Iran Rejects Nuclear Talks Amid Conflict as U.S. Weighs Involvement and UN Urges Restraint
Iran said on Friday it will not enter nuclear negotiations while under attack by Israel, rebuffing efforts from European nations trying to revive diplomacy. Meanwhile, the United States continues to deliberate whether it will intervene directly in the conflict.
After a week of hostilities, Israel claimed it had targeted dozens of military locations in Iran, including missile facilities, a nuclear research center in Tehran, and installations in central and western parts of the country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said negotiations with the U.S. are off the table until Israeli aggression ceases. Nonetheless, he traveled to Geneva for discussions with European foreign ministers, who hope to reopen diplomatic channels.
President Donald Trump, speaking Friday, said he is unlikely to ask Israel to halt its attacks to facilitate talks.
“It’s hard to ask that right now,” Trump said. “We’re ready and willing to talk to Iran, but we’ll see what happens.”
Trump also cast doubt on Europe’s ability to broker a ceasefire, stating Iran prefers to negotiate directly with the U.S.
“Europe won’t be able to help this time,” he told reporters in Morristown, New Jersey.
Trump reiterated he would not discuss the possible use of U.S. ground troops, but contradicted his intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, by claiming Iran does have nuclear weapons capability.
“She’s wrong,” Trump said, countering Gabbard’s earlier testimony that Iran was not actively working on a nuclear warhead.
Trump has said he will make a final decision on U.S. military involvement within two weeks, allowing time to gauge whether diplomacy can prevail.
Ongoing Airstrikes and Retaliation
On Friday, Israel conducted another wave of airstrikes, hitting missile launch sites and surface-to-air batteries in western and southwestern Iran. Explosions were reported in Khuzestan province, where four people were killed, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency.
In Tehran, five civilians were injured when a five-story building—housing a bakery and hair salon—was struck, according to Fars news agency. Iran’s air defenses were also activated later in the day.
Iran responded by launching missile strikes on Beersheba and Haifa, damaging infrastructure including a historic Ottoman-era mosque and a high-rise building containing Israel’s Interior Ministry.
Haifa, Israel’s major port and naval hub, is a strategic target. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, speaking from the city, accused Iran of negotiating in bad faith.
Iran’s military stated it used long-range and heavy missiles, targeting command centers and defense sites. Israel said around 20 missiles were launched, injuring at least two people.
Nuclear Tensions and Global Concerns
At the UN Security Council, Iran’s envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called for international action to stop Israel’s attacks and expressed alarm over reports of potential U.S. involvement.
UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi warned against targeting nuclear facilities, citing risks of radioactive fallout.
“Striking nuclear sites could cause cross-border contamination,” Grossi said.
The warning came after an Israeli official retracted a statement suggesting a strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, built by Russia. Iran reported air defense activity at the site but gave no further details.
Israel insists it seeks to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program but aims to avoid a nuclear disaster.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned the situation could spiral out of control, calling it “a fire no one can control”, and urged all sides to pursue peace.
Russia and China joined the call for immediate de-escalation.
Iran’s Position on Uranium Enrichment
An Iranian official told Reuters that while Tehran is open to discussions about limiting uranium enrichment, any demand for zero enrichment is a non-starter, especially while under Israeli assault.
Israel launched its strikes on June 13, claiming Iran was close to producing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is purely peaceful.
Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, neither confirms nor denies this.
Rising Casualty Toll
According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, 639 people have died in Iran since Israeli strikes began—including top military leaders and nuclear scientists.
In Israel, officials report 24 civilian deaths from Iranian missile attacks.
Reuters has not independently verified these casualty figures.
