Iran rejects US talks amid Israel war

EUROPEAN foreign ministers held talks yesterday with their Iranian counterpart, hoping to reach a diplomatic solution to the war with Israel as US President Donald Trump mulled the prospect of US involvement.

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Israel, claiming that Iran was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon, launched air strikes against its arch-enemy a week ago, triggering deadly exchanges.

Sirens sounded in southern Israel yesterday after missiles were launched from Iran, the Israeli army said. It earlier warned people in Iran's northern industrial area of Sefidrood to evacuate ahead of Israeli strikes.

Israeli police said they, emergency response teams and bomb disposal experts were operating “at the site of a projectile impact” in a southern city, while the rescue service said it had not received reports of any wounded.

The country’s military, meanwhile, said it had struck dozens of targets in Tehran overnight, including what it called a centre for the “research and development of Iran’s nuclear weapons project”.

European leaders urging de-escalation have scrambled to hold talks with Iran, as Trump said he would decide “within the next two weeks” whether to involve the US in Israel's bombing campaign.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his French, German, British and EU counterparts in Geneva yesterday to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme. Araghchi yesterday rejected any negotiations with the US while Israel continues its attacks on Iran.“The Americans have repeatedly sent messages calling seriously for negotiations. But we have made clear that as long as the aggression does not stop, there will be no place for diplomacy and dialogue,” he said.

Araghchi was also to address the UN Human Rights Council yesterday on the sidelines of talks with European counterparts.

Israel no longer participates in the Human Rights Council, boycotting its meetings over “anti-Semitism”.