Iran warned Tuesday of destructive pressure on diplomacy ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington. Officials said the trip could affect sensitive nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. The talks recently resumed after months of tension and regional conflict.
Iran’s foreign ministry said the United States is the sole negotiating partner and must act independently. It accused Israel of undermining diplomacy that could bring peace to the region. Officials described Israel as a consistent saboteur of political dialogue.
Read more: Iran’s top adviser Larijani to visit Oman after U.S. talks
Meanwhile, Iran and the United States restarted talks in Oman after negotiations collapsed last year. The collapse followed Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran in June, which triggered a twelve-day war. Israel struck senior military leaders, nuclear scientists, nuclear sites, and residential areas.
Later, the United States joined the conflict by attacking major Iranian nuclear facilities. In response, Iran launched missile and drone strikes toward Israel and hit a major US military base in Qatar. Officials said these events strongly shaped Iran’s current diplomatic stance.
Read more: Iran FM looks to more nuclear talks, but warns US against any attack
Iran said negotiations will strictly focus on the nuclear file in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel insists any deal should also limit Iran’s missiles and regional allies. Finally, Tehran blamed recent deadly protests on foreign interference following economic unrest.