TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused the United States on Wednesday of “torpedoing diplomacy” and violating international law, following deadly U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. He reaffirmed Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and warned that Washington could no longer be trusted as a diplomatic partner.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Baqaei condemned the U.S. and Zionist military aggression against Iran as a flagrant breach of international law and Iranian sovereignty. “These attacks are not only a threat to Iran but an assault on the international order itself,” he said, emphasizing that the global community must focus on condemning such illegal actions.
On June 22, the U.S. launched a major offensive against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, dropping six bunker-buster bombs on the Fordow facility and striking Natanz and Isfahan with submarine-based cruise missiles. The strikes followed escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran insists remains peaceful.
Commenting on a new bill passed by Iran’s parliament to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Baqaei clarified that the bill calls for suspension—not a complete severing—of cooperation. “Is it not natural for a nation under attack to reconsider its cooperation with international bodies?” he asked, asserting that Iran will continue defending its right to civilian nuclear development.
Despite the violence, Baqaei noted Iran’s continued commitment to dialogue. “Even under aggression, we pursued diplomacy to save lives and preserve our national security,” he said.
