ISTANBUL 

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Friday with, including Iran appointing a new IRGC intelligence chief, US President Donald Trump saying he will decide within two weeks whether to strike Iran, and 14 cargo planes from the US and Germany arriving in Israel with military equipment.

TOP STORIES

• Iran appoints new IRGC intelligence chief

Brig. Gen. Majid Khademi was appointed as the new head of the intelligence organization of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the official Press TV reported.

On June 15, the IRGC announced that Brig. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, the organization's then intelligence chief, had been killed in an Israeli attack.

• Trump says he will decide whether to strike Iran within 2 weeks

US President Donald Trump said he will make a decision on whether or not to carry out strikes on Iran within two weeks.

"Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks," Trump said in a statement read aloud by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt.

"Nobody should be surprised by the president's position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He's been unequivocally clear about this for decades," Leavitt told reporters at the White House. "It's why he has given great latitude and given a lot of effort to achieving a diplomatic solution, but he's been very clear."

• 14 cargo planes from US, Germany arrive in Israel with military equipment

Fourteen military cargo planes from the US and Germany loaded with equipment and supplies to support the army arrived in Israel amid its conflict with Iran, the Israeli Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that the planes are part of the air and sea bridges it has been operating since the start of the Israeli attack against Iran on June 13.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Iran has issued an evacuation warning for Israel's Channel 14 headquarters, Iranian media said, days after Israel attacked the building of the Iranian state broadcaster.
• US President Donald Trump signed an executive order extending the TikTok enforcement deadline by 90 days to Sept. 17, marking his third delay of the Chinese-owned app's potential ban.
• Nine EU members have called on the European Commission to assess how trade in goods and services linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory can be aligned with international law, Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced.
• Iran launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles at Israel as attacks raged on between the two regional enemies.
• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called NATO's proposal of increasing defense spending by 5% "irrational."
• Russia and Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange in line with an agreement reached earlier this month in Istanbul, according to statements from both sides.
• The EU foreign policy chief hailed Türkiye's role in diplomacy, saying the bloc sees Türkiye as a “security player.”
• Russia called on Israel to immediately halt its attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, warning that such actions are illegal under international law and endanger the safety of Russian specialists working at one of Iran’s nuclear power plants.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the Middle East situation, strongly condemning Israel's actions as violations of the UN Charter, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
  

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Bank of England leaves policy rate unchanged, matching forecasts

The Bank of England kept its benchmark interest rate at 4.25%, in line with market forecasts.

The move came after four rate cuts since the bank began reducing borrowing costs last August. The bank rate currently is at the lowest level since February 2023, when it was 4%.

• Turkish Central Bank leaves policy rate unchanged, as expected

The Turkish Central Bank decided to keep the benchmark policy rate constant, matching expectations.

The benchmark one-week repo rate currently stands at 46%.

The bank said the underlying trend of inflation declined in May, and the leading indicators suggest that this decline will continue in June.