Caracas, July 3: Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said that the earthquakes had killed 2,595 people and injured more than 12,000 others, and destroyed 189 buildings in the country.

Rodriguez, who also heads the command centre for the creation of temporary camps, earlier called on health workers, security personnel and firefighters to register on the Patria platform in order to address housing problems caused by the earthquakes.

He said 25 temporary camps were active, including 13 in La Guaira, eight in Caracas, two in Miranda, one in Carabobo and one in Yaracuy.

Rodriguez said authorities were moving quickly to equip the camps and transfer affected people there.

Since June 24, Venezuela has recorded 782 aftershocks, though their frequency and magnitude have decreased, he said.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez has declared seven days of national mourning in tribute to the victims of the powerful earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

“In honour of the memory of the victims, I have decided to decree National Mourning for seven (7) days, starting at 6:00 p.m. today,” Rodriguez wrote in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday (local time).

She said that “in these moments of profound sadness, we embrace those who suffer from this tragedy and reaffirm our commitment to accompany and protect them.”

“Venezuela’s soul is torn by the human losses caused by the devastating earthquakes,” Rodriguez added.

Two earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 struck north of Caracas last week. Authorities said that tens of thousands still missing.

Earlier on Thursday, Rodriguez has declared seven days of national mourning in tribute to the victims of the powerful earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

“In honour of the memory of the victims, I have decided to decree National Mourning for seven (7) days, starting at 6:00 p.m. today,” Rodriguez wrote in a statement posted on social media on Wednesday (local time).

She said that “in these moments of profound sadness, we embrace those who suffer from this tragedy and reaffirm our commitment to accompany and protect them.”

Washington, July 3: US President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to “just about everything we need” in negotiations over its nuclear programme, while insisting that Tehran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Trump said his administration remained focused on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and expressed confidence that ongoing negotiations were moving in Washington’s favour.

“We’re negotiating, and we’ll see whether or not. I think they’ve agreed to just about everything we need,” Trump said.

He described the US objective as “the denuking of Iran” rather than a conventional military campaign.

“This is the denuking of Iran. You can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

Asked whether he was seeking regime change in Tehran, Trump said that was not his goal.

“I’m not looking for regime change. I’m looking for something very simple. They cannot have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump said US military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities since he returned to office.

“I’ve defeated them militarily. They’re totally defeated militarily. They have some missiles left, we could wipe them out too.”

He said the United States had carried out repeated strikes in response to Iranian actions.

“I hit them three times last week very hard, because they sent a drone into a ship. I hit them. Then they did something else, and I hit them. I hit them three nights in a row, the week before I hit them two nights in a row, very hard.”

Trump also said the United States had enforced what he described as a naval blockade to increase pressure on Tehran.

“I did a blockade that was essentially not a blockade, it was a wall of steel. We have the great Navy, the greatest navy in the world. Not one ship got through to Iran.”

He argued that the campaign had sharply reduced Iran’s economic strength.

“They have 300 per cent inflation, they’re making no money.”

Trump said Washington could eventually become a supplier of agricultural products to Iran if negotiations produced an agreement.

“We’re going to take some of the money, and we’re going to buy them. They need food. They need corn, and wheat, and soybeans, and we’re going to have exclusively our American farmers provide that. Assuming we get to the position where we should get to.”

The President also defended his administration’s handling of the Strait of Hormuz, saying US naval operations helped prevent a sharp rise in global oil prices.

“Every night, we were taking ships out through the South… We escorted them out, and nobody knew.”

Trump said maintaining oil supplies was essential to preventing a global economic shock.

Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful civilian purposes, while the United States and several Western countries have long sought to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Washington, July 2: US Vice President JD Vance said that negotiations with Iran in Doha were “going well”, while warning that President Donald Trump would not hesitate to use military force again if Tehran resumed its nuclear programme or attacked commercial shipping.

Speaking to reporters before departing aboard Air Force Two after visiting Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia on Wednesday (local time), Vance said negotiators from the United States, Iran, Qatar and other countries were discussing the next steps following recent US military action against Iranian targets.

“Right now the negotiators are sitting down with the Iranians, with the Qataris and with others in Doha,” Vance said. “Right now the talks are going well. It’s still pretty early, but talks are going well.”

He said the immediate focus was to ensure commercial shipping continued moving safely through the region.

“Commercial traffic really does… It’s already started in an amazing direction. We’ve got now oil at $68. We’ve got gas prices starting to come down,” he said. “We’re worried about the nuclear issue. We’re going to start talking about that.”

Vance said the Trump administration would continue negotiations but maintained that military options remained available if Iran reversed course.

“What I can commit to is the President’s not going to send our military back in unless he has to, unless there’s a clearly defined purpose for it,” he said.

“If they try to rebuild their nuclear programme, if they try to start shooting at commercial vessels again, that’s going to change our calculus.”

He added that Trump had instructed his team to pursue diplomacy from what he described as a position of strength.

“What the President has said is go and make a deal, go and negotiate in good faith, and that’s what he’s empowered us to do,” Vance said.

Asked about divisions within the Iranian leadership, Vance said there appeared to be growing support inside Tehran for improving relations with the West and neighbouring Gulf states.

“In the Iranian system, like a lot of places, you’ve got people who actually recognise the last 47 years of their government has been a mistake and that they need to change their relationship with the United States, with Europe, with the Gulf Arab countries,” he said.

“And then you’ve got a few people who are still kind of attached to the old ways.”

He said Washington believed “we see a lot of momentum for the people who are trying to turn over a new leaf” and would therefore continue giving diplomacy “as much of a chance to succeed as possible.”

However, he reiterated that any attempt by Iran to restart sensitive nuclear activities or restrict international monitoring would trigger a different US response.

“If they try to rebuild that nuclear programme, if they refuse to let inspections in, if they… resume shooting at commercial vessels… then obviously, the President still has a lot of options on the table,” he said.

Vance also declined to speculate about the 2028 presidential election after being asked about comments from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

“I don’t think much about 2028,” he said. “My attitude is let’s do a good job now. Let’s continue to try to bank some wins for the American people. We can worry about the future when the future comes.”

On the Supreme Court, Vance said he believed Justice Amy Coney Barrett had “made a mistake” in a recent birthright citizenship ruling, adding that “sometimes the Supreme Court makes mistakes” and that the administration would “try to correct that mistake.”

He also dismissed speculation over a possible retirement by Justice Samuel Alito, saying any decision would rest entirely with the justice.

The Doha negotiations follow recent US military strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities ordered by President Trump after tensions escalated in the Gulf. The administration has since shifted its focus to diplomacy, with Qatar playing a key mediating role between Washington and Tehran.

The talks come amid broader international efforts to reduce tensions in the region, restore confidence in maritime security and prevent further escalation over Iran’s nuclear programme. The United States has maintained that diplomacy remains its preferred course but insists it will act if Iran resumes activities it considers a threat to regional or global security.