Iran has criticized US President Donald Trump's call for dialogue, the Times of Israel reports. The Islamic Republic accused Washington of “hostile and criminal behavior“ after Trump's statement to the Knesset, in which he declared his readiness for an agreement with Tehran, News.bg reports.
“The desire for peace and dialogue expressed by the US president contradicts the hostile and criminal behavior of the United States towards the Iranian people“, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed.
In June, the US joined Israel in striking Iranian nuclear facilities after five rounds of indirect talks with Tehran, which stalled over issues such as uranium enrichment.
Yesterday, Trump told the Knesset that Iran had been “struck a major blow“ in the 12-day war, but expressed hope for a peace agreement between Iran and Israel.
Israel says the massive attack on senior Iranian military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment facilities and ballistic missile programs was necessary to thwart the Islamic Republic's stated plans against the country.
Iran has repeatedly denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, the country is enriching uranium to levels that are not suitable for peaceful purposes, restricting international inspectors' access to its nuclear facilities and expanding its ballistic missile capabilities. Israel has warned that Iran has taken steps to deploy weapons.
In response to Israel's strikes, Tehran has launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and about 1,100 drone strikes on Israeli territory. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 32 people and the injury of more than 3,000.