Iran FM says ready to 'consider' diplomacy 'once the aggression is stopped'

Tehran is ready to "consider diplomacy" again only once Israel's "aggression is stopped," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said following talks with his European counterparts on Iran's nuclear programme.

"Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed... We support the continuation of discussion with" Britain, France, Germany and the European Union "and express our readiness to meet again in the near future," Araghchi told reporters following the talks at a Geneva hotel.

Iran said on Friday its air defences had been activated in Bushehr, without elaborating. Israel says it is determined to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities but that it wants to avoid any nuclear disaster.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also speaking at the world body's Security Council, said the Iran-Israel conflict could "ignite a fire no one can control" and called on all parties to "give peace a chance."

Russia and China demanded immediate de-escalation. 

URANIUM ENRICHMENT

A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iran was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that any proposal for zero enrichment — not being able to enrich uranium at all — would be rejected, "especially now under Israel's strikes."

Israel's Foreign Minister Saar, speaking in Haifa, said he was very sceptical about Iran's intentions. "We know from the record of IRan they are not negotiating honestly," he said. 

Agence France-Presse