Baghaei said the US is the sole party negotiating with Iran and urged it to act independently of “the desires of the Zionist regime.”
By World Israel News Staff
Iran issued a series of sharp warnings and threats on Tuesday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departs to Washington for what is expected to be a critical diplomatic visit, with U.S.–Iran negotiations ongoing and the risk of regional escalation looming.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused the United States of allowing Israel to dictate its negotiating posture, claiming Washington is “submitting to destructive pressures” that inevitably push the region toward conflict.
He said the United States is the sole party negotiating with Iran and urged it to act independently of what he called “the desires of the Zionist regime,” which he blamed for decades of instability in the Middle East.
Baghaei warned that any military attack on Iran would trigger a direct response.
“If Iran is attacked militarily by any party, it will certainly respond,” he said, adding that Iran views any Israeli action as inseparable from U.S. coordination. “In such a case, Iran’s response will be deterrent and painful,” he said.
He also dismissed international concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that portraying it as a threat is an “artificial narrative” driven by Israel.
Baghaei claimed that Israel has for decades sought to convince the world that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, despite Tehran’s insistence that it has no bomb, and accused Israel of opposing any diplomatic process that could reduce regional tensions.
Asked about the presence of the U.S. CENTCOM commander during recent talks in Muscat, Baghaei downplayed the issue, saying Iran’s foreign minister “is, in a sense, a military general who has seen combat.”
He added that Iran’s military commanders have “more important duties” than attending negotiations and said the armed forces have full confidence in the negotiating team.
The rhetoric was echoed by senior Iranian military officials. Amir Hatami, commander-in-chief of Iran’s army, said diplomacy and military readiness now operate “in the same arena,” warning that any mistake by Iran’s enemies would be met with an unprecedented response.
Hatami also warned that Iranian forces are at a high level of readiness and that Israel “understands only the language of force,” adding that Iran’s defensive preparedness is higher than during previous confrontations.
The statements came as Ali Larijani landed in Oman, where Iranian media said he is expected to deliver Tehran’s response to the first round of indirect nuclear talks held last week with the American delegation.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held meetings with senior Iranian military commanders, underscoring the close coordination between Iran’s diplomatic and defense establishments as negotiations continue.
Against this backdrop, Netanyahu departed for Washington for high-level meetings with U.S. officials and President Donald Trump.
Israeli sources say Netanyahu is expected to again present intelligence indicating renewed Iranian efforts to rebuild its ballistic missile program and to raise concerns that the current diplomatic track could fail to curb Tehran’s military ambitions.
With talks still underway and both sides issuing warnings, the convergence of diplomacy, military signaling, and political pressure has heightened concerns that miscalculation could tip the region toward a wider confrontation.
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