Iran Criticizes US Attack During Negotiations, Denies Seeking Talks

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has sharply criticized the United States for launching an attack on Iran during ongoing negotiations. Speaking to UN correspondents on Tuesday, Bahreini described the US decision as a "totally stupid move" and accused Washington of undermining diplomatic efforts by Gulf nations.

According to Bahreini, Tehran has not made any approach to Washington for negotiations. He stated, “there hasn’t been any contact from our side,” directly rejecting claims made by former US President Donald Trump. Trump had previously asserted that Iranian leadership "wants to talk" and had "contacted Washington" to initiate discussions. Bahreini firmly denied these statements, emphasizing that no such outreach had occurred from Iran.

The ambassador also addressed Iran's relations with its regional neighbors, stating that Tehran has no issues with them. However, he warned that Iran could not tolerate US military bases in the Gulf being used as launch pads for attacks against the country. "War was not our option. War was imposed on Iran," Bahreini said, underlining that Iran's actions were defensive in nature.

“Nobody should expect Iran to show restraint in front of aggression. We will continue our defence until the point that this aggression is stopped,” Bahreini stated.

Bahreini further accused the United States of betraying Gulf nations by disregarding their diplomatic initiatives. He reiterated Iran's stance that it would defend itself until any aggression ceased. Reports indicate that on February 26, Washington and Tehran held talks, but Bahreini maintained that Tehran had not initiated any contact with the US.

The statements from Iran's UN envoy highlight ongoing tensions and conflicting narratives regarding diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington. While US officials claim Iran has sought dialogue, Iranian representatives continue to deny any such outreach, insisting their actions are in response to external aggression.