Escalating tensions in the Middle East, triggered by Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites and Iran's retaliatory missile launch, have derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the US.

Iran is "exploiting the time to modify nuclear facilities in ways that could diminish the impact of a potential military strike on those sites and their outcomes,” sources said.

He said Israel "succeeded in influencing" the diplomatic process and the Israeli attack would not have happened without Washington's permission. Iran earlier accused the U.S. of being complicit in Israel's attacks,