Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States “unjustifiable” in light of what Tehran calls “barbaric” Israeli military strikes. The strongly worded statement, reported by Iranian state media, casts serious doubt on the sixth round of nuclear talks that was scheduled for Sunday in Oman. The warning follows what Iran describes as the most aggressive Israeli attack to date, prompting Tehran to question the legitimacy of continuing dialogue with Washington.
Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the U.S. of enabling Israel’s military campaign, stating, “You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time allow the Zionist regime to attack Iranian territory.” Iran’s government condemned the nuclear discussions as “meaningless,” alleging direct U.S. complicity in Israeli aggression. However, Washington has denied the accusations and urged Tehran at the United Nations Security Council to resume talks, suggesting that a diplomatic solution remains viable.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump escalated tensions further by praising Israel’s strikes as “excellent,” calling the conflict a “second chance” for Iranian leadership to avoid total destruction. He warned Tehran that any escalation could provoke unprecedented military retaliation, referencing the advanced weaponry supplied to Israel by the U.S. Trump also criticized Iran’s refusal to accept proposals related to uranium enrichment, reiterating that Israeli operations would continue if Iran posed a nuclear threat.
Despite these developments, public sentiment within Iran appears defiant. Hamed Mousavi, a political science professor at Tehran University, told Al Jazeera that many Iranians see negotiations as pointless under current conditions. “The Israelis essentially destroyed the diplomatic pathway, and what’s surprising is the full coordination between the U.S. and Israel,” he noted. Mousavi added that expectations of unrest in Tehran have not materialized, stating, “The mood is defiant. There’s no significant support for Israeli actions among the Iranian public.”
