Iran Says No Nuclear Talks Under Israeli Fire

Iran said on Friday it would not discuss the future of its nuclear program while under attack by Israel, as Europe tried to coax Tehran back into negotiations and the United States considers whether to get involved in the conflict.

- Reuters

JERUSALEM:

A week after it began attacking Iran, Israel's military said it had carried out new strikes on dozens of military targets overnight, including missile production sites and a research organization involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran.

Iran launched at least one new barrage of missiles early on Friday, striking near residential apartments, office buildings and industrial facilities in the southern city of Beersheba. The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump would decide on "whether or not to go" with US involvement in the conflict in the next two weeks, citing the possibility of negotiations involving Iran in the near future.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday there was no room for negotiations with Israel's superpower ally the United States "until Israeli aggression stops".

But he was due to meet European foreign ministers in Geneva later on Friday for talks at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy over Iran's nuclear program.

Two diplomats said before the meeting involving France, Britain, Germany and the European Union's foreign policy chief that Araqchi would be told the US is still open to direct talks.

Expectations for a breakthrough are low, diplomats say.

Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel.

Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. It neither confirms nor denies this.