'Vacate Tehran': Trump Exits G7 Early To Huddle With His Security Advisers Amid Israel-Iran Crisis

Last Updated:June 17, 2025, 07:52 IST

Shortly after Trump’s post, Iranian media reported explosions and heavy air defence activity over Tehran early Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump (AP Photo)

Israel and Iran exchanged strikes for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, prompting US President Donald Trump to appeal to civilians to leave Tehran immediately. Trump linked his warning to Iran’s refusal to accept a proposed agreement aimed at curbing its nuclear weapons program.

The White House announced that Trump would cut short his attendance at the Group of Seven summit in Canada and return a day early to address the escalating Middle East crisis. He is expected to convene a meeting of his Security Council.

French President Emmanuel Macron commented on Trump’s early departure, calling it a “positive move" given the urgent need to push both Israel and Iran toward a ceasefire.

“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Shortly after Trump’s post, Iranian media reported explosions and heavy air defence activity over Tehran early on Tuesday. The Asriran news outlet also reported that air defences were activated in Natanz, which houses one of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, located about 320 km (200 miles) from the capital.

Air raid sirens also rang out across Tel Aviv just after midnight, followed by the sound of an explosion, as Iranian missiles targeted Israel once again in the early hours. The latest attack marked the continuation of hostilities that have stretched into a fifth straight day.

Iranian officials reported that the death toll in their country had reached 224—most of them civilians. On the Israeli side, authorities said 24 civilians had been killed. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich confirmed that nearly 3,000 residents had been evacuated due to damage caused by Iranian missile strikes.

Diplomatic backchannel efforts are reportedly underway, with sources telling Reuters that Tehran has reached out to Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, asking them to urge U.S. President Donald Trump to press Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into agreeing to an immediate ceasefire. In exchange, Iran has signaled willingness to show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, according to two Iranian and three regional sources.

“If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. “Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue."

News world 'Vacate Tehran': Trump Exits G7 Early To Huddle With His Security Advisers Amid Israel-Iran Crisis