Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated yet again, as Tehran officially declared ongoing nuclear talks with Washington “irrelevant” following what it describes as Israel’s most aggressive military strike to date.

In a statement reported by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei accused the United States of double-dealing—claiming to pursue diplomacy while, in Iran’s words, “greenlighting” an Israeli attack on Iranian soil.

Baghaei said, “The U.S. acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to be negotiating while allowing the Zionist regime to strike Iran’s territory.”

The remarks come just hours after Israel launched its largest military offensive against Iran, targeting strategic military and nuclear infrastructure, including the controversial Natanz nuclear facility. Iran alleges that the U.S. played a supporting role in enabling the operation, a claim Washington has denied.

Until recently, U.S. and Iranian officials were expected to meet in Muscat, Oman, for a new round of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. But now, following this dramatic escalation, those talks appear to be on life support—if not entirely off the table.

This latest development deals a potentially fatal blow to years of fragile diplomatic engagement aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program and easing regional hostilities. With both rhetoric and military actions heating up, the prospect of renewed diplomacy seems increasingly distant.

We will continue to monitor the fallout from these events and what they mean for the future of U.S.-Iran relations, as well as the broader stability of the Middle East.

Reporting by Carl Montel.