Ata mārie and welcome to your Monday recap of the top international business and political news.
First today, there’s growing international reaction after the US strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran over the weekend.
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the "game isn't over", the ABC reported.
"Political and operational initiative is now with the side that plays smart, avoids blind strikes. Surprises will continue!" Earlier, Reuters quoted Iranian state TV that every American citizen in the region or military was now a “legitimate target”.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a fresh advisory warning of potential terror attacks on US soil, while the State Department ordered non-essential personnel and families out of Lebanon.
Vice President JD Vance said that the US was “not at war” with Iran, CNN reported. “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear programme,” Vance told NBC.
“We had a narrow window of opportunity. We might not have been able to carry out this attack six months down the road. It would have been irresponsible for the president [Donald Trump] not to take the action that he did.”
US President Donald Trump.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Trump’s “bold decision” would change history. “First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, Donald Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
Meanwhile, China condemned the US attack. The country’s Foreign Ministry said the move violated the United Nations Charter and increased tension in the Middle East, CNBC reported.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned of the threats to global peace and security. “There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”
The New Zealand Government is assessing options for Kiwis stranded in Iran and Israel. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the Government was “seriously concerned” about the risks after continued military strikes.
“We know it will not be safe for everyone to leave Iran or Israel, and many people may not have access to transport or fuel supplies.”
Government personnel and a C-130J Hercules aircraft are being deployed to the Middle East to remain on standby to assist.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has today committed a new $16 million package for Ukraine in the ongoing conflict with Russia. That included $7m in further humanitarian assistance and $1m for Ukrainians displaced in nearby countries.
Elsewhere, the Guardian reported that UK consumer confidence was fragile amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East and other global tensions.
Data company GfK said sentiment improved by two points in June but remained in negative territory. The last time the headline index was positive was in January 2016.
Finally, the founder of US parcel delivery giant FedEx, Fred Smith, has died at the age of 80, the BBC reported.
Smith founded the company in 1973. He was chief executive until 2022.
"Fred was more than just the pioneer of an industry and the founder of our great company. He was the heart and soul of FedEx," the company said.
Smith originally started FedEx with 389 staff and 14 small planes that carried 186 packages from Memphis to 25 cities within the US.
