July 3, 2025: Iran says the only way back to the negotiating table with the U.S. is a rock‑solid pledge: no repeat attacks by Washington or its ally Israel.
In an email interview, Iranian Ambassador to India Dr. Iraj Elahi laid out Tehran’s red line. After last month’s twin operations—Israel’s “Rising Lion” air‑raids on Iran’s nuclear sites (June 13) and the U.S. follow‑up “Midnight Hammer” strikes (June 21‑22)—Iran insists future talks are meaningless without a “credible guarantee” against fresh aggression.“Diplomacy was still under way when those illegal attacks happened,” Elahi said. “Why negotiate if it can all be blown up—literally—two days before the next round?”
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Tehran’s grievances
- Illegal under international law: Elahi calls the strikes a “crime of aggression,” violating the UN Charter and the Non‑Proliferation Treaty.
- Targeting scientists: Iran says the raids killed nuclear experts and IRGC commanders.
- IAEA frustration: Tehran has scaled back cooperation with the nuclear watchdog, accusing the agency of silence after the attacks.
Israel’s argument—dismissed
Israel justifies the strikes as pre‑emptive defense, but Elahi counters that Iran’s nuclear program remains under the “strictest IAEA inspection” and shows “no deviation toward weaponization.”
The bottom line
Iran says it is still open to diplomacy—if the U.S. can guarantee no repeat of June’s strikes. Without that assurance, Elahi warns, “any future dialogue lacks meaning or value.”