In a sharp rebuke on Friday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei declared talks with the U.S. over Tehran’s nuclear program "meaningless" after Israel’s largest-ever military strike against its territory.
"You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime to target Iran’s territory," Baghaei told Tasnim News Agency, accusing Washington of supporting the operation.
Baghaei added that Israel "succeeded in influencing" the diplomatic process and that such an attack "would not have happened without U.S. permission."
Washington denied any complicity, telling the United Nations Security Council that it remains "wise" for Tehran to negotiate on its uranium enrichment program, which Iran insists is solely for civilian use.
The sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks was set to open this Sunday in Muscat, but Israel’s strike has cast doubt on whether the session will proceed as planned.
Despite rising tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters he and his team had anticipated Israel’s move but still see "room for an accord" with Tehran.
All eyes now turn to Muscat: can diplomacy overcome the fallout of this strike, or will regional conflicts derail the path to resolution?
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Iran says nuclear talks with U.S. 'meaningless' after Israel attack
cgtn.com
