Iran pulls out of US nuclear talks after Israeli airstrikes hit key nuclear sites. With tensions soaring, questions remain over the future of diplomacy.

The strike comes after President Donald Trump said the U.S. was "fairly close" to reaching a nuclear deal with Iran.

Israel launched strikes across Iran on Friday, saying they targeted the "heart" of Iran's nuclear programme. The strikes killed Hossein Salami, chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards - a powerful branch of the country's armed forces - other senior military figures and nuclear scientists.

If Trump blocks Israel from attacking Tehran's nuclear sites without resolving the threat, Jerusalem will miss a rare opportunity to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.

President Donald Trump warned in a recent interview that he is "less confident" that the United States will reach a nuclear deal with Iran.

The US and Iran have been negotiating a nuclear deal for around two months, with Oman mediating. They have held five rounds of talks.

Iran appears ready to retaliate if it faces too much pushback. It says this could be “proportionate,” although that leaves many options open.