Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington on Tuesday to encourage US President Donald Trump to expand the scope of high-stakes nuclear talks with Iran. The negotiations resumed last week against the backdrop of an American military buildup.
Before his flight to Washington, Netanyahu told reporters that he would “present to the president our approach around our principles on the negotiations.”
The two leaders will discuss “a series of topics,” including Gaza, he said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Tuesday criticized the Israeli regime's role in regional diplomacy, calling on Washington to act independently in its foreign policy and not let external actors dictate its decisions.
He stressed that Washington must act independently: “Iran is negotiating with the United States. It is the White House that must operate free from external pressures, particularly from Israel, which disregards regional and even American interests.”
Baghaei described US alignment with Israeli demands as a key challenge in American foreign policy, and characterized Israel as the primary source of insecurity in West Asia over the past eight decades.
He further blamed Israel for fabricating crises around Iran’s nuclear program, noting that repeated allegations of Iran seeking nuclear weapons are attempts to instill unfounded fear.
He also emphasized that Iran, drawing on past experiences—including the June 2025 military aggression—is committed to safeguarding its national interests through diplomacy.
Tehran and Washington resumed nuclear negotiations in Oman on Friday. The Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who headed the Iranian delegation in the nuclear talks with the US, said that the talks were a good beginning, adding that the continuation of them depends on the consultations in the capitals.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also called the recent Iran-US talks in Oman a positive move, stressing that Tehran rejects coercion and upholds international law in its nuclear program.
Commenting on the negotiations, US President Donald Trump said the United States had “very good talks” on Iran.
The Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized that they would only negotiate the nuclear issue with Washington, adding that defense capabilities will not be a subject of talks with any party.
MNA
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