Evening recap

Our live blog will shortly be closing until tomorrow morning.

Here are the day’s key developments:

– In an unusual move on Wednesday, CIA director John Ratcliffe released a statement confirming that the US strikes on Iran’s three nuclear sites last week “severely damaged” the facilities. This follows US media reports that US intelligence assessments found the strikes only set Iran back a few months – reporting which infuriated US President Donald Trump.

– French President Emmanuel Macron said France is conducting its own assessments of the damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities inflicted by US and Israeli air strikes, though he did not specify how. 

– Trump said that his administration plans to resume talks with Iran next week, but he doesn’t care if a nuclear agreement is signed because Iran’s facilities have been “blown up to kingdom come”.

– Trump acknowledged that “Israel was hit really hard, especially in the last couple of days. Those ballistic missiles, boy, they took out a lot of buildings.”

– Trump also compared his attacks on Iran’s nuclear programme to the bombing of Hiroshima, as Nato leaders praised him as a “man of peace” at the alliance’s summit.

– Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday the gradual easing of internet restrictions imposed during Israel’s 12-day war on the country, following the implementation of a ceasefire between the longtime foes.