Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized a new Congressional spending bill supported by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, calling it a “disgusting abomination.” Musk made the remarks on X, expressing frustration over what he views as excessive and irresponsible government spending. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk posted. He described the bill as “massive, outrageous [and] pork-filled,” and condemned lawmakers who backed it, saying, “Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong.” The legislation, which allocates significant federal spending across various sectors, has sparked a debate about its long-term effects on the US economy. Musk had previously expressed his disappointment with the overall cost of the domestic policy bill. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the tax provisions included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” package are projected to increase the deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034.
Iran seeks no permission to continue enrichment
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, speaking at a book signing event in Lebanon for The Power of Negotiation, branded the latest United States proposal as “highly ambiguous,” stressing that Tehran “will not seek anyone’s permission to continue uranium enrichment on Iranian soil,” after US President Donald Trump vowed not to allow it. “In this context, the US wrote to Iran’s leadership seeking negotiations. But it’s clear that talks under such circumstances can’t be genuine or equal – they resemble negotiations for surrender,” the leader was quoted by Tasnim News Agency. The minister noted that over a million Iranians depend on medicine made using reactor fuel, insisting enrichment will continue but “not lead to a nuclear weapon.” Regarding the latest offer from Washington, Araghchi said it contained “numerous ambiguities and unanswered questions,” adding that Iran would respond “in the coming days based on national interests and principles.”
NN: How stupid!! We did this fire dance under Mohammad Obama. And they built centrifuges that ramped up their production of weapons grade uranium. They developed nuclear triggers and rockets capable of delivering nukes. They may have tested a crude nuke underground. Now Iran wants us to believe its their god given right to enrich uranium. And we are to rely upon the same inspectors they made fools on last time to ensure they don’t have a nuclear weapons program. The world deserves to get nuked in the coming World War III that will be started by Iran using the nukes we allowed then to develops
WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM,”
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran is poised to reject a U.S. proposal to end a decades-old nuclear dispute, an Iranian diplomat said on Monday, dismissing it as a “non-starter” that fails to address Tehran’s interests or soften Washington’s stance on uranium enrichment.
FILE PHOTO: Atomic symbol, USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken September 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo© Thomson Reuters
“Iran is drafting a negative response to the U.S. proposal, which could be interpreted as a rejection of the U.S. offer,” the senior diplomat, who is close to Iran’s negotiating team, told Reuters.
The U.S. proposal for a new nuclear deal was presented to Iran on Saturday by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, who was on a short visit to Tehran and has been mediating talks between Tehran and Washington.
FILE PHOTO: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is welcomed by an unidentified Omani official upon his arrival in Muscat, Oman, May 11, 2025. Iranian Foreign Ministry/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo© Thomson Reuters
After five rounds of discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, several obstacles remain.
Among them are Iran’s rejection of a U.S. demand that it commit to scrapping uranium enrichment and its refusal to ship abroad its entire existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium – possible raw material for nuclear bombs.
Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. NB: what a sick joke
“In this proposal, the U.S. stance on enrichment on Iranian soil remains unchanged, and there is no clear explanation regarding the lifting of sanctions,” said the diplomat, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. The White House encouraged Iran to accept the deal.”President Trump has made it clear that Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb. Special Envoy Witkoff has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it’s in their best interest to accept it,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “Out of respect for the ongoing deal, the Administration will not comment on details of the proposal to the media.” Tehran demands the immediate removal of all U.S.-imposed curbs that impair its oil-based economy. But the U.S. says nuclear-related sanctions should be removed in phases. Dozens of institutions vital to Iran’s economy, including its central bank and national oil company, have been blacklisted since 2018 for, according to Washington, “supporting terrorism or weapons proliferation.” Trump’s revival of “maximum pressure” against Tehran since his return to the White House in January has included tightening sanctions and threatening to bomb Iran if the negotiations yield no deal.
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US deal said to allow Iran to enrich uranium at low levels…… Trump on Iran: We will not allow any uranium enrichment
The nuclear agreement draft presented by the US to Iran this weekend would permit restricted uranium enrichment at low levels within Iranian territory for an undetermined timeframe, Axios has discovered, conflicting with recent statements from senior officials. According to the plan outlined by White House representative Steve Witkoff, Iran’s enrichment capabilities will be limited to civilian-use levels. Following the deal’s ratification, Iran must temporarily lower its enrichment levels to 3% and its subterranean enrichment sites must cease operations for a mutually agreed timeframe. Iran has repeatedly emphasized it will not accept any agreement prohibiting enrichment for civilian purposes, a non-negotiable stance that conflicts with America’s public position.
