DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PATNA, PUNE, VADODARA key nuclear sites, says Trump 117 144 75 FORDOW,NATANZ,ISFAHANSITESHIT, B-2 bombers drop ‘bunker busters’ Not an open-ended operation, US does not seek war, says Pentagon OP MIDNIGHT HAMMER Iran’s three main nuclear sites were struck by the US with bunker-buster bombs, missiles Tehran NATANZ Largest uranium enrichment centre of Iran, was already damaged in earlier Israeli attacks ISRAEL U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation alongside V-P J D Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House. Reuters DUBAI, JUNE 22 PAGE 10 GOVT & POLITICS RAJNATH AND DOVAL LIKELY TO VISIT CHINA FOR SCO MEETINGS PAGE 7 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” BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY 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 How Trump’s big gamble may affect region, world — and himself C RAJA MOHAN SAN FRANCISCO, JUNE 22 FULL COVERAGE ‘NEVER SAW US’: IN AND OUT OF IRAN IN 90 MINUTES HOW FORDOW WAS TARGETED PAGES 12 should always be open, “this is not the case right now.” The Atomic Energy CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 IN A bold political gamble, US President Donald Trump has now entered the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, after initially distancing himself fromTelAviv’sstrikesonTehran’s nuclearinfrastructureearlierthis 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 notcomefrominternational criticism labelling his actions as illegal — a view echoed by the opposition Democratic Party — but rather from within hisownsupportbase,the“Make America Great Again” coalition. Akeyelementthatpropelled As Iran reaches out to India, 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, TehranreachedouttoDelhi,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 diplomacy”. “SpokewithPresidentof Iran @drpezeshkian.Wediscussedin detail about the current situation. Expressed deep concern at therecentescalations.Reiterated ourcallforimmediatede-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as PM Narendra Modi; (right) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” Modi said. This was the first call between Modi and Pezeshkian since the start of the conflict. Israel has been in touch with India — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Modi, and Israel’s Foreign CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 India wary about Iran’s n-project: Voted against in 2005, abstained in 2024 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addresses reporters in Istanbul on Sunday. AP SHUBHAJIT ROY 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 Middle East. Throughout his campaign, Trump promised to be a “peace president”,pledgingtoavoidmilitary entanglements abroad. His ALMOST 20 years after India voted against Iran’s nuclear programmeforthefirsttime,Delhi’s careful balancing act — between IsraelandtheUSononesideand 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 apparent then. On September 24, E EXPLAINED DAVID RISING, JON GAMBRELL & FARNOUSH AMIRI HERVÉ DELPHIN Tehran to decide on Hormuz closure T U R K M E N I STA N IRAQ EU AMBASSADOR TO INDIA U.S.CROSSEDVERYBIGREDLINE:IRAN; US enters war, bombs Iran n-sites IRAN ‘EU-India is not just a relationship, it’s become a tangible commodity’ `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 COMPLETELY OBLITERATEDIRAN’S 89 REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES 23/06/2025 ● calculationappearstobethatthe strikeonIranwouldbeswiftand decisive and that Tehran would comply with his demands. But recent American history suggests it is far easier to start a war than to end one. The enemy, after all, has a say in when — and whether — it ends. Trump is betting that Iran is too weak to mount a significant response or CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 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. ThiswasthetimewhenIndia had just started negotiating its CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Sariska’s Critical Tiger Habitat to be Priest, not officials, All 3 attackers from Pak, says NIA involved in birthday redrawn, over 50 mines may benefit after 2 held for ‘sheltering’ terrorists gathering at temple in THE PROPOSED PLAN Ranthambore: NTCA APRIL 22 PAHALGAM ATTACK MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 THEARRESTof twoKashmirresidents for allegedly harbouring terrorists who carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack has led the National Investigation Agency(NIA)toconcludethatall three attackers 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 terror attack killed 26 civilians, most of them tourists. File 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. Sources said one of the attackers is believed to be Suleiman Shah, who was involvedinthekillingof sevenemployees of a firm constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway on October 20 last year. His co-accused from the attack, Junaid Ramzan Bhat, was killed on December 4 in a gunfight with the J&K police. Police had recovered a photo of Junaid with three other militants from his phone. This photo was widely circulated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and, sourcessaid,wasusedbytheJ&K police as the basis for the sketches. During the investigation, the central agencies and the NIA showeddifferentpicturesrecovered from Junaid’s phone to the two arrested locals, who then CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 JAY MAZOOMDAAR SARISKA, JAIPUR, NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 Central team for strict enforcement of deadline to exit tiger reserve NIKHIL GHANEKAR NEW DELHI, JUNE 22 OFFICIALS OF Rajasthan's Ranthamboretigerreservewere not involved in organising a birthday party on April 4 at the Trinetra Ganesh Temple inside the Ranthambore Fort, a Central inquiry team is learnt to have informed the National Tiger Conservation Authority, adding that the gathering involved the temple’s priest and his family members. Thethree-memberteamwas formed to inquire into Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal The inquiry was based on Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena’s complaint Meena’scomplainttotheCentre. He had alleged that a “birthday party” was held at the ancient CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 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 newCTHboundarieswillretreat in multiple stretches, putting these mines outside the onekilometre zone from the boundary, where mining and other activity is prohibited. The Rajasthan government’s proposal has identified mostly hilly parcels, adding up to 48.39 sq km, as “peripheral degraded areas affected by human activities” that can be excluded from the CTH. To compensate, 90.91 sq km of “quality tiger habitat” in the Sariska buffer will be Proposed south-western limits of Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) AreasexcludedfromCTH Miningblockstobebeyond 1-kmfromnewCTHlimits 1. Shyampura 2. Samra 3. Baldevgarh 4. Palpur 5. Mallana 6. Gordhanpura added to the CTH. “Theseareasmovedfromthe CTH to the buffer will not be part of thesanctuaryornationalpark. This conversion will help foster cordial relations between the local community and the tiger reserve management,” the proposal said. However, two senior Rajasthan forest officers who served in Sariska said that excluding these peripheral hills would cut off the tiger reserve’s internal connectivity. “The geometry is such that Sariskastandsontwoasymmetricallegsinthesouth.Thefingershaped hills are not dispensable, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Amid Govt’s plan, fear at Auroville: Turning into ‘bureaucratic hostel’ PAGE 1 ANCHOR ARUN JANARDHANAN CHENNAI, JUNE 22 THE BULLDOZERS arrived in Auroville in 2021 to fell trees for theexperimentaltownship’sdevelopment. The Centre’s plan was to implement the circular Crown Road project through the Auroville Foundation and its governing board. Ever since, however, Auroville’s long-time residents have been complaining that the township’s government-appointed administrators are indulging in “methodical erosion” of its founding ideals. The project, the residents allege, marked “the beginning of the Centre’s growing control over Auroville”, with many Aurovillians having leftoverthepasttwo-threeyears —eitherontheirownorafterbeing told to leave. “The real challenge today is thattheFoundation’sofficedoes not seem to recognise the spirit in which Aurovillians have dedicated their lives to this township,” says Aravinda Maheshwari,75,anAurovilleresident who belongs to Uttar Pradesh’sMathura.“Formanyof us,Aurovilleisnotaboutpersonal gains, but a collective dream.” Founded in 1968, Auroville is spread over 3,930 acres in Tamil Nadu’s Viluppuram district. Though most of it lies in Tamil Nadu, some parts fall in the UT of Puducherry. Its residents say it was never meant to be an ashram or a gated retreat for tourists, but simply a “bold experiment in living”. Though Auroville was under theguidanceof itsfounderMirra Alfassa, fondly called Mother from 1968-1973, the Centre in 1988 passed the Auroville Foundation Act, which introduced a three-tier governance model in the township — a Residents’ Assembly with Aurovillians, a governing board with appointed experts to oversee policy; and an international advisory. While a governmentappointedsecretarycoordinates administration, the Foundation Frederick Schulze-Buxloh, a German who is one of Auroville’s founding members; (right) Satprem Maini, the founder of Auroville’s Earth Institute. Arun Janardhanan owns Auroville’s assets, handles resident registration and manages visa. The township currently has over 3,000 residents from more than 60 countries, with foreign- ers making up a significant portionof itspopulation.Tobecome an Aurovillian, one must attend orientation in the township and apply with letters of support. “Theyliveasa‘newcomer’for atleastayear.Foreignersneedto apply for an X-2 special entry visa and not a tourist visa. The X2 visa is valid for a year and can be renewed periodically, provided the visa holder meets all requirements,” says a resident. The Crown Road project is a part of Auroville’s larger Master Plan, which authorities say is based on Mother’s ‘Galaxy Plan’. The Master Plan includes the structured development of the Crown Road, four functional zones and a central Peace Area around the Matrimandir, Auroville’sgoldensphere-shaped spiritualcentrethatnowrequires visitors to buy an entry ticket. Commenting on the Matrimandir entry ticket, an Auroville resident of 40 years remarks, “The symbols are on display — but the soul is being lost.” Though the Master Plan emphasisessustainabilityandunity, residents are worried about the government’s “rigid and topheavy approach” as far as the Crown Road project is concerned. While a series of tenders and assignments were issued in 2021, projects started actively in 2022. So far, contracts worth over Rs 20 crore were handed to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), a depart- ment under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, to build the Crown Road as a “perfect circle” inside Auroville. “This road should follow the terrain and not be bulldozed. A perfect circle is a mathematical idea — not a living one,” says a resident. A resident who grew up in the township says the ongoing construction at Auroville makes the place “feel more like a bureaucratic hostel”. Reflecting the worry is the fact that over 300 Aurovillians have left the township over the past two-three years, according to dozens of residents The Indian Express spoke to. Residents say over 150 visa renewal requests CONTINUED ON PAGE 2