BURSTIranian officials on Saturday signaled they could walk back their decision to not attend upcoming nuclear talks with the U.S., but said further negotiations were likely "meaningless" as the nation exchanges fire with Israel.
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters it is "still unclear what decision we will make for Sunday," according to Reuters.
“The other side [the U.S.] acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime (Israel) to target Iran's territory," Baghaei added, per the news wire.
The sixth round of talks between the U.S. and Iran is scheduled to talk place in Oman on Sunday. Following tit-for-tat strikes, including Israel's initial surprise attack on Thursday, Tehran announced it would pull out of the talks.
“Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran is illegal, unjustifiable and a grave threat to regional stability,” Oman Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi posted on the social platform X after the attacks.
“I condemn it and urge the global community to come together to reject Israeli aggression and support de-escalation and diplomacy with one voice," he wrote.
Iranian officials cast some blame on the Trump administration for Israel's attack, accusing the U.S. of allowing the strike to happen. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied involvement in the initial attacks, but the U.S. has stepped up to help Israel intercept missiles from Tehran.
President Trump told Reuters Friday that the U.S. “knew everything” about Israel's "Operation 'Rising Lion'" — targeting nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites — before the strikes took place. He also in recent days said he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that launching an attack would complicate nuclear deal negotiations.
“We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out," Trump told the outlet.
“They can still work out a deal, however, it’s not too late," he added.
The U.S. leader has urged Iran to recommit to a deal that would require the nation to dismantle nuclear developments.
“There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end,” Trump wrote early Friday on Truth Social.
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire,” he continued. “No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has already killed several high-ranking Iranian officials and nine engineers tied to nuclear programs. Iran responded to the initial strikes with a counteroffensive, while promising to enact further plans for retaliation, calling the initial strike a "declaration of war."
“With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself up for a bitter and painful fate, and it will receive it,” Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in remarks released through state media.