Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “serpent”, accusing him of manipulating the United States into going to war with Iran on Israel’s behalf.
Araghchi made the accusation in a post on X, reacting to comments he attributed to Netanyahu about his influence over the US administration.
“In Hebrew, Netanyahu openly crows that he suckered the U.S. Administration into a war on Iran on behalf of Israel. Netanyahu explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ America through 1,000 hours of airtime on U.S. networks,” Araghchi said.
“In English, he praises POTUS’ leadership. Serpent,” he added.
The latest exchange comes amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, which began on February 28 after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military officials.
Iran subsequently retaliated with attacks across the region, as the conflict expanded beyond the two countries.
An April ceasefire brought an end to the most intense phase of the fighting, but sporadic attacks, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, have continued to undermine prospects for a lasting peace agreement.
The United States has also shifted towards what it describes as a campaign of “economic asphyxiation” against Iran.
On Sunday night, the US carried out a strike on Iran’s Larak Island, marking its first such attack in a month.
Iran said it responded by launching attacks against US military bases in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu last week rejected the possibility of a deal between Iran and the US, while describing Iran’s leaders as “savages.”
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