- Iran's Foreign Minister said diplomacy is no longer sufficient after US airstrikes on nuclear sites
- Iran views the US airstrikes as a direct assault on national integrity and violation of global norms
- Iran said it will take necessary steps to defend its sovereignty under international law
The situation has fundamentally changed and diplomacy is no longer sufficient, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after US airstrikes targeted three nuclear installations in Iran today.
"It is good to keep the door of diplomacy open. But today, the situation has fundamentally changed. My country has come under direct attack. In this moment, diplomacy alone is no longer sufficient; our priority must now be self-defence," the minister said hours after US missiles struck Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
"The most dangerous escalation occurred last night. A red line was crossed when our nuclear facility was attacked. This was not just a provocation; it was a direct assault on our national integrity and a violation of global norms. Given this grave development, it is unclear how much room remains for negotiations," Araghchi said.
The minister said Iran will take all necessary steps to defend its sovereignty and protect its people in accordance with international law and its right to security.
"They have shown that they do not understand the language of diplomacy. The United Nations has failed to uphold respect for the Iranian Charter, and there is blatant disregard for international law, especially concerning sovereign boundaries and nuclear oversight," he said.
"Despite being a non-nuclear state, Iran has remained a committed member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yet, the NPT has failed to protect us. This raises a fundamental question: Why should Iran - or any other non-nuclear nation - continue to rely on a framework that offers no real security guarantees? This is not defense; it is aggression cloaked in double standards, and it is a shameful betrayal of international norms," Araghchi said.
"If the global community cannot uphold the principles of fairness and protection under the NPT, why should Iran be expected to remain bound by it?" he asked.
Earlier, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the "aggressive and lawless" US government is "fully responsible" for the "extremely dangerous consequences of this grave crime".
"The world must not forget that it was the United States, in the middle of a diplomatic process, that betrayed diplomacy by supporting the aggressive and lawless actions of the genocidal Israeli regime - and now, by continuing that same path, has initiated a dangerous war against Iran," it said.
Following the US airstrikes, US President Donald Trump said, "Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier."
"For 40 years, Iran has been saying, 'Death to America, Death to Israel'. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their speciality, we lost over 1,000 people," he said, adding, "I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue."
