“The attack on Iran by the United States and the Zionist regime was a betrayal of diplomacy. This attack cost the international community dearly, because negotiations can no longer be trusted, because this attack was carried out while negotiations between Iran and the United States were ongoing,” Esmail Baghai said at an international conference entitled “International Law Under Attack: Aggression and Defense” held in Tehran on Sunday.
Baghai made the remarks in response to a question about whether a nuclear deal between Iran and the United States is possible. “The simple answer to this question is, yes, we were negotiating (with Oman’s mediation), but an illegal attack against Iran took place just two days before the sixth round of negotiations,” he said.
The spokesperson added: “While there is evidence that the United States was not serious about these talks, we should have continued them and maintained a professional approach. The actions of Israel and the United States were not just a use of force, but also a betrayal of international principles.”
Iran and the United States held five rounds of indirect talks regarding Iran’s nuclear program before Israel launched a war against the Islamic Republic, including an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Brokered by Oman, the sixth round of talks was scheduled to be held in Muscat, but was canceled due to Israeli attacks.
The invasion left more than 1,000 people dead, including many senior Islamic Republic military officials and commanders.
Instead of condemning the act of terrorism, the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities, an act the Iranian government described as a betrayal of diplomacy.
Iran called on the United States and Europe to show good faith if they want to restore trust with Iran, stressing that they must respect the rights of the Islamic Republic and stop making excessive demands.
MNA