EPA-EFE/ShutterstockIran has said it will not resume talks over its nuclear programme while under attack, hours after Israel’s defence minister warned of “prolonged” conflict against the Islamic republic.
Exchanges of fire continued on Friday, as Iran fired another salvo of missiles at northern Israel, and Israel targeted dozens of sites in Iran.
Israel’s foreign minister, Eyal Zamir, said in a video address that his country should be ready for “a prolonged campaign” and warned of “difficult days ahead.”
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met with European diplomats in Geneva who urged him to revive diplomatic efforts with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
But Araghchi said Iran was ready to consider diplomacy only once Israel’s “aggression is stopped”.
He went on to say that Iran’s nuclear programme was peaceful, and that Israel’s attacks on it are a violation of international law, adding that Iran will continue to “exercise its legitimate right of self-defence”.
“I make it crystal clear that Iran’s defence capabilities are non-negotiable,” he said.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN accused Iran of having a “genocidal agenda” and posed an ongoing threat, adding that Israel would not stop targeting nuclear facilities until they were “dismantled”.
Trump: Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran had a “maximum” of two weeks to avoid possible US air strikes, suggesting that he could take a decision before the 14-day deadline he set on Thursday.
“I’m giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” Trump told reporters.
He added that the aim was to “see whether or not people come to their senses.”
The US president was also dismissive of the talks between Araghchi and foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany and the EU.
“Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this,” Trump said.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that the US had provided “a short window of time” to resolve the crisis in the Middle East, which he said was “perilous and deadly serious”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said “we invited the Iranian minister to consider negotiations with all sides, including the United States, without awaiting the cessation of strikes, which we also hope for”.
Barrot added that “can be no definitive solution through military means to the Iran nuclear problem” and warned that it was “dangerous to want to impose a regime change” in Iran.
As the Geneva talks took place, the exchange of fire between Israel and Iran continued.
Israel was hit by a new round of Iranian strikes with the Israeli military reporting an attack of 20 missiles targeting Haifa.
One Israeli woman died of a heart attack, bringing the Israeli total since the conflict began to 25.
The Israel Defense Forces said it attacked ballistic missile storage and launch sites in western Iran.
Over the last week, Israeli air strikes have destroyed Iranian military facilities and weapons, and killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.
Iran’s health ministry said on Sunday that at least 224 people had been killed, but a human rights group put the unofficial death toll at 639 on Thursday.
Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel in response to the air strikes.