“Nuclear Claims Just Pretext,” Iran Envoy Says, Questions US-Israel Strategy In War

Iran’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, has rejected claims that Tehran’s uranium enrichment programme was aimed at developing nuclear weapons, calling such allegations a “pretext” used by the United States and Israel to justify military action. He stated that Iran was actively engaged in diplomatic negotiations, with talks reportedly progressing positively just days before the escalation. According to the ambassador, this indicates that the conflict was not driven by nuclear concerns but by broader strategic interests, including Iran’s geopolitical significance. Fathali also questioned the outcomes of the conflict, suggesting that the United States and Israel may have miscalculated the situation. He said expectations of a quick victory over Iran were misplaced, and claimed that Washington is now looking for ways to de-escalate and exit the crisis.