Iran is questioning its 鈥渢rust鈥 in the US to engage in nuclear talks as Tehran has refused to restart negotiations until Israel halts its attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused the Trump administration of using nuclear negotiations as a cover for Israel鈥檚 airstrikes on the country鈥檚 nuclear program, claiming the attacks came just two days before a new round of talks between US and Iranian officials were set to start.
鈥淪o they had perhaps this plan in their mind, and they just needed negotiations perhaps to cover it up,鈥 Araqchi said Friday in an interview with NBC News.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know how we can trust them anymore. What they did was, in fact, a betrayal of diplomacy.鈥
He vowed that negotiations would cease as long as Israel鈥檚 鈥渁ggression continues,鈥 flatly rejecting Trump鈥檚 demands to scrap its uranium enrichment and balking at his 鈥渢wo week鈥 deadline to reach a deal.
鈥淚 told him several times zero enrichment is impossible,鈥 Araqui said of his meetings with special envoy Steve Witkoff, who he accused of contributing to a 鈥渓ack of confidence鈥 between the two nations.
He later called Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program a scientific 鈥渁chievement鈥 and a source of 鈥減ride and dignity,鈥 insisting that even if it were bombed and destroyed, Iran would rebuild it using the knowledge and technology it has amassed over the years.
But Araqchi said US officials could resolve the issue with a single phone call to Tel Aviv to halt the attacks.
鈥淭hey can stop this process very quickly, and then we will consider diplomacy again,鈥 he told reporter Andrea Mitchell during the sit-down.
鈥淭hey have asked us to negotiate, but we negotiate only when it is negotiation and not dictation.鈥
Israel began its attack on Iran last Friday by taking out its top nuclear scientists and military officials responsible for the country鈥檚 nuclear enrichment program.
President Trump earlier this week spent days behind closed doors vacillating between negotiating a deal with Iran to limit its uranium enrichment and potentially joining Israel in bombing Tehran鈥檚 nuclear facilities.
The president said Thursday he鈥檇 make a final decision within the 鈥渘ext two weeks鈥 as he still holds out hope for renewed negotiations over Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program.
Araqchi warned that if the US joins Israel in launching an attack on Iran, the country will strike back.
鈥淲hen there is a war, both sides attack each other. That鈥檚 quite understandable. And self-defense is a legitimate right of every country,鈥 he said.
鈥淚f the US joins Israel in these attacks, we will do the same.鈥