Israel-Iran live: Trump mulls regime change while Tehran threatens retaliation

The U.S. State Department has issued a worldwide caution to Americans following the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The warning, issued late on Sunday on the East Coast of the U.S. and early Monday morning in the Middle East, read: “The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”

Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, spoke to an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council hours after the U.S. attack, saying that the U.S. “decided to destroy diplomacy” with its strikes on the country’s nuclear program and that the Iranian military will decide the “timing, nature and scale of Iran’s proportionate response.”

“We will take all measures necessary,” he told the meeting.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke on Sunday evening.

Lammy said on X: “Important discussion with @SecRubio this evening on the situation in the Middle East.

“We will continue to work with our allies to protect our people, secure regional stability and drive forward a diplomatic solution.”

What happens next? Should Americans expect retaliation from Iran? If so, where, and in what form?

Here’s The Independent’s Graig Graziosi:

US president Donald Trump has endorsed a change of Iranian regime, despite his vice president ruling this out earlier on Sunday.

Writing on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said: “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change.’

But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”.

It came just hours after US vice president JD Vance said US airstrikes were intended to end Iran’s nuclear programme, not regime change.

“We don’t want a regime change,” Mr Vance said.

“We do not want to protract this. We want to end the nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here.”