Iran-Israel War: Mass protests erupt in Iran, Iraq as Trump weighs US involvement | Top Updates

Israeli emergency services stand next to charred vehicles at the site of an Iranian missile attack in Ramat Gan in central Israel near Tel Aviv, on June 19, 2025.

Israel and Iran exchanged fire once again on Friday, marking the eighth consecutive day of hostilities in the rapidly escalating war between the two archrivals. The renewed exchange underscores the deepening conflict that has engulfed the region, with both sides showing no signs of backing down.

Protests in Iran, Iraq

Thousands of people joined a protest against Israel in the Iranian capital and other cities on Friday after weekly prayers, chanting slogans in support of their leaders, according to state television.

"I will sacrifice my life for my leader," read a protester's banner, a reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In neighbouring Iraq, thousands of supporters of powerful cleric Moqtada Sadr also rallied in Baghdad and other cities against the war, AFP correspondents said.

"It is an unjust war... Israel has no right" to hit Iran, said protester Abu Hussein.

European offer

Top European diplomats are meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.

Ahead of the talks, French President Emmanuel Macron said it was "essential to prioritise" a return to negotiations, and said European powers would offer Iran a "diplomatic solution" to the conflict.

Foreign ministers from France, Germany, Britain and the EU have all urged de-escalation, with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy saying the next two weeks are "a window... to achieve a diplomatic solution".

Araghchi was meanwhile due to address the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Separately, the UN Security Council is also due to convene on Friday for a second session on the conflict, at Iran's request with support from Russia, China and Pakistan, a diplomat told AFP on Wednesday.

Overnight strikes

Israel's military said Friday it struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a centre for the "research and development of Iran's nuclear weapons project".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said more than 100 "combat and suicide" drones were launched at Israel on Thursday.

The body of a woman was recovered on Thursday from a building struck by an Iranian missile four days earlier, taking the overall death toll in Israel to 25 since the war began, according to Israeli authorities.

Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Authorities have not issued an updated toll since.

Trump waiting to decide

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a "substantial" chance of negotiations to end the conflict.

The Wall Street Journal reported Trump told aides he approved attack plans but is holding off to see if Iran will give up its nuclear programme.

Tehran's ally Moscow said any US military action "would be an extremely dangerous step", while pro-Iran groups in Iraq threatened retaliatory attacks.

Dozens of US military aircraft were no longer visible at a US base in Qatar on Thursday, satellite images showed -- a possible move to shield them from potential Iranian strikes.

Iran's new intelligence chief

Iran appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official IRNA news agency said, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.

Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, appointed Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of its intelligence division, IRNA said.

He replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guard officers in an Israeli strike.

Ali Shamkhani, adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was in stable condition, state TV reported on Friday, after he was seriously injured last week.

Israelis return

Israel's army said that the first boat carrying Israelis stranded abroad due to the Iran-Israel war arrived Friday with 1,500 citizens aboard.

"As part of the Ministry of Transportation's Operation 'Safe Return', a passenger ship bringing Israelis from the Port of Limassol in Cyprus docked today... at the Ashdod Port with over 1,500 Israelis on board," the army said in a statement.

Danish shipping giant Maersk meanwhile announced that it was temporarily suspending vessel calls in Israel's Haifa port due to the conflict with Iran.