DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 THEARRESTof twoKashmirresidents for allegedly harbouring terrorists who carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack has led theNationalInvestigationAgency (NIA)toconcludethatallthreeattackers were from Pakistan. According to the agency, the terrorists visited the homes of Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Hill Park, Pahalgam, and took food from them. “During questioning, they havedisclosedtheidentitiesofthe threearmedterroristsinvolvedin the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribedterroristoutfitLashkar-eToiba,”anNIAspokespersonsaid. The breakthrough is a departure from what was previously believed about the identities of the attackers. Two days after the Pahalgamattack,theJammuand Kashmir police had released three sketches — of Pakistan nationalsHashimMusaandAliBhai aliasTalha,andKashmirresident Adil Hussain Thoker. Sources in Central agencies now say the threemeninthesketchesarenot the Pahalgam attackers. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Over 50 mines may benefit as Sariska’s Critical Tiger Habitat to be redrawn JAY MAZOOMDAAR SARISKA, JAIPUR, NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 GOVT & POLITICS RAJNATH AND DOVAL LIKELY TO VISIT CHINA FOR SCO MEETINGS NO RESPITE FROM OPS, SHAH WARNS MAOISTS PAGES 5, 7 A PLAN drawn up to rationalise the boundary of Sariska Tiger Reserve’s Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) may offer a lifeline to over 50 marble and dolomite mines that were closed following a Supreme Court order last year duetotheirproximitytotheCTH. If notified as proposed, the newCTHboundarieswill retreat in multiple stretches, putting these mines outside the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 FULLYOBLITERATEDIRAN’S FORDOW,NATANZ,ISFAHANHIT, key nuclear sites, says Trump B-2 bombers drop ‘bunker busters’ U.S.CROSSEDREDLINE:IRAN; Tehran to decide on Hormuz closure US enters war, bombs Iran n-sites Not open-ended operation, US doesn’t seek war, says Pentagon OP MIDNIGHT HAMMER T U R K M E N I STA N Iran’s three main nuclear sites were struck by the US with bunker-buster bombs, missiles Tehran IRAN DAVID RISING, JON GAMBRELL & FARNOUSH AMIRI IRAQ DUBAI, JUNE 22 THE UNITED States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran by dropping 30,000-pound bombs, from B-2 stealth bombers, on a uranium enrichment site early Sunday, raising urgent questions about what remains of Tehran’s nuclear programme and how its weakened military might respond. Iran lashed out at the US for crossing “a very big red line” with its risky gambit to launch strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites with missiles and the bunker-buster bombs. “The warmongering and lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression,” Iranian Foreign Minister AbbasAraghchisaid,addingthat he would immediately fly to Moscow to coordinate positions with close ally Russia. He said while the “door to diplomacy” should always be open, “this is not the case right now.” The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordow and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as the Isfahan CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NATANZ Largest uranium enrichment centre of Iran, was already damaged in earlier Israeli attacks ISRAEL How Trump’s gamble may affect region, world — and himself C RAJA MOHAN SAN FRANCISCO, JUNE 22 IN A bold political gamble, US President Donald Trump has now entered the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, after initially distancing himself from Tel Aviv’sstrikesonTehran’s nuclear infrastructure earlier this month. Whether or not this was hisoriginalintent,Trump’sintervention carries far-reaching implications — not just for US domesticpoliticsandforeignpolicy, but also for the geopolitics of the Middle East and broader Asia. Trump’s principal political challenge may not come from international criticism labelling his actions as illegal — a view echoed by the opposition Democratic Party — but rather from within his own supportbase,the“Make America Great Again” coalition. A key element that ● propelled Trump back into the White House has been the solid support of the populist right-wing that has been vocal in its opposition to America’s “endless wars” in the E EXPLAINED All 3 Pahalgam attackers from Pakistan, says NIA after arresting 2 in J&K for ‘sheltering’ terrorists `7.00 (`8 RAIPUR, `15 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 FORDOW Iran’s most critical nuclear site, dug deep into a mountain ISFAHAN Near-bomb grade nuclear fuel thought to be stored here Source: NYT & AP BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY As Tehran reaches out to Delhi, Modi calls for de-escalation, dialogue SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 HOURS AFTER President Donald Trump announced that Iran's three main nuclear sites had been “obliterated” in US strikes, Tehran reached out to Delhi, with President Masoud Pezeshkian calling up Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. In a post on X, Modi said he expressed “deep concern at the recent escalations”, and reiteratedIndia'scallfor“dialogueand PM Narendra Modi; (right) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian diplomacy”. “SpokewithPresidentof Iran @drpezeshkian.Wediscussedin CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 India wary about Iran’s n-project: Voted against in 2005, abstained in 2024 SHUBHAJIT ROY NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 FULL COVERAGE ‘NEVER SAW US’: IN AND OUT OF IRAN IN 90 MINUTES HOW FORDOW WAS TARGETED PAGES 7, 10, 12 ALMOST 20 years after India voted against Iran’s nuclear programmeforthefirsttime,Delhi’s careful balancing act — between Israel andtheUSononesideand Iran on the other side — has come into play. While India has always tried towalkthediplomatictightrope walk, its discomfort over Iran with a nuclear weapon was ap- parent then. On September 24, 2005, India voted with 21 other countries on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) resolution(GOV/2005/77)which found Iran in non-compliance with its safeguards agreement. This was seen as a departure from the past, as India had voted withtheUSandthewesternbloc against Iran, which was in its extendedneighbourhoodandwith whom it has a historical and civilisational relationship. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2