nuclear program. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to keep the U.S. out of what he called "stupid" foreign wars, has himself seemed conflicted at times about whether to join the Israeli attack on Iran or focus on diplomatic efforts to end Tehran's nuclear program. But his rhetoric in recent days has become increasingly aggressive toward Iran. Iran insists that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. The Israeli Prime Minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran's mission to the United Nations also did not immediately respond. STRIKE ON FORDOW INCREASINGLY LIKELY Publicly, Netanyahu has not ruled out Israel attacking Fordow alone, though officials have not provided any details on how that would be achieved. Four sources said it is now increasingly likely that the country will launch a solo military operation. Israeli air superiority over much of Iran makes an operation more feasible, though still risky, said two of the sources. The Israelis feel they have the momentum and have limited time given the costs of the war, one source added. "I don't see them waiting much longer," said the source. It is not clear whether such an operation would involve bombing, ground forces, or both. Two of the sources said that rather than attempting to destroy the entire site Israel could instead do significant damage to it. That could mean focusing on destroying what is inside the site rather than the site itself, said one of the sources, declining to elaborate. Some analysts have speculated that Israel could use special forces to enter Fordow and blow it up from inside. Another scenario being considered, according to a source familiar with the matter, would be to drop a series of munitions in rapid succession in an attempt to breach the fortified site, similar to how the Israeli military killed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah last year. Such a strike could be followed by an incursion by special forces, the source said. It is not clear that Israel has munitions powerful enough to penetrate the fortified facility. It is widely believed that to have a high chance of success, U.S. intervention would be needed. But even with the massive firepower of a joint U.S.-Israeli military action, military and nuclear experts believe that a military operation would probably only temporarily set back a program the West fears is already aimed at producing atom bombs one day, although Iran denies it. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/israel-seeks-swift-action-iran-sources-say-with-split-us-administration-2025-06-21/
2025-06-21 23:18
LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Britain is poised to publish a 10-year, multibillion-pound industrial strategy next week aimed at backing priority sectors, creating jobs and driving long-term economic growth. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government has been working on a blueprint for the next decade as part of its wider "Plan for Change", under which it seeks to overhaul the country's skills system, support innovation, and channel fresh investment into high-growth areas. Sign up here. Britain has so far pledged more than 1.5 billion pounds ($2 billion) to be delivered through a series of targeted government funds to support skills development, creative industries and sport. Announcing on Sunday 275 million pounds to support the training of thousands in roles such as engineering and defence roles, business minister Jonathan Reynolds said the strategy would be "powered by investing in British people." "It will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour, and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow." Alex Veitch, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed Reynolds' pledge. "The extra cash investment for training in key sectors, such as defence and engineering, has the potential to be a real springboard for growth," Veitch said. The government has previously said it would radically change its approach to defence to address threats from Russia, nuclear risks and cyber-attacks. In February, Starmer pledged the largest sustained increase in British defence spending since the end of the Cold War, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's insistence that Europe take more responsibility for its own security. OTHER PLEDGES The government has also pledged a 380 million-pound boost for creative industries from film to video games, and more than 900 million pounds to stage major sporting events and upgrade grassroots facilities. But business groups say high energy costs remain a serious threat to UK industry and have urged ministers to act. A June report from manufacturing association Make UK warned that without government intervention, Britain's energy-intensive sectors could face long-term decline. It called for measures such as network cost reform, targeted relief schemes and more predictable energy pricing. Finance minister Rachel Reeves acknowledged those pressures in her June 12 spending review, which set out departmental budgets and outlined more than 10 billion pounds of investment in green infrastructure and industrial decarbonisation. She said the government would support energy-efficiency upgrades and back the development of low-carbon technologies and confirmed the creation of a British Industrial Strategy Council to oversee the delivery of the government's growth plans. ($1 = 0.7435 pounds) https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/uk-issue-10-year-industrial-strategy-aimed-boosting-growth-2025-06-21/
2025-06-21 21:31
MEXICO CITY, June 21 (Reuters) - Russia is ready to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Mexico and share energy sector technologies, the Russian embassy in Mexico said on Saturday on X. "We are already working with Mexico. We have excellent LNG technologies, and we are ready to share these technologies and supply LNG as well," Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said. Sign up here. Russia is prepared to offer oil extraction technologies suited for challenging geological conditions, as well as solutions aimed at improving the efficiency of oil processing, the embassy added. Mexico's state oil company Pemex said in May it was working to reopen closed wells to boost production, as it struggles to meet the government's output target of 1.8 million barrels per day. Pemex has more than 30,000 wells across the country, about a third of which are shut. Internal documents reviewed by Reuters show the company is prioritizing wells with the potential to ramp up crude, gas or condensate output, though progress has been slow due to limited funding and aging infrastructure. Mexico meets 72% of its total demand for natural gas through imports, almost entirely from the United States. The fuel is used mainly to generate electricity and for industrial activities, with the vast majority of gas imports carried by pipeline. In January, sources told Reuters Mexico was speeding up plans to double its strategic gas storage amid concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump could use the country's dependence on U.S. gas as leverage. The heavy reliance on U.S. imports, highlighted by disruptions like the 2021 Texas winter storm that caused widespread outages and losses, has pushed Mexico to boost storage capacity by 2025-2026 to improve energy security and guard against supply shocks or geopolitical risks. Pemex and the Mexican presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/russia-says-ready-supply-lng-mexico-2025-06-21/
