Iran is accusing the U.S. of using its recent terrorist designation as a tool to derail ongoing nuclear talks. Iran says it had made progress with the International Atomic Energy Agency when the Bush administration announced it would label Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a foreign terrorist group. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Ali Hosseini accused the administration of playing politics.

Mohammad Ali Hosseini: “There was nothing else to be expected from America other than this (response). The trend (of talks) between Iran and the agency was successful; other countries welcomed it, as well. The Americans are making efforts to harm this trend.”