New Delhi: Iran has kept the door open for diplomacy, stating that any negotiation process with the United States is pointless until Washington gives a credible guarantee to stop future acts of aggression by Israel and the United States.
In an email interview with ANI, Iran's Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, reiterated Tehran's prerequisites for renewing talks with Washington.
Regarding negotiations with the United States, he stated that there will be no meaning or value in any talks unless a credible assurance is provided to prevent the recurrence of such acts of aggression by the US and Israel in future negotiations, taking into account their betrayal of diplomacy and complicity with the Zionist regime in launching illegal attacks on Iran while the diplomatic process was still ongoing.
The ambassador was referring to two significant military operations conducted the previous month. On June 13, Israel began Operation Rising Lion, which included extensive airstrikes on Iranian territory aimed at nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordow, missile production factories, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command installations. Several senior IRGC officials and nuclear scientists were allegedly killed during the operation.
This was followed by US strikes on June 2122, which were conducted as part of Operation Midnight Hammer and aimed at Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran has vigorously condemned both operations, describing them as a blatant breach of international law and the UN Charter.
The Israeli regime, which has nuclear weapons and has not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), assaulted our nation under the guise of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. There is no proof of such aims, and our nuclear program is subject to the most stringent IAEA inspections, Elahi said.
He went on to say that the US assaults had no legal basis and categorised them as a crime of aggression. He also alleged that the activities included cyber and terrorist components, which resulted in the deaths of several scientists, professors, military personnel, and innocent bystanders. According to Elahi, these attacks constitute a blatant and unprecedented breach of the UN Charter's Article 2, Paragraph 4, the nonproliferation regime, IAEA Board of Governors decisions, and UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
The envoy also charged that the United States and Israel were sabotaging diplomacy. The Zionist regime's attacks, in conspiracy with the United States, took place only two days before the sixth round of Iran-U. S. talks. It was a betrayal of diplomacy and a clear sign of America's lack of commitment to dialogue.
Dismissing Israel's explanation for the strike as a preemptive measure to eliminate an existential danger, Elahi stated, "This claim is entirely baseless and has no foundation in international law. " Iran has never assaulted any nation throughout its history. Even though we do not recognize Israel and see it as an occupying apartheid state, we believe that the Palestinian issue should be resolved peacefully through a referendum of all original inhabitants.
On the nuclear issue, the ambassador maintained that Iran's program is peaceful. According to IAEA reports, Iran's nuclear activities do not diverge toward weaponization. Israel and the United States' justification for attacking peaceful facilities is both unlawful and illogical.
In response to inquiries regarding Iran's recent choice to restrict cooperation with the IAEA, Elahi stated that Tehran remains a member of the NPT and is committed to its provisions. However, he attributed the Agency's politicization to the current circumstances.
The Parliament's choice to suspend cooperation represents public discontent with the IAEA's prejudiced conduct, particularly the Director General's silence in the face of assaults. Elahi stated that it was anticipated that he would either assist stop such aggression or at least condemn it, but he did neither.
While reiterating Iran's readiness for diplomacy, the envoy emphasized that meaningful negotiations are only possible if the United States guarantees that such attacks will not be repeated in the future.
