TEHRAN, Jul 1 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry, yesterday, accused the United States of “betraying” diplomacy, claiming Washington’s alleged role in recent Israeli military strikes threatens the future of indirect nuclear negotiations.
At a weekly press conference in Tehran, ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, said, the U.S. encouraged an Israeli attack that occurred just two days before a planned sixth round of talks between Iran and the U.S., brokered by Oman.
Baghaei said that, the U.S. betrayed a diplomatic process, adding that, “it really cannot be expected that, this fact does not affect the continuation of the negotiations.”
He also rejected U.S. allegations that, Iran was not serious about the talks, calling them “baseless,” a pretext to justify the strikes.
The nuclear negotiations, which have proceeded through five indirect rounds since Apr, were suspended after Israeli airstrikes targeted Tehran and other locations. On Jun 22, the U.S. Air Force bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities. In retaliation, Iran launched a strike on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts U.S. forces.
A ceasefire between Iran and Israel was reached on Jun 24, ending 12 days of hostilities.
Baghaei also criticised Germany and France, for backing Israel, singling out remarks by German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who described Israel’s actions as, “the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us.” Baghaei said, the statement would bring “historic and eternal shame upon Germany.”– NNN-IRNA
