Iran retaliated against Israel for attacking its nuclear and missile sites
Is Iran interested in the future of the U.S. nuclear program? Israeli air force response to the attacks in the early morning of Saturday
Following Israel’s initial attacks, the country said its air force conducted “a large-scale strike” against Iranian air defenses in the west of Iran. It said the strikes destroyed dozens of radars and missile launchers.
Air raid sirens and announcements from mosques instructed Jordanians to seek shelter. The government of Jordan, which neighbors Israel, said it had intercepted several missiles and drones overflying the country Friday morning.
Israel has had concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. Netanyahu made a speech justifying the attacks as a fight for the country’s survival.
Iran is in violation of non-proliferation agreements aimed at stopping the spread of atomic weapons, the IAEA said this week. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes.
Iran appeared to adopt an ambiguous stance on Saturday toward further negotiations with the United States over the future of its nuclear program, calling the talks “meaningless” while also suggesting that a final decision on whether to participate was still pending.
A sixth round of talks between the US and Iran was anticipated to take place on Sunday in the sultanate of Oman. It was thrown into question by the Israeli airstrikes that began on Friday and continued on Saturday, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, top military commanders and senior nuclear program officials.
“It is still unclear what decision we will make for Sunday,” Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by Iran’s state news media.
Iranian participation in the talks would be suspended until Israel stops its attacks, Mr. Baghaei said at a news conference in Tehran on Saturday.
He said that Israel had a constant desire to cause trouble in the western world. It seems that it has succeeded this time as well, and that it has influenced a diplomatic process. This actually shows that American policymakers are still heavily affected and influenced by this regime.”
Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of the Supreme National Council, was one of the Iranian figures killed by Israel.
Although Washington has denied their involvement, Mr. Baghaei thinks that Israel might have acted without the consent of the Americans.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tells the Security Council: ‘Is Iran wise to negotiate at this time?’
A senior State Department official told the United Nations Security Council on Friday that Iran would be wise to negotiate at this time.
The president wrote on his social media that if Iran did not make a deal, more brutal attacks were in store. Iran has denied seeking to develop nuclear weapons.