Iran says US behind Israeli aggression, will consult Russia

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned US strikes on nuclear sites Sunday, saying in his first response that the attack revealed Washington was behind Israel’s military campaign in the Islamic republic.

“This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said, according to IRNA news agency, adding that the United States acted after seeing Israel’s “obvious inability”.

CAN’T RETURN TO DIPLOMACY

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran reserves all options to defend its security, adding that Tehran could not return to diplomacy while under attack by Israel and the United States, and would consult with Russia on Monday.

Read more: US attack on Iran: China, Russia, Turkiye see alarming fallout

“The US showed they have no respect for international law. They only understand the language of threat and force,” Araqchi said. He added that Tehran has to respond based on its rights before diplomacy can be reconsidered.

The Iranian foreign minister said he would fly to Russia, with whom Iran has a strategic partnership, and consult with President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

THEY ARE NOT MEN OF DIPLOMACY

Moreover, Araghchi reminded the reporters that Iran was in the middle of talks and negotiations with European countries two days ago when the US “betrayed” diplomacy.

“We were in the middle of diplomacy. We were in the middle of talks with the United States when Israelis blew it up,” Araghchi said, referring to Tel Aviv’s June 13 strikes.

“And again, we were in the middle of talks and negotiation with Europeans [that] happened only two days ago in Geneva, when this time, Americans decided to blow it up.”

Asked what the conditions would be for Iran to come back to the negotiation, the minister said it was “irrelevant” to ask Iran to return to diplomacy.

“It was not Iran, but the US that betrayed diplomacy. They betrayed negotiations.”

“I think they have proved that they are not men of diplomacy, and they only understand the language of threat and force. And this is very unfortunate.”