TEHRAN – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, has asserted that the Israeli regime is exploiting Iran’s nuclear program as a tool to control U.S. foreign policy in West Asia.

“If you review the reports related to Iran’s nuclear issue, you will notice that since 1984, Israeli officials have claimed that Iran will acquire a nuclear bomb within the next six months. Now, about 40 years have passed since then,” Baqaei declared at a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday.

He added that the regime’s repeated warnings about Iran’s nuclear program are a deliberate tactic. “What the Israeli regime fears is its inability to pursue its ambitions in the region as it did in previous decades,” he stated, arguing that Israel uses these claims to manipulate U.S. policy.

“We have seen this become a pattern, where Israel has consistently sought to instigate repeated and ongoing wars in our region,” added the diplomat.

When asked about reported U.S.-Israel disagreements over Iran, Baqaei dismissed their significance, stating, “If there are differences, they are more about how to apply pressure on the Iranian nation. There is no doubt that both sides, in word and deed, aim to harm the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

He suggested that such portrayals are a coordinated effort to vilify Iran.

Baqaei also reaffirmed Iran’s longstanding proposal for a nuclear-weapon-free West Asia, noting, “Iran was the first country in the 1970s to propose the initiative of creating a region free of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, in West Asia.”

He pointed to Israel as the primary obstacle, accusing it of hiding an undeclared nuclear arsenal and refusing to join non-proliferation treaties.

“The demand for a nuclear-free West Asia must be consistently emphasized by regional countries at all levels,” he urged.

Addressing recent military threats from Tel Aviv, Baqaei warned, “Any foolish action by this regime will be met with a decisive response from the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is no doubt about that.”

He also condemned Israel’s response to the recent IAEA report about Iran’s nuclear program, calling it a distraction from its own actions, and demanded, “Threats against peaceful nuclear facilities are prohibited under international documents, including IAEA Resolution 533, and constitute a threat to international peace and security.”

Baqaei criticized the IAEA report’s political undertones, saying, “Unfortunately, this report has been produced under pressure from Europeans and others on the IAEA Board of Governors, making it a political and unconstructive action.”

He warned, “If they misuse this report politically, it will be met with Iran’s response.”

The remarks follow a contentious IAEA report claiming that Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium reached 408.6 kg in May—a development Tehran dismissed as "politically motivated" and based on "recycled allegations."

Consortium idea ‘no substitute for domestic enrichment’

Baqaei addressed reported Western proposals for a nuclear fuel consortium during the indirect Iran-U.S. nuclear talks, stating, “The consortium idea is not new; it has been raised for decades and has resurfaced in the media in recent weeks.”

While open to collaboration, he firmly rejected it as an alternative to Iran’s enrichment program, declaring, “The consortium idea cannot in any way replace enrichment inside Iran.”

He added, “If some partners propose a process in which Iran participates in fuel production for nuclear reactors, we would welcome that,” but insisted it must complement, not supplant, domestic efforts.

Iran views its enrichment program as essential for energy independence and scientific progress, rights it is entitled to under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Demanding concrete action on sanctions relief

Continuing his remarks about the indirect nuclear talks, Baqaei emphasized that sanctions relief is non-negotiable, stating, “The issue of ending sanctions is a fundamental and basic element in shaping any understanding with the U.S. No understanding will be reached unless we are clearly assured that the sanctions, which have targeted each and every one of us with the ultimate goal of pressuring the Iranian people, including in areas like medicine and treatment, have ended.”

He also reacted to a recent Wall Street Journal report about Washington “pausing” Iran’s sanctions, declaring: “What matters is seeing real and practical changes in the U.S. approach to sanctions, and so far, we have not witnessed such a change.”

‘Finland’s espionage claims part of European pressure campaign’

Baqaei expressed surprise at Finland’s recent espionage accusations, stating, “Finland is a country with which we have always had a reasonable and logical relationship; such claims have never been raised before.”

He dismissed them as politically motivated, saying, “We are sorry to have to consider this action within the framework of a coordinated approach by European countries to pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Iran has summoned Finland’s ambassador, with Baqaei demanding, “These claims have been made without any documents or valid basis. We have asked for an explanation regarding the intent and evidence behind these allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran.” He warned that unsubstantiated claims could strain ties.

Recently, Finland's intelligence agency, Supo, officially accused Iran of conducting espionage operations in Finland without offering any evidence.