Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to drag the United States into "disaster" in the Middle East, warning against any attempt to attack Iran.
"Netanyahu is directly MEDDLING within the US government to DRAG it into another DISASTER in our region," Araghchi said on X, warning against "ANY mistake against Iran."
Araghchi also accused Netanyahu of "attempting to brazenly DICTATE what President (Donald) Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran."
Iran's top diplomat cited US support for Israel in its war in Gaza against Palestinian militant group Hamas.
It also referred to the US retaliatory strikes against the Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen, who have been targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war.
"LETHAL support for Netanyahu's genocide in Gaza and waging WAR on behalf of Netanyahu in Yemen have achieved NOTHING for the American people," he said.
On Sunday, Netanyahu blamed Iran and vowed retaliation after the Huthis launched a missile that struck in the area of Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport.
Iran denied any role in the attack.
Nuclear Talks
Araghchi's remarks also came after the postponement of the latest round of nuclear talks with the US, which were scheduled for Saturday, with mediator Oman citing "logistical reasons."
The two countries have held three rounds of discussions since April 12, their highest-level contact since Washington withdrew from a landmark deal with Tehran in 2018, during Trump's first term as US president.
Netanyahu has called for dismantling Iran's nuclear program, saying a credible deal must "remove Iran's capacity to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons" and prevent the development of ballistic missiles.
On Sunday, Trump said he would only accept "the total dismantlement" of Iran's nuclear program but also signaled openness to discussing one for civilian use.
"Now, there's a new theory going out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian -- meaning to make electricity," he told NBC News, adding that he "would be open to hearing" the argument.
On Monday, Araghchi urged the US to move away from "unrealistic and illogical" positions in order to reach a deal.
In a phone call with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Araghchi said Tehran is capable of addressing concerns "related to the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons," noting that "reaching an agreement is fully within reach."
The Iranian foreign minister also expressed Tehran's willingness to resume diplomatic talks with Britain, France, and Germany, all parties to the collapsed 2015 nuclear deal.
Western countries have accused Tehran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon, but it has consistently denied the allegations.
Araghchi said earlier Monday that if the goal was for Iran to not have a nuclear weapon, "a deal is achievable and there is only ONE PATH to achieve it: DIPLOMACY based on MUTUAL RESPECT and MUTUAL INTERESTS."
AFP
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