Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a sharp rebuke ahead of a scheduled press conference at noon (GMT+3) in Istanbul on Sunday, accusing both the United States and Israel of deliberately sabotaging diplomatic efforts.

‘Who is blowing up diplomacy?’

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Araghchi wrote: “Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy. What conclusion would you draw?”

He added a pointed criticism of Western demands for Iranian compliance:

“To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran that must ‘return’ to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?”

The remarks come amid escalating regional tensions and widespread condemnation of recent US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which Tehran says violated international law.

Araghchi is expected to further elaborate on Iran’s position during the upcoming press briefing.

US strikes Iranian nuclear facilities overnight

In a major escalation of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, the United States launched airstrikes overnight, targeting three key Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

Former President Donald Trump announced the operation early Saturday via his Truth Social account, calling it a “very successful attack.”

According to Trump, B-2 stealth bombers were involved in the mission, with a full payload of bunker-buster bombs dropped on the heavily fortified Fordow site. He also claimed that all U.S. aircraft had exited Iranian airspace safely following the mission.

While U.S. defense officials have yet to issue an official statement, the strikes represent Washington’s direct military engagement against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

The Fordow facility, in particular, is considered one of Iran’s most secure underground enrichment sites, located near the city of Qom.

June 22, 2025 12:06 PM GMT+03:00