Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized Britain, Germany and France for blaming Iran over recent attacks on Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities, Press TV reported Tuesday. 

The country's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi also rejected the statement, noting that the European parties have no strength or willpower to counter U.S. "bullying."

Britain, Germany and France: Iran bears responsibility 

Britain, Germany and France backed the United States and blamed Iran on Monday for the attacks, urging Tehran to agree to new talks with world powers on its nuclear and missile programs and regional security issues.

The Europeans issued a joint statement after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the United Nations on the sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders.

In response, Rouhani said the same day in a meeting with Macron in New York that the statement is a "groundless blame game." 

Meanwhile, Iran ruled out the possibility of negotiating a new deal with world powers, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday, saying European partners have failed to fulfill their commitments under the 2015 nuclear pact.

Tensions rose on September 14 following an attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities, which Riyadh and Washington have blamed on Tehran.

"It is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details," Britain, France and Germany said.

In an interview with CGTN, Zarif denied Iran's involvement in the attacks, reiterating that the U.S. "maximum pressure" would not work.

"The U.S. is running out of options," Zarif said. "The maximum sanctions do not work."  

"It makes it (the U.S.) more difficult to remove the sanctions. They want to make the negotiations impossible... want to make a change impossible. It's very difficult for (President Trump) and his successor to remove," he said.

Rouhani said on Sunday that he would present the United Nations a regional cooperation plan for safeguarding peace in the Gulf at the annual UN General Assembly gathering.

Read more:

Zarif: U.S. is making negotiations with Iran impossible by imposing sanctions

Rouhani: Iran to present to UN a peace cooperation plan