The overnight exchanges of fire between Iran and Israel will only worsen an already chaotic diplomatic process with the United States, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

He said Tehran was exchanging messages with Washington in an atmosphere of “extreme suspicion”.

He said Israel’s actions in Lebanon, whether carried out with U.S. knowledge and consent or not, were aimed at sabotaging diplomacy.

Mr Baghaei added that Washington, as a party to the April 8 ceasefire, bore direct responsibility for any violations, including attacks attributed to Israel.

He said the world should be concerned about a broader regional conflict.

“The United States bears direct responsibility for any action the Zionist regime Israel takes in relation to violating regional peace and security against Iran,” he said.

Mr Baghaei noted that the visit of Pakistan’s interior minister to Tehran on Sunday was part of efforts to continue indirect exchanges with Washington.

“Separately, Iran will respond to any resolution against it at this week’s meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors,” he said.

He accused International Atomic Energy Agency Chief, Rafael Grossi, of disregarding the realities of the conflict and holding biased political views that harmed the agency’s legitimacy.

 (Reuters/NAN)