TEHRAN, June 21. /TASS/. Iran is ready to engage in a dialogue to confirm the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, but does not intend to completely abandon it, President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

“We are ready for dialogue and cooperation to build confidence in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We will not agree to a complete curtailment of the nuclear program. Our response to the ongoing aggression by the Zionist regime (Israel – TASS) will be more crushing and decisive,” the Iranian presidential administration quoted Pezeshkian as saying. The Iranian leader noted that Tehran welcomes dialogue and negotiations, but only if the country’s legitimate rights are respected.

Overnight into June 13, Israel kicked off Operation Rising Lion aimed against Iran’s nuclear program. Less than 24 hours later, Iran launched a retaliatory attack. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both sides reported casualties resulting from these attacks and acknowledged hits on several targets within their territories, though they claimed the damage was limited.