Iran Says US Accountability for Attacks on Nuclear Sites Part of Any Future Talks

 People walk through the old main bazaar of Tehran, Iran, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP)
People walk through the old main bazaar of Tehran, Iran, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP)
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Iran Says US Accountability for Attacks on Nuclear Sites Part of Any Future Talks

 People walk through the old main bazaar of Tehran, Iran, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP)
People walk through the old main bazaar of Tehran, Iran, Thursday, July 31, 2025. (AP)

Iran said Monday it would hold the United States accountable for attacks on its nuclear sites in any future negotiations, while ruling out direct talks with Washington.

The United States struck key Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, briefly joining a war launched by Israel that had derailed talks on Tehran's atomic program.

"In any potential negotiation... the issue of holding the United States accountable and demanding compensation for committing military aggression against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities will be one of the topics on the agenda," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a press briefing on Monday.

Asked whether Iran would engage in direct talks with the United States, Baqaei said: "No."

In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented attack targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, but also hitting residential areas over 12 days of war, which US forces joined with attacks on nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.

The fighting derailed talks that began in April and had been the highest-level contact between Tehran and Washington since the United States abandoned in 2018 a landmark agreement on Iran's nuclear activities.

Following the war, Tehran has suspended cooperation with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and demanded guarantees against military action before resuming any negotiations.

Washington has dismissed Tehran's call for compensation as "ridiculous".

Baqaei said on Monday that Iran was committed to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but criticized what he described as the "politicized and unprofessional approach" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The foreign ministry spokesman said that the IAEA's deputy chief is expected in Iran "in less than 10 days".

Last month, Iran said future cooperation with the UN agency would take on a "new form".

On July 25, Iranian diplomats met with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, in the first meeting since the war with Israel ended.

The three European powers are parties to the 2015 nuclear deal, which unraveled after the US withdrew during Trump's first term.

In recent weeks, the trio has threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran failed to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors.

Iran has repeatedly called reimposing sanctions "illegal" and insisted on its right to enrich uranium.

Israel and Western nations accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has consistently denied.



France's Navy Intercepts an Oil Tanker in the Mediterranean Sailing from Russia

FILE PHOTO: Tugboat escorts French Navy frigate Vendemiaire on arrival for a 5-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, Philippines March 12, 2018. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo P
FILE PHOTO: Tugboat escorts French Navy frigate Vendemiaire on arrival for a 5-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, Philippines March 12, 2018. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo P
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France's Navy Intercepts an Oil Tanker in the Mediterranean Sailing from Russia

FILE PHOTO: Tugboat escorts French Navy frigate Vendemiaire on arrival for a 5-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, Philippines March 12, 2018. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo P
FILE PHOTO: Tugboat escorts French Navy frigate Vendemiaire on arrival for a 5-day goodwill visit at a port in Metro Manila, Philippines March 12, 2018. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo P

France’s Navy, working with intelligence provided by the United Kingdom, on Thursday intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that traveled from Russia, in a mission targeting the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet, officials said, Reuters reported.

French maritime authorities for the Mediterranean said the ship, the Grinch, is suspected of operating with a false flag.

The French Navy is escorting the ship to port for more checks, the statement said.


Zelensky Says Meeting with Trump in Davos was 'Very Good'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to wounded Ukrainian soldiers during a visit at Staten Island University Hospital, in New York, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to wounded Ukrainian soldiers during a visit at Staten Island University Hospital, in New York, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (AP)
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Zelensky Says Meeting with Trump in Davos was 'Very Good'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to wounded Ukrainian soldiers during a visit at Staten Island University Hospital, in New York, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (AP)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to wounded Ukrainian soldiers during a visit at Staten Island University Hospital, in New York, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023. (AP)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a "very good" meeting with US President Donald Trump in Davos on Thursday.

"We spoke about documents and about air defense," Zelensky told reporters briefly without elaborating before addressing the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort.

Zelenskiy also said he ​discussed progress on peace talks.

"We discussed the work of our teams, and practically every there are meetings ⁠or communication," Zelenskiy ‌wrote on X, adding ‍that ‍the documents ‍being negotiated by Kyiv and Washington were "now even better prepared".

"Our ​previous meeting with President Trump helped ⁠strengthen the protection of our skies, and I hope that this time we will reinforce it further as well."


France Says Won't Join Peace Board for Now, Partly Contrary to UN Charter

France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
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France Says Won't Join Peace Board for Now, Partly Contrary to UN Charter

France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS

France will not join US President ​Donald Trump's Board of Peace for now because its charter does not correspond with ‌a UN ‌resolution ‌to ⁠resolve the ​war ‌in Gaza, and some of the charter's elements were contrary to the UN charter, ⁠its foreign ministry ‌spokesman said on ‍Thursday, Reuters reported.

"It ‍was not corresponding ‍on the one hand with the pure Gaza mandate, which ​is not even mentioned, and ⁠on the other hand, there are elements of this charter which are contrary to the United Nations charter," Pascal Confavreux told reporters.

According to The AP news, the new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.