NN: i was shocked when i saw the Axion report. Allowing Iran to enrich uranium. Then we got the statement from trump. below:
Trump on Iran: We will not allow any uranium enrichment
United States President Donald Trump stressed that the US won’t allow Iran to carry out “any enrichment of uranium” after a report by Axios claimed earlier today that Washington would permit limited enrichment under specific conditions. Under the reported nuclear agreement draft, Iran’s enrichment capabilities would be limited to civilian-use levels and require Tehran to temporarily bring down its enrichment levels to 3%. Additionally, the country’s subterranean enrichment sites would be required to halt operations for a negotiated period.
“The AUTOPEN should have stopped Iran a long time ago from “enriching.” Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
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Ukraine Drone Strikes Hit Nuclear Bombers Deep Inside Russia
Ukraine staged a dramatic series of strikes across Russia, deploying drones hidden in trucks deep inside the country to hit strategic airfields as far away as eastern Siberia. Around the same time, Moscow launched one of its longest drone and missile attacks against Kyiv, escalating tensions ahead of crucial peace talks this week. More than 40 Russian aircraft, including the Tu-95 and Tu-22 M3 long-range bombers capable of deploying conventional and nuclear weapons as well as the A-50, were reportedly damaged in Sunday’s operation, an official in Ukraine’s Security Service said on condition of anonymity as the details are not public. Ukraine’s Security Service chief Vasyl Malyuk led the operation and losses are assessed to be at least $2 billion, the person said. Drones were released remotely from wooden mobile houses that were transported on trucks inside Russian territory, according to the official. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy revealed details of the operation, saying it was “one year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution.” He added, “Our most long-range operation. Our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time.” In a separate post on Telegram, Zelenskiy said Ukraine used 117 drones with people operating inside Russia across three time zones, adding that “34% of strategic cruise missile carriers at the airfields were hit.” Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed in a Telegram statement that attacks occurred at five military airbases across the nation from the Far East and eastern Siberia to locations just several hundred miles from Moscow. Earlier on Sunday, Ukraine came under one of the longest barrages from Russian missiles and drones, with air sirens lasting for more than 9 hours. At least 12 people were killed in a strike on a military training center, prompting Ukraine Ground Forces Commander Mykhaylo Drapatyi to announce his decision to resign due to the cas The incidents occurred just as Moscow and Kyiv prepare to send delegations to Turkey for a second round of peace talks on Monday. The opening round on May 16 — the first in more than three years — ended with a prisoner exchange agreement and discussions on a potential ceasefire. So far, Russia has not signaled if the attacks may affect the talks.
NN: does not look like a peace deal tm me
Oil climb no OPEC and Proof Iran is building NUKESS
The prices of oil continued to rise on Monday, with West Texas Intermediate jumping by more than 3.5% as investors’ concerns of a higher increase in the output from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies (OPEC+) were relieved after the organization’s meeting on Saturday brought expected hike in production of 411,000 barrels per day for the month of July, in line with the previous two months.
OPEC is not the main event here… its Iran and their belief they are at a historic moment in time. Where they nuke Israel and the Mahdi (their savior comes) Islam takes over the world.
Hamas responds to ceasefire proposal, adds conditions….. Israel said to see Hamas answer as deal rejection…..
Hamas said on Saturday that it submitted its response to mediators regarding United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff’s proposal on a ceasefire and hostage release. “We have submitted our response that includes a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the flow of aid to our people in Gaza,” the group said. Hamas agreed to release ten Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages, but noted that the number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed should “be agreed upon.” Egyptian media reported that the group asked to release Israeli hostages in five stages, rather than two as suggested by the US. Israel reportedly already accepted the original proposal that would include a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, during which Hamas would hand over living and deceased hostages in return for 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 detained Gazans.
Israel said to see Hamas answer as deal rejection
Israel considers Hamas’ response to United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff’s proposal on a ceasefire and hostage release an “effective rejection” of the plan, The Times of Israel reported on Saturday, citing an unnamed Israeli official. Hamas said it submitted its response to the plan, stressing an agreement must aim to achieve “a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the flow of aid to our people in Gaza.” According to some reports, the group also asked to release Israeli hostages in five stages, rather than two as suggested by the US. Israel’s lead negotiator and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer earlier accepted Witkoff’s initial proposal.
Witkoff: Hamas’ answer to proposal totally unacceptable
United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on Saturday that Hamas’ response to his proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release agreement was “totally unacceptable.” Witkoff added the move by the group “only takes us backward” and urged Hamas to “accept the framework proposal we put forward as the basis for proximity talks, which we can begin immediately this coming week.” The US official claimed that Hamas agreeing to this is the “only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have at the proximity talks substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire.” Earlier in the day, Hamas submitted a response that reportedly included the release Israeli hostages in five stages and demands for a “permanent ceasefire.”
Damning IAEA report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran
VIENNA, May 31 (Reuters) – Iran carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the U.N. nuclear watchdog at three locations that have long been under investigation, the watchdog said in a wide-ranging, confidential report to member states seen by Reuters. The findings in the “comprehensive” International Atomic Energy Agency report requested by the agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors in November pave the way for a push by the United States, Britain, France and Germany for the board to declare Iran in violation of its non-proliferation obligations. A resolution would infuriate Iran and could further complicate nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
Using the IAEA report’s findings, the four Western powers plan to submit a draft resolution for the board to adopt at its next meeting the week of June 9, diplomats say. It would be the first time in almost 20 years Iran has formally been found in non-compliance.
Iran’s foreign ministry and the Iranian nuclear agency rejected the report, calling it “politically motivated” in a joint statement. They said Tehran will take “appropriate measures” in response to any effort to take action against the country at the Board of Governors meeting, state media reported, without elaborating.
Tehran says it wants to master nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. While many of the findings relate to activities dating back decades and have been made before, the IAEA report’s conclusions were more definitive. It summarised developments in recent years and pointed more clearly towards coordinated, secret activities, some of which were relevant to producing nuclear weapons.
It also spelled out that Iran’s cooperation with IAEA continues to be “less than satisfactory” in “a number of respects”. The IAEA is still seeking explanations for uranium traces found years ago at two of four sites it has been investigating. Three hosted secret experiments, it found.
The IAEA has concluded that “these three locations, and other possible related locations, were part of an undeclared structured nuclear programme carried out by Iran until the early 2000s and that some activities used undeclared nuclear material”, the report said. Nuclear material and/or heavily contaminated equipment from that programme was stored at the fourth site, Turquzabad, between 2009 and 2018, it said.
“The Agency concludes that Iran did not declare nuclear material and nuclear-related activities at three undeclared locations in Iran, specifically, Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad,” the report said. At Lavisan-Shian in Tehran, a disc made of uranium metal was “used in the production of explosively-driven neutron sources” at least twice in 2003, a process designed to initiate the explosion in a nuclear weapon, the report said, adding that it was part of “small-scale” tests.
The report is likely to lead to Iran being referred to the U.N. Security Council, though that would probably happen at a later IAEA board meeting, diplomats said. More immediately, it is likely to lead to Iran again accelerating or expanding its rapidly advancing nuclear programme, as it has done after previous rebukes at the board. It could also further complicate talks with the United States aimed at reining in that programme.
A separate IAEA report sent to member states on Saturday said Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, had grown by roughly half to 408.6 kg. That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. Both IAEA reports said enrichment to such a high level was “of serious concern” since it is the only country to do so without producing nuclear weapons.
Israel, which has long urged strong action against Iran’s nuclear programme, said the IAEA report showed Tehran was determined to complete its nuclear weapons programme. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the world should act now to stop Iran from doing this.
U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA have long believed Iran had a secret, coordinated nuclear weapons programme that it halted in 2003. Iran denies ever having had one.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said later on Saturday that President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff “has sent a detailed and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it’s in their best interest to accept it.” She declined to provide further details. Araqchi said in a post on X that Iran “will respond to the U.S. proposal in line with the principles, national interests and rights of people of Iran”.
more in depth coverage
Hamas responds to ceasefire proposal, adds conditions
Hamas said on Saturday that it submitted its response to mediators regarding United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff’s proposal on a ceasefire and hostage release. “We have submitted our response that includes a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and ensuring the flow of aid to our people in Gaza,” the group said. Hamas agreed to release ten Israeli hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages, but noted that the number of Palestinian prisoners to be freed should “be agreed upon.” Egyptian media reported that the group asked to release Israeli hostages in five stages, rather than two as suggested by the US. Israel reportedly already accepted the original proposal that would include a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, during which Hamas would hand over living and deceased hostages in return for 125 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,111 detained Gazans.
nn: deal…. no deal
Israel calls on world to ‘act now to stop Iran’
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the global community to take action to stop Iran from building its nuclear program after the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showed Tehran is continuing to enrich uranium. “The report strongly reinforces what Israel has been saying for years – the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program is not peaceful. This is evident from the alarming scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment activity. Such a level of enrichment exists only in countries actively pursuing nuclear weapons and has no civilian justification whatsoever,” Netanyahu’s office stated. “The international community must act now to stop Iran,” it added. The IAEA report said that Iran increased its stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium by about 50% since early February to 408.6 kilograms, but Tehran has insisted it is not interested in acquiring a nuclear weapon.