On the eve of European talks with Iran over its nuclear program, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Thursday after meeting high-level US officials that there is still time to reach a diplomatic solution with Tehran.

Lammy met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff at the White House, before talks on Friday in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi alongside his French, German and EU counterparts.

"The situation in the Middle East remains perilous," Lammy said in a statement released by the UK embassy in Washington.

"We discussed how Iran must make a deal to avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution," Lammy said.

Leaders take part in a rally in Caracas against Israel's attacks on Iran, in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Venezuela's Minister of Interior Relations, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello, Palestine Ambassador to Venezuela, Fadi Alzaben, and Iran's ambassador to Venezuela, Ali Chegini took part in the protest to also call for world peace.

Photo: AFP

Venezuela's Minister of Interior Relations, Justice and Peace, Diosdado Cabello. Photo: AFP

The Israeli army said Friday sirens had sounded in southern Israel after missiles were fired from Iran.

"Sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the military said on Telegram, adding it was working to intercept them.

European foreign ministers will hold talks Friday with their Iranian counterpart, hoping to reach a diplomatic solution to the war with Israel as US President Donald Trump mulls the prospect of US involvement.

Israel, claiming Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, launched air strikes against its arch-enemy a week ago, triggering deadly exchanges.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sworn Iran will "pay a heavy price" for a strike on an Israeli hospital on Thursday, an attack Tehran said was targeting a military and intelligence base.

European leaders urging de-escalation have scrambled to hold talks with Iran, as Trump said he would decide "within the next two weeks" whether to involve the United States in Israel's bombing campaign.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with his French, German, British and EU counterparts in Geneva on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear programme.

Khaleej Times is back this morning with the latest developments as the Israel-Iran conflict enters its eighth day.

For detailed coverage of the ongoing attacks between the two nations, check out our blog from June 13 here, and our updates from Day 7 of the conflict here.