A night that changed the Middle East – and the world with it. On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran’s nuclear program. What initially appeared to be a targeted strike on uranium enrichment facilities quickly unfolded into a sweeping assault on Tehran’s military, nuclear, and economic infrastructure. The preparation was meticulous, the execution flawless – and the political climate had become so volatile that the attack seemed almost inevitable. Israel’s decision did not occur in a vacuum. It was the result of a dilemma building over years, accelerated by a president who had abandoned diplomacy, by Iranian provocations, and by the unprecedented weakening of Iran’s proxy forces. The Mossad operation inside Iran cleared the way for airstrikes that hit not only nuclear and military sites, but also the country’s oil and gas infrastructure – striking at the regime’s core power centers.
That this moment would come was no surprise, though the precise way it unfolded was. Trump had never formally ended nuclear talks, but in practice, they were dead: five rounds, no progress, constant obstruction from Tehran. While Washington offered concessions, Iran refused to budge – especially on uranium enrichment. Trump later accused the regime publicly of stringing him along. On June 12, the IAEA officially leveled serious accusations: Iran had operated secret sites, failed to cooperate, and concealed traces of enriched uranium. The conclusion that Iran’s nuclear program could no longer be considered peaceful confirmed Israel’s longstanding warnings – and marked the final curtain for diplomacy. At the same time, Iran began enriching uranium to 60 percent and threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Diplomacy had no future left – only risks.
And yet it must not be overlooked that – despite all the warnings – there is still no verified evidence of an imminent nuclear bomb. Even the latest assessments by Western intelligence services, including the IRIS system, show no concrete proof that Iran possesses a functioning detonation mechanism, the ability to produce uranium metal, or a completed trigger system – the essential steps required for an actual bomb assembly phase. This is about a potential risk, not a confirmed atomic weapon. Israel’s concern is rooted in strategic logic – not in forensically proven threat. Still, the timing was opportune: Hezbollah weakened, the Assad regime collapsed, Houthi militias paralyzed, Hamas isolated. Israel’s leadership seized the window – and struck. Senior commanders were killed, nuclear sites damaged, Iran’s air defenses destroyed. Tehran’s retaliation so far has hit civilians – including a Ukrainian family. Khamenei remained visibly silent. The regime is wounded, but not broken.
In parallel, Europe is making a last effort today to exert diplomatic influence. On Friday – that is, today – the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are meeting in Geneva with Iran’s chief diplomat Abbas Araghchi. It is the first face-to-face meeting with Tehran since the escalation began one week ago. The so-called E3 initiative aims to prevent a complete derailment – and keep a channel for dialogue open. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declared that Europe was ready to resume talks – but only if Iran takes verifiable steps to limit its nuclear and missile programs and scale back its destabilizing activities in the region. Meanwhile, in Washington, Trump strikes a very different tone: he demands Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” and is openly considering further airstrikes. What began as crisis management may end in a geopolitical rupture that extends far beyond the region. The Middle East is no longer on the edge of the abyss – it is in the middle of it.
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