nuclear talks

Iran has declared that prospective nuclear negotiations with the United States are now “meaningless” following what it describes as Israel’s largest-ever military strike on its territory.

However, Tehran has yet to make a final decision on whether it will attend a sixth round of planned talks in Oman on Sunday, 15 June. Speaking to state media, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated: “The other side acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime to target Iran’s territory.”

The remarks follow overnight Israeli strikes on 13 June targeting Iranian sites reportedly linked to its nuclear programme. Israel justified the action by asserting its right to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities. Tehran responded within 18 hours by launching ballistic missiles towards Israeli territory.

Baghaei said Iran had not yet made a final decision on whether to attend the upcoming talks in Muscat, but suggested that the diplomatic process had been seriously undermined. “It is still unclear what decision we will make on Sunday in this regard,” he told Iranian media, adding that “Israel succeeded in influencing the diplomatic track,” and that the attack “would not have happened without Washington’s permission.”

Iran has long accused the United States of tacitly enabling Israeli military operations, a claim Washington firmly rejects. At the United Nations Security Council, US officials reiterated that the administration was not involved in authorising the Israeli strikes and urged Iran to return to negotiations. A US representative stated that it would be “wise” for Tehran to engage diplomatically over its nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration had prior knowledge of the Israeli strikes. Nonetheless, he maintained that a negotiated settlement remained possible. “There’s still room for a deal,” Trump said, reiterating his view that an agreement would benefit both Iran and the wider region. He has made the pursuit of a new nuclear accord with Tehran a feature of his foreign policy platform ahead of the November election.

European capitals have reacted with concern to the escalation. France has called on both Iran and Israel to exercise restraint and return to diplomatic engagement. German officials issued similar statements urging de-escalation and reaffirming support for a negotiated resolution to nuclear tensions in the region.

The strikes and counterstrikes come amid broader instability in the Middle East, with parallel tensions involving Hezbollah, Houthi forces, and armed groups in Syria. Observers fear that the collapse of US-Iran nuclear diplomacy could accelerate a regional arms race and increase the risk of direct confrontation between state actors.

The sixth round of nuclear talks, expected to take place in Oman, had been viewed as a potential breakthrough after months of stagnation. The negotiations were aimed at finding a path back to compliance with key elements of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the US withdrew from in 2018 under Trump’s first term. Iran insists its nuclear programme is strictly for civilian energy purposes and denies Israeli claims that it is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Despite sharp rhetoric, Iran has not formally withdrawn from the diplomatic process. Tehran’s final decision on attendance in Muscat may depend on further developments in the coming hours and on the level of international pressure for restraint.