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Iran halts nuclear talks with US after Israeli strikes - Region
Iran announced it will not participate in nuclear negotiations with the United States scheduled for Sunday, suspending its involvement 'until further notice' following a series of Israeli strikes that targeted senior Iranian officials and nuclear infrastructure.
The announcement on Iranian state television on Friday marks a significant setback for diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement and comes amid escalating threats of retaliation.
Uranium enrichment has been the central point of contention in the talks, with the next round previously scheduled to take place in Oman. The United States, Israel, and other Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon — a claim Tehran has categorically denied.
Earlier on Thursday, Iran vowed to "significantly" increase its output of enriched uranium in defiance of US demands and in response to a UN nuclear watchdog resolution that accused Tehran of "non-compliance" with its obligations.
The suspension of talks follows what Iranian state media described as a coordinated Israeli operation that killed senior military and nuclear figures and struck a uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.
"The Zionist enemy carried out this attack with the help of the United States and targeted residential areas," said a spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces on Friday. "Israel will pay a heavy price and should expect a strong response from us. That response will definitely come."
Among those reported killed were Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientists Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi. Iran has blamed the United States for supporting the strikes, despite Washington's denials.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Israel had acted alone, describing the strikes as a "unilateral action" and stressing that the United States was not involved.
However, US President Donald Trump told Fox News he had been aware of the Israeli operation in advance.
"Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see," he said. Fox also reported that Trump said the US was prepared to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliated.
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