US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites last month did not void the need for a renewed deal with Tehran, senior UK member of Parliament Emily Thornberry told Iran International.
Thornberry, who leads the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee, said a broad deal resembling a 2015 agreement from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in his first term would likely be needed to resolve the nuclear impasse.
“Donald Trump egged on by Netanyahu decided to turn his back on it and he thought there were other ways that he could get what he wanted," she said.
"Clearly he hasn't, and there's been bombing in between and bombing with Israel and America. We need to get back into an agreement and I suspect we need to get back into something that's going to look very much like the JCPOA."
Her remarks are a rare critique of US policy toward Iran by a prominent member of the ruling party of a key US ally. US attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites capped off a 12-day war between Israel and Iran last month.
Trump said the attacks had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program and has been ambivalent about the need for further talks.
European powers including Britain have mooted triggering renewed United Nations sanctions on Tehran if it does not return to negotiations on its nuclear program.
Iranian threats on UK soil
The UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) last month warned that Iran poses one of the gravest state-based threats to British national security, on par with adversaries like Russia and China.
Asked whether Iran might be more dangerous following the war, Thornberry stressed the need for talks to defuse tensions.
"I think any country, if they feel isolated is likely to be more dangerous. That's the reason, one of the many reasons, why we want to be able to talk to Iran and bring them in," she said.
"We cannot accept it, and we have to make sure that we protect people. I've had people come to talk to me who personally feel threatened by the Iranian regime," she added. "We need to be able to live peacefully with one another and we need to be a center of free thought and an open discussion."
British interior minister Yvette Cooper said in May that Iran posed an "unacceptable threat" to domestic security after authorities charged three Iranian nationals under a national security law following a major counter-terrorism investigation.
The sharp statement came after the arrests of Iranian nationals on UK soil in terrorism-related cases.
In two separate operations on May 3, eight men including seven Iranians were arrested by the British counter-terrorism police.
Three of the Iranian nationals were later charged with offences under the National Security Act, accused of acting on behalf of Iran’s intelligence service and carried out surveillance targeting Iran International journalists.
“The nuclear issue, uranium enrichment, and human rights are just excuses,” Khamenei said during a ceremony marking the 40th day after the deaths of Iranian military commanders and scientists killed during a recent 12-day conflict with Israel.
“Their real problem is Iran’s religion, knowledge, and national unity under the banner of Islam and the Quran.”
US President Donald Trump on Sunday expressed surprise at Tehran’s continued insistence on uranium enrichment despite last month’s American airstrikes on its nuclear facilities, vowing renewed strikes if Iran restarts nuclear work.
Speaking at the Imam Khomeini Hosseiniyeh at his residence in Tehran on Tuesday, Khamenei addressed families of the deceased and government officials.
“The world has now seen the full capability of the Islamic Republic up close,” he said. “These events are not new for us. For 46 years, we have resisted coups, wars, political unrest, and all types of plots.”
Khamenei added that Iran would not abandon its twin foundations of “religion and knowledge” despite mounting international pressure.
“With God’s help, we will continue to take great strides in strengthening our faith and deepening our scientific achievements,” he said. “To the dismay of our enemies, we will elevate Iran to the height of progress and pride.”
Iran’s nuclear program has long been a flashpoint in its relations with the West, with the US and European powers accusing Tehran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the accusation, saying its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.
In an interview with the Associated Press published Tuesday, al-Sudani said the attacks were aimed at Israel and US military bases inside Iraq.
“These operations were neutralized by Iraqi government security measures,” he said, though declined to elaborate on details.
“We know that the Israeli government had a policy — and still does — of expanding the war in the region. Therefore, we made sure not to give any justification to any party to target Iraq.”
The prime minister said his government engaged in direct communication with Iranian leaders during the crisis, encouraging de-escalation. “We reached out to leaders in Iran to urge them toward calm and to make room for dialogue and a return to negotiations,” al-Sudani said.
Since the 2003 US invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, numerous militias have emerged in Iraq, many with ties to Iran. Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 and the recent Israel-Iran escalation, including US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the pro-Iran factions have periodically targeted US bases in Iraq.
Groups within the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of mostly Shia armed groups originally formed to fight the Islamic State and then integrated into Iraq's security forces, have been among those involved.
Al-Sudani acknowledged that the continued presence of the US-led anti-ISIS coalition has provided a “justification” for such groups to remain armed. The withdrawal process began in 2023, but is not yet complete.
“When the coalition withdrawal is complete, there will be no need or justification for any group to carry weapons outside the scope of the state,” he said.
Future of Popular Mobilization Forces
A focal point of US-Iraqi tensions lies in the future of the PMF. Though nominally under Iraqi military command since 2016, many PMF units maintain strong ties to Iran and operate with broad autonomy.
A new bill in Iraq’s parliament is aimed at formalizing the PMF’s status within the security apparatus, a move that has drawn criticism from Washington. The US State Department recently warned the legislation “would institutionalize Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.”
Al-Sudani, however, defended the initiative, saying that it is part of an effort to ensure that arms are controlled by Baghdad. “Security agencies must operate under laws and be subject to them and be held accountable,” he said.
Kurdish region attacks
In recent weeks, a series of drone attacks targeted oil facilities in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, with Kurdish regional authorities blaming groups in the PMF. Baghdad has denied it, but has not publicly named any perpetrators.
Al-Sudani called the attacks a “terrorist act” and said his government is working with Kurdish authorities and coalition forces to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.