Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani has accused Israel of attempting to sabotage negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear programme, so it can ignite a new war that would destabilise the region.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic during his visit to Doha, Qatar, where he met top officials on Wednesday, Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Israel had been fabricating pretexts to try to derail the negotiations with Washington, as the renewed talks were at a delicate stage.
“Our negotiations are exclusively with the United States – we are not engaged in any talks with Israel,” he said.
“However, Israel has inserted itself into this process, with their intent on undermining and sabotaging these negotiations.”
He said Israel’s strategy was “to destabilise the region”, and that its agenda “extends beyond its alleged concerns about Iran”, as was evidenced by its attack on the Qatari capital targeting Hamas officials in September.
“They are gambling not only with Iran, but also Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” he said, calling on regional leaders to “be aware of this.”
Israel’s attack on Iran in June came as Tehran and Washington were engaged in talks and effectively torpedoed the negotiations, which were several rounds in.
Netanyahu meets with Trump
Iran and the US held a round of indirect negotiations in Muscat, Oman, on Friday, seeking to negotiate a resolution to the nuclear dispute, amid a US military buildup in the region and Trump’s ongoing threats to strike Iran if it does not accede to his demands.
Amid plans for a second round of talks – the timing of which is currently under discussion, Larijani said – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Washington on Wednesday for urgent talks with Trump, where he presented the US leader with “principles” for negotiating with Iran.
After the meeting, Trump said “nothing definitive” had been reached, “other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated”.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic during his visit to Doha, Qatar, where he met top officials on Wednesday, Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Israel had been fabricating pretexts to try to derail the negotiations with Washington, as the renewed talks were at a delicate stage.
“Our negotiations are exclusively with the United States – we are not engaged in any talks with Israel,” he said.
“However, Israel has inserted itself into this process, with their intent on undermining and sabotaging these negotiations.”
He said Israel’s strategy was “to destabilise the region”, and that its agenda “extends beyond its alleged concerns about Iran”, as was evidenced by its attack on the Qatari capital targeting Hamas officials in September.
“They are gambling not only with Iran, but also Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” he said, calling on regional leaders to “be aware of this.”
Israel’s attack on Iran in June came as Tehran and Washington were engaged in talks and effectively torpedoed the negotiations, which were several rounds in.
Netanyahu meets with Trump
Iran and the US held a round of indirect negotiations in Muscat, Oman, on Friday, seeking to negotiate a resolution to the nuclear dispute, amid a US military buildup in the region and Trump’s ongoing threats to strike Iran if it does not accede to his demands.
Amid plans for a second round of talks – the timing of which is currently under discussion, Larijani said – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu travelled to Washington on Wednesday for urgent talks with Trump, where he presented the US leader with “principles” for negotiating with Iran.
After the meeting, Trump said “nothing definitive” had been reached, “other than I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated”.
