Dubai | Iran's top diplomat warned Thursday that his country would take “special measures in defence of our nuclear facilities” if Israel continues to threaten Tehran's atomic sites, raising the stakes further ahead of a new round of talks with the United States.

The comments by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered no specifics on what Tehran would do, but already, international inspectors have seen their access limited to Iran's programme. That's even as Tehran enriches uranium to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

“I have called on the international community to take effective preventive measures against the continuation of Israeli threats, which if unchecked, will compel Iran to take special measures in defence of our nuclear facilities and materials,” Araghchi wrote on the social platform X after apparently sending letters to United Nations officials.

“The nature, content, and extent of our actions will correspond and be proportionate to preventive measures taken by these international bodies in accordance with their statutory duties and obligations.” Araghchi's remarks follow a CNN report Tuesday that described the US as having “new intelligence suggesting that Israel is making preparations to strike Iranian nuclear facilities”.

Israel has not acknowledged any preparations, though officials up to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have repeatedly threatened to strike Iran's nuclear sites to prevent it from being able to obtain a nuclear weapon, should it choose to pursue one.

Araghchi's warning come as the US and Iran are due to meet Friday in Rome for their fifth round of negotiations over a possible deal that would see Tehran limit or end its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Israel and Iran have been arch rivals in the Mideast for decades.