Pezeshkian says US strikes show Washington is ‘behind' Israel's war against Iran
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned US strikes on nuclear sites Sunday, saying in his first response that the attack revealed Washington was 'behind' Israel's military campaign in Iran.
'This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime's hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,' he said, according to state news agency IRNA, adding that the United States acted after seeing Israel's 'obvious inability.'
President Donald Trump said US airstrikes on Sunday 'totally obliterated' Iran's main nuclear sites, with Tehran later accusing Washington of 'blowing up' talks aimed at a deal on its nuclear program.
Following the attack – the United States' first large-scale strikes on Iran – Trump warned Washington would hit more targets if Tehran did not make peace. Hours later, Iran launched two waves of attacks against Israel.
'Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,' Trump said, adding the key underground enrichment site at Fordow was hit, along with facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.
'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,' he said, warning future attacks would be 'far greater' unless a diplomatic solution was reached. 'Remember, there are many targets left.'
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of sabotaging diplomacy after talks with European powers.
'This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy,' he wrote on X.
Araghchi later told reporters in Istanbul the United States and Israel had 'crossed a very big red line,' asserting Iran would continue to defend itself 'by all means necessary'.
In response to the US attack, Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, the country's main international gateway near Tel Aviv.
US media reported the strikes were carried out by B-2 stealth bombers dropping bunker-buster bombs, as well as submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles.
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