Tehran: Escalation with Israel does not aid Iran-US diplomacy

Tehran — The spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghaei, stated on Monday his country’s conviction that increased tensions with Israel do not assist the diplomatic process between Tehran and Washington. Iran launched several missiles towards northern Israel on Sunday night. The attack occurred only hours after Iran threatened to retaliate against recent Israeli airstrikes on the outskirts of Beirut. The Israel Defense Forces subsequently announced strikes against military targets in central and western Iran. “The events that have occurred in the last 24 hours have made the diplomatic process with the US increasingly chaotic,” Baghaei told reporters. The spokesperson added that Israel’s actions in the Middle East cannot be separated from US policy in the region, further asserting that Washington bears direct responsibility for the ongoing situation.