Iran has ruled out reviving talks over its nuclear programme, declaring it will not engage in negotiations while under attack, as tensions with Israel continue to escalate and diplomatic efforts hang by a thread.

Speaking after a meeting with European diplomats in Geneva, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran would only consider diplomatic dialogue once Israel halts what he described as ongoing aggression.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is peaceful,” he insisted. “Israel’s attacks are a violation of international law, and we will continue to exercise our legitimate right of self-defence.”

His remarks came just hours after Israeli Defence Minister Eyal Zamir warned of a “prolonged campaign” against Iran, signalling no immediate let-up in the fighting. “Difficult days lie ahead,” Zamir said in a video address, as Israel continued its strikes on Iranian missile storage and launch facilities following Iran’s recent missile assault on central Israel.

Explosions lit up the night near Tel Aviv, with reports indicating that shrapnel from falling missiles ignited a building. The Israeli military reported further Iranian missile attacks on Friday, with 20 projectiles targeting the port city of Haifa.

One woman reportedly died of a heart attack, pushing Israel’s death toll since the conflict erupted to 25.

Meanwhile, Iran’s health ministry said the death toll from Israeli strikes had risen to 224, though a human rights group gave a much higher unofficial count of 639 as of Thursday.

Israeli air raids over the past week have targeted Iranian military compounds, munitions depots, and personnel, reportedly killing senior commanders and nuclear scientists.

Despite mounting casualties and growing pressure, Araghchi remained firm. “Iran’s defence capabilities are non-negotiable,” he said, dismissing Israel’s demands. Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the air strikes.

At the diplomatic front, efforts by European powers to mediate appeared to stall. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot revealed that ministers from France, the UK, Germany and the EU had encouraged Araghchi to enter talks involving all parties, including the United States, even before the bombings cease.

Barrot warned that pursuing regime change in Iran through military means was “dangerous” and that no military solution could resolve the nuclear issue.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy noted that the US had provided only a “short window of time” to ease the crisis, describing the situation as “perilous and deadly serious.”

However, US President Donald Trump was blunt in his response, brushing off European mediation and reiterating that Iran had, at most, two weeks to avert possible American air strikes. “I’m giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” Trump said.

“Europe is not going to be able to help in this. Iran doesn’t want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us.”

At the UN, Israel’s ambassador accused Iran of harbouring a “genocidal agenda” and vowed that Israeli strikes would not stop until Iran’s nuclear sites were fully dismantled.

As fighting intensifies and diplomacy falters, the path to de-escalation appears increasingly uncertain, with both Iran and Israel locked in a volatile standoff.