"We are defending ourselves; our defense is fully legitimate," Araghchi said during a meeting with foreign diplomats, adding that"this defense is our response to aggression. If the aggression stops, naturally our responses will also stop."

Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel on Saturday night and Sunday morning, many of them targeting civilian areas. At least 10 Israelis were killed in the overnight attacks, the Times of Israel reported.

The Iranian minister has described the Israeli strikes on the South Pars offshore gas field, which Iran shares with Qatar, as"a blatant aggression and an extremely dangerous act."

"Expanding the conflict in the Persian Gulf is a strategic mistake, the purpose of which is to take the war beyond Iranian territory," he said.

Araghchi accused Israel of trying to sabotage ongoing nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, which he says could have led to a deal. Tehran was due to present a proposal at the sixth round of talks scheduled for Sunday but was cancelled.

Abbas Araghchi: Iran was ready for negotiations

Abbas Araghchi added that his country was ready to continue nuclear negotiations with the United States, but Israel's attacks on Friday disrupted these talks and demonstrated"Israel's opposition to any form of negotiation," CNN reports.

"It is absolutely clear that the Israeli regime does not want any agreement on the nuclear issue; it does not want negotiations and it does not want diplomacy," Araghchi said in a meeting with foreign ambassadors, reported by state media."The attack on Iran in the midst of nuclear negotiations clearly demonstrates the Israeli regime's opposition to any form of dialogue."

"Israel's attack would never have happened without US support," he said, adding that Tehran does not believe US claims that Washington was not involved in the recent attacks.

"It is necessary for the United States to condemn Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities if it wants to demonstrate its good faith."