TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President of the United States (US) Donald Trump denied US involvement in Israel's attack on Iran, but warned of a significant retaliation if Iran were to attack his country's interests. "The US has nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight," said Trump on the Truth Social platform on Sunday, as quoted by Anadolu.
Trump also issued a strong warning to Iran. "If we are attacked in any form by Iran, the entire might of the United States military will hit you at a level that has never been seen before."
However, Trump still left open the possibility for a peaceful resolution. "We can easily reach an agreement between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!" he said.
The statement was made by Trump amidst escalating tensions after Israel attacked Iran's nuclear and missile facilities on Friday, June 13, killing several military commanders and scientists. Iran retaliated with ballistic missile strikes on Israeli territories, causing casualties and damages.
Previously, in a separate occasion, Trump stated that Iran "may have another chance" to reach a nuclear deal with the United States. His statement came on Friday after Israel launched a massive attack on Iran's ballistic missile and nuclear program, killing at least 86 people and injuring 341 others.
"They (Iran) missed the opportunity to make a deal. Now, there may be another opportunity. We'll see later," said Trump in a phone interview with NBC News.
When asked why he was confident that Iran would return to negotiations after being attacked by Israel, Trump replied that some Iranian officials had contacted him to express their desire. "They called me to discuss (that)," said Trump.
Regarding who contacted him, he replied, "People we had cooperated with before... Many of them are now deceased."
The sixth round of indirect talks between the US and Iran is scheduled to be held on Sunday in Oman. However, it is unclear whether the meeting will proceed after Israel's attack on Iran and Iran's retaliation.
At that time, Trump praised Israel's attack, saying, "They have the best equipment in the world, American-made equipment."
Iran Alludes to US Involvement
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned that Israel's aggression could not have happened without coordination and support from the United States, and this has been one of the main reasons for the failure of nuclear talks. He stressed that Iran has "strong and convincing evidence" that US troops and military bases in the region have supported Israel's attack.
The Iranian Foreign Minister cited US President Donald Trump's statement that the attack "cannot happen without American equipment," and hinted that there will be "further stages" as additional evidence of US involvement.
Regarding the US denial of its involvement in Israel's attack on the Natanz nuclear facility in Isfahan Province, Araghchi stated that Iran rejects these claims due to 'contradictory evidence'. "If the US is truly not involved, it should strongly and openly condemn this attack," he said on Sunday, June 15.
He also urged the international community to acknowledge the violations of international law committed by Israel.
Iran is Ready to Stop the Attack
Araghchi stated that they are ready to stop the attacks on Israel if Tel Aviv also stops its assault on Tehran.
Speaking to foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Araghchi emphasized that this war has been "imposed" on Iran and Tehran has no choice but to respond. "Our defense is fully legitimate and will be done with strength solely as a response to aggression," he said. "If the attack is stopped, Iran's retaliatory actions will also cease."
Iran mentioned that 78 people were killed on the first day of Israel's attack, and dozens, including children, were victims on the second day.
The conflict has resulted in the suspension of indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States mediated by Oman. The sixth round of talks was scheduled to take place on Sunday in Muscat.
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