Iran rules out nuclear talks under Israeli fire
Iran said on Friday (June 20, 2025) it would not discuss the future of its nuclear programme 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.
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 organisation involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran.
Iran launched at least one new barrage of missiles early on Friday (June 20, 2025), striking near residential apartments, office buildings and industrial facilities in the southern city of Beersheba.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday (June 20, 2025) there was no room for negotiations with Israel's superpower ally, the United States, 'until Israeli aggression stops'. He was holding talks with top European diplomats in Geneva on Friday about the crisis that centres on concerns about his country's nuclear programme.
He arrived at a hotel in the Swiss city for a meeting with his counterparts from France, Germany and the U.K. and the European Union's foreign policy chief. It is the first face-to-face meeting between Western and Iranian officials since the start of the conflict.
Two diplomats said before the meeting that Mr. Araghchi would be told the U.S. is still open to direct talks. Diplomats say expectations for a breakthrough are low.
Just before meeting the European diplomats, Mr. Araghchi made a brief appearance before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. He said that Israel's 'attacks on nuclear facilities are grave war crimes', and insisted that 'we are entitled… and determined to defend our territorial integrity, national sovereignty and security with all force.'
Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Araghchi said his country has 'nothing to discuss' with the United States as long as Israel continues its strikes on Iran, but is open to 'dialogue' with others, though not negotiations. The war has seen Israeli airstrikes target Iranian nuclear and military sites, and Tehran firing back.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the European diplomats would make a 'comprehensive, diplomatic and technical offer of negotiation' to Iran.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned on Friday (June 20, 2025) of further action against Iranian ally Hezbollah, a day after the Lebanese militant group suggested it would come to Iran's aid.
Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based human rights organisation that tracks Iran. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists.
Israel has said at least two dozen Israeli civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks.
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