Iran Says Nuclear Talks Meaningless as U.S. Pushes for Deal

World 03:58 PM - 2025-06-14

A building in Tehran damaged in an Israeli strike on June 13, 2025.

Iran says dialogue over its nuclear programme with the United States is “meaningless” after Israel launched its biggest-ever military strike against Iran, which Tehran accuses Washington, DC, of supporting.

“The other side [the US] acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime [Israel] to target Iran’s territory,” Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency quoted its foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying on Saturday.

He also said that Sunday's talks in Muscat would not take place

Meanwhile, the U.S. has denied the Iranian allegation of being complicit in Israel’s attacks and told Tehran at the United Nations Security Council that it would be “wise” to negotiate over its nuclear programme.

Iran Says Israel Has Killed Three More Nuclear Scientists, Bringing Total to Nine

Iranian state television reported on Saturday, 14 June 2025, that three additional nuclear scientists have been killed in what it describes as an Israeli attack, raising the total number of Iranian scientists allegedly slain to nine.

"Three of the country’s nuclear scientists – Ali Bekaei Karimi, Mansour Asgari, and Saeed Borji – were martyred during the Zionist regime’s terrorist attacks," the broadcaster stated. Iranian media had earlier reported that six others had died in the Israeli strikes.

The Israeli military has also confirmed that its operations targeted and killed nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran’s nuclear programme.

Israel Warns ‘Tehran Will Burn’ Amid Missile Exchanges

Tensions escalated further as Israel’s Defence Minister issued a stark warning on Saturday, declaring that “Tehran will burn” should Iran continue launching missiles in retaliation.

The warning came a day after Israel carried out a series of air strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, which resulted in the deaths of multiple top Iranian generals. According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, the Israeli attack killed 78 people and wounded more than 320.

In response, Iran launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles towards Israel. Explosions lit up the night sky over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, causing buildings to shake and prompting authorities to urge civilians to seek shelter. Israeli health officials reported three fatalities and dozens of injuries.

Speaking following a security briefing with the army’s Chief of Staff, Defence Minister Israel Katz warned:
“If [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei continues to fire missiles at Israel’s home front – Tehran will burn.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Israel’s objective is to eliminate the Iranian threat. He also called on the Iranian people to rise up against their leaders, adding that while Israel is not actively pursuing regime change, it would welcome such an outcome.

Iranian Missiles Strike Israeli Cities

In a recorded message broadcast on Friday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed retribution:
“We will not allow them to escape safely from the great crime they have committed.”

Iran’s retaliatory missile barrage began late Friday and continued into Saturday morning. Iranian state television repeatedly aired footage of the strikes on Israeli territory, as well as scenes of civilians celebrating and distributing sweets.

According to medical sources in Tel Aviv, at least three civilians were killed and around 70 injured. One missile reportedly caused severe damage to four homes in the city of Rishon LeZion. The Israeli military also confirmed that seven soldiers were lightly wounded in a separate missile strike on central Israel—the first military casualties reported since the initial round of Israeli attacks.

‘Rising Lion’ and ‘True Promise 3’

Israel's ongoing offensive against Iran—dubbed Operation Rising Lion—has reportedly been years in the making. Speaking to Eye for Iran, Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli stated:

“This operation took years to prepare. It reflects the hard work of the IDF’s intelligence units, the Mossad… thousands have been involved. This is just the beginning.”

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the launch of a large-scale retaliatory operation, codenamed True Promise 3, which it says is targeting multiple Israeli military and air bases. The IRGC claims the operation is in direct response to the killing of senior commanders, prominent scientists, and innocent civilians, including children.



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