Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that Tehran’s right to maintain a peaceful nuclear program cannot be denied, during his first press briefing following the recent escalation with Israel.

Araghchi accused Israel of attempting to obstruct a nuclear agreement between Tehran and Washington. The sixth round of negotiations, which was planned for June 15 in Oman, was canceled after Israel launched airstrikes against Iranian targets—a move Iran described as an act of war.

In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting several locations in Israel, including Tel Aviv. The exchange of strikes continued through Sunday, with Israel targeting Iran’s energy facilities and sites allegedly connected to Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Iran responded with further missile launches near Haifa and Tel Aviv, resulting in casualties including at least 10 dead and around 200 wounded.

During his address on Saturday, Araghchi reaffirmed Iran’s stance against developing nuclear weapons, emphasizing the country’s commitment to a peaceful nuclear agenda.

He criticized those attempting to deny Iran the right to peaceful nuclear technology, stating, “This is absolutely clear. The Zionist regime [Israel] does not want to see us achieve a diplomatic agreement with the United States.”

Araghchi suggested that the canceled talks had the potential to yield significant progress. “In the previous round, the Americans made several proposals that were not fully acceptable to us. We responded and were preparing a counter-proposal that could have paved the way for a comprehensive agreement,” he explained.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump insisted that the United States had no involvement in the Israeli strikes and called for renewed diplomatic efforts, stating, “A deal between Iran and Israel could be reached easily to end this bloodshed.”

However, Araghchi rejected the US denial of involvement, asserting, “We possess evidence indicating otherwise.”