šØIran Calls Nuclear Talks With U.S. āMeaninglessā After Israeli Attack
Iran has slammed the door on continued nuclear talks with the United States, calling the negotiations "meaningless" in the wake of what it described as Israelās most extensive military assault yet on Iranian territory.
Speaking to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Washingtonās stance was contradictory and unacceptable.
"You cannot claim to seek negotiations while giving a green light to the Zionist regime to strike our territory," Baghaei said, directly accusing the U.S. of enabling the Israeli attack. "The other side acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless."
The remarks follow a dramatic escalation in tensions after Israel carried out a large-scale military strike on Iran, its longtime adversary. Tehran has claimed that the assault could not have occurred without U.S. approval, alleging that Israel was emboldened by Washingtonās backing.
āThe Zionist regime succeeded in influencing the diplomatic process,ā Baghaei added.
While Iran has repeatedly denied that its uranium enrichment program is for anything other than peaceful, civilian use, Israel has long insisted that Tehran is secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. These long-standing accusations have further strained an already volatile region.
Earlier this week, Iran accused the U.S. of complicity in Israelās actions ā a charge Washington denied at a United Nations Security Council meeting. U.S. representatives urged Iran to return to the negotiating table, saying it would be "wise" to pursue diplomacy.
A sixth round of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran had been scheduled for Sunday in Muscat, Oman. But with tensions flaring and diplomatic trust rapidly eroding, it's uncertain whether the meeting will go ahead.
Despite the unfolding crisis, former U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters that his administration had been aware of Israelās plans in advance. Still, he said, āthereās always room for an agreement.ā