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Strikes, retaliation, escalation
Iran condemned U.S. strikes on civilian infrastructure and said it has received mediation proposals from multiple parties while insisting diplomatic efforts remain active despite the conflict.
The BBC reported that Tehran declared a 'full-scale' war with Washington as the scope of American strikes widened to include the city of Bushehr, where a nuclear power plant is located.
The BBC also reported that Trump warned Iran it will pay a price 'much higher' after the killing of American soldiers, writing on his Truth Social platform that 'Tehran will pay the price several times over for every American service member killed'.
In parallel, Democracy Now! said the United States has bombed Iran for nine consecutive nights and that Iran has retaliated by striking U.S. allies across the Persian Gulf.
Democracy Now! added that the war has led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and said it has squeezed global supplies of oil and gas.
Nuclear plant dispute
Iran sent a letter to the Security Council after what Tasnim News Agency described as the American attack on the Darkhovin Nuclear Plant, which it said is safeguarded under IAEA safeguards.
Tasnim News Agency reported that Amir Saeed Irvani, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, urged the United Nations and the Security Council to take urgent action to condemn the attack, stressing that armed attacks or threats against peaceful nuclear facilities are unacceptable under any circumstances.
In the letter, Irvani said the United States launched several missiles toward the site of the Karun Nuclear Plant (Darkhovin) under construction in Khuzestan Province at approximately 3:39 a.m. local time on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
IRNA said Iravani urged the UN Secretary-General and the Security Council to condemn the attack in the strongest possible terms and as quickly as possible, and quoted the letter’s assertion that the deliberate targeting of a peaceful nuclear facility under IAEA safeguards is a flagrant violation of international law.
IRNA also stated that the attack was the eighteenth wave of such attacks against peaceful nuclear sites under safeguards since the start of joint aggressions by the United States and the Israeli regime in June 2025.
Diplomacy, restraint, and stakes
Canada called for restraint by the United States and Iran, with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand urging the parties to turn to dialogue and to guarantee the safety of civilians amid ongoing clashes.
Fars News Agency reported that Anand, during her trip to Pakistan, met with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and said Canada is concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure, including electricity facilities and desalination plants that put civilian populations at risk.
Fars News Agency added that despite a memorandum of understanding signed last month through Pakistan's mediation, the military clashes between Iran and the United States have resumed, with the United States resuming attacks on Iran and targeting electrical and desalination facilities.
The BBC reported that Ismail Bagheri said Iran has been informed through mediators and received messages, adding that the diplomatic apparatus has been active in recent days and ideas have been conveyed through some intermediaries.
The BBC also said Bagheri warned that Iran 'will not allow the misuse of this waterway again to threaten Iran's security and national interests' and stressed that Tehran is 'determined to take the necessary measures' to defend its sovereignty and protect its interests.
