Iran accuses US of destroying diplomacy with airstrikes, warns of military response

Tehran: Iran has lashed out at the United States over recent airstrikes on its key nuclear facilities, accusing Washington of sabotaging diplomacy and warning of an impending military response. The strikes, which targeted major nuclear installations at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, were carried out early Sunday morning and have sharply escalated tensions in the already volatile Middle East.

Speaking at an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council in New York, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, declared that Tehran holds the U.S. fully responsible for what he called a blatant act of aggression. He said Iran’s military will decide the “timing, nature, and scale” of a proportionate retaliation, signaling that a direct response is imminent.

Iravani said Iran had long warned Washington against being pulled into what he described as Israel’s regional war agenda. He accused Israel of undermining diplomatic efforts while using the U.S. as a tool to execute military plans under the guise of collective security. “Israel decided to destroy diplomacy,” Iravani said, adding that so-called peace offers were merely a smokescreen designed to mislead the international community.

He further charged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had manipulated U.S. policy and persuaded President Donald Trump into advancing Israel’s objectives, ultimately dragging the U.S. into what he called “another costly and baseless war.”

The Iranian envoy criticized not only the United States but also European nations like the UK and France, saying their support enabled what he termed “illegal, politically motivated actions” that violate international law and threaten global peace.

Iravani noted that even as Iran’s foreign minister held talks with European officials just days ago, the United States opted for military action instead of continuing dialogue. “From the perspective of Western countries, Iran must return to the negotiating table,” he said. “But how can Iran return to something it never left?”