Saturday June 14, 2025|
Tehran has labelled ongoing diplomatic engagement with the United States over its nuclear programme as “meaningless” following Israel’s largest-ever military assault on Iranian targets. The statement, carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, reflects growing tensions in the aftermath of the airstrikes, which Iran says were carried out with US backing.
“The other side (the US) acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. “You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime (Israel) to target Iran’s territory.”
Baghaei further accused Israel of deliberately sabotaging the diplomatic process, alleging the attack could not have happened without Washington’s consent. “Israel succeeded in influencing the process,” he said.
These statements come just days before a scheduled sixth round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations in Muscat. It remains unclear whether the talks, planned for Sunday, will proceed in light of the recent escalation.
Washington has denied any involvement in the Israeli strikes and reiterated its call for diplomacy. At a recent United Nations Security Council meeting, US representatives said it would be “wise” for Tehran to return to negotiations.
Despite accusations from Israel and others, Iran continues to maintain that its uranium enrichment programme is entirely for peaceful, civilian purposes. Tehran has consistently rejected allegations that it is developing nuclear weapons in secret.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that his administration had advance knowledge of the Israeli strikes but insisted that an agreement with Iran was still possible.
The latest developments mark a significant setback for diplomatic efforts aimed at easing nuclear tensions in the region, and cast doubt on the future of US-Iran talks.
