Smoke billows from an explosion near the Azadi Tower (L) in Tehran on June 16, 2025. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building was struck in an Israeli attack on June 16, cutting live coverage immediately. The blast occurred as the presenter was live on TV lambasting Israel before she was seen leaving the live broadcast, Iranian media reported, sharing a video of the incident. ATTA KENARE / AFP
June 16, 2025
Kananaskis, Canada (AFP) —US President Donald Trump on Monday urged residents of Tehran to leave, backing warnings from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has launched a massive attack on Iran.
“Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account during a Group of Seven summit in Canada.
Trump did not elaborate. Nearly 10 million people live in the Iranian capital.
The warning comes as Israel ramps up attacks in Iran which it says are aimed at destroying the cleric-run state’s contested nuclear work.
The Israeli military earlier issued a notice urging residents of one district of Tehran to evacuate, an echo of its tactics in Gaza where it has displaced most of the Palestinian population since the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Trump has repeatedly declined to say if the United States would participate in Israeli military action, although he says it was not involved in initial strikes.
He earlier told reporters at the G7 summit, which ends Tuesday: “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something. But I have to leave here.”