Israel is sidelined from upcoming U.S.-Iran peace negotiations, which may complicate efforts to end hostilities. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not participate in the talks.
Key points
Israel is sidelined from U.S.-Iran peace negotiations.
Benjamin Netanyahu will not participate in the talks.
The negotiations aim to end hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.
Mentioned in this story
IsraelU.S.IranBenjamin Netanyahu
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Today's stop stories
Israel, which began the war in Iran with the U.S., has been sidelined in the agreement that the U.S. and Iran are expected to sign on Friday to begin negotiations to end hostilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not be party to those negotiations, and it could spoil peace efforts.
An Iranian woman waves a national flag at Valiasr Square in Tehran on June 15.
An Iranian woman waves a national flag at Valiasr Square in Tehran on June 15.
Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images
Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images
🎧 Friday's agreement is only a commitment to negotiate, and NPR's Carrie Kahn tells Up First that it's unclear how Iran's nuclear program will be addressed in those talks. Israel says this is why it went to war in the first place, and rejects Iran's demands to withdraw from all Lebanese territory. Israeli elections will take place in the fall, and Kahn says Netanyahu's political allies and opponents are hammering him over how the deal to begin peace talks leaves Israel out of the picture and Hezbollah still active in Lebanon.
President Trump will meet with Qatar and UAE — key stakeholders in the deal with Iran — today as part of his first full day at the G7 summit. While Iran has gotten a lot of attention at the summit so far, European leaders are just as focused on getting Russia to negotiate an end to its war in Ukraine.
🎧 Trump and other G7 leaders are meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later today. This week, Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukraine, killing 11 and sparking a fire on one of Ukraine's religious landmarks. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben says. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit, has been one of the loudest European voices calling for European nations to be more independent of the U.S. Trump's repeated antagonism toward these nations, on issues like NATO and Greenland, has made them more and push back, Kurtzleben adds.
Q&A
Why is Israel not participating in the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations?
Israel is not participating because it has been sidelined in the agreement process, despite its involvement in the conflict.
What impact could Israel's absence have on the Iran peace negotiations?
Israel's absence could spoil the peace efforts and complicate the negotiations aimed at ending hostilities.
Who is leading the peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran?
The peace negotiations are being led by the U.S. and Iran, with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not being a party to the discussions.
What are the main goals of the U.S.-Iran peace negotiations?
The main goals are to establish an agreement to end hostilities and promote stability in the region.
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A banner that says Soccer Edition with a soccer field and a city skyline in the background. The image is green.
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Robert Bader/Marxbrothers.net
Robert Bader/Marxbrothers.net
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South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim performs at the 20th Standard bank Joy of Jazz festival at the Sandton Convention Center in Johanneburg on September 29, 2017.
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Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images
Mujahid Safodien/AFP via Getty Images
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