Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi  on Friday condemned the Israeli attacks against the Islamic republic as a "betrayal" of diplomatic efforts with the US, saying Tehran and Washington had been due to craft a "promising agreement" on the Iranian nuclear programme.

"We were attacked in the midst of an ongoing diplomatic process," Abbas Araghchi told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva ahead of a crunch meeting with European foreign ministers.

Iran's foreign minister , making his first trip abroad since the strikes began, denounced Israel's attack as an "outrageous act of aggression".

"It was a betrayal of diplomacy and unprecedented blow to the foundations of international law," he added.

Mentionable here, Israel began its campaign on Friday saying the operation was aimed at halting Tehran from obtaining an atomic bomb, an ambition Iran denies having.