Iran calls US ‘law-breaking actor’ after Trump’s threats of new strikes
Tehran has ‘no plans’ to enter new nuclear talks with Europe
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismaeil Baqaei called the United States a "law-breaking" country after its president threatened Tehran with new military strikes.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Washington would bomb Iran again if it restarted its nuclear program, while speaking at a ceremony marking the 250th anniversary of the US Navy at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.
“We’ll have to take care of that too if they do,” Trump said, referring to Tehran’s potential resumption of nuclear activity. “You want to do that, it’s fine, but we’re going to take care of that and we’re not going to wait so long.”
Trump also praised the June 22 US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “perfectly executed,” saying American B-2 bombers and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles hit every single target.
The operation targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites following the Israeli aggression that began on June 13.
"Admitting and acknowledging a criminal and illegal act brings no credibility to the US. Rather, it only proves to the international community and the Iranian nation that the United States is a law-breaking actor who fails to live up to the accepted international rules and regulations," Baqaei said during his weekly press conference.
No negotiations for now
The Iranian official also said that Tehran has no plan to enter new nuclear negotiations with the European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, which triggered the reimposition of international sanctions by invoking the snapback mechanism of the nuclear agreement.
“We currently do not have any plans to enter negotiations. At this stage, our focus is on considering the impacts and consequences of the actions of the three European countries and the United States.” However, Baqaei said that, “Whenever we feel that diplomacy can bear fruit, we will definitely make decisions based on the interests and benefits of the country.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday that the snapback of sanctions and nuclear restrictions must not be the end of diplomacy.
“In this spirit, I will continue to reach out to all stakeholders, including Iran. Because a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiation and diplomacy”, she said.
Western countries, spearheaded by the United States, accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons and define uranium enrichment as a red line.
Iran categorically rejects the accusations, insisting that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes and that it has a right to enrichment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.