MERZ said Europeans recognise they must take on greater responsibilities within the NATO framework and are acting accordingly.

On June 18 in Beijing, Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Lecheng met Canadian Industry Minister Melanie Joly to discuss deepening China-Canada industrial cooperation. Li said the ministry will step up policy exchanges, leverage each country’s industrial strengths and encourage and support firm-to-firm linkages to expand practical cooperation. Joly said Canada is willing to work with China to create favourable conditions for mutually beneficial industrial cooperation and to advance bilateral ties.

Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei said he has approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. president after initially opposing it, following assurances from Iran’s president—head of the Supreme National Security Council—that Tehran will protect the interests of the Iranian people and the resistance front and that he will assume responsibility. Khamenei said the U.S. used leverage out of desperation, that Tehran will reject any excessive U.S. demands, and that it will wait to see implementation of agreed conditions; he stressed future face‑to‑face negotiations do not imply acceptance of the enemy’s positions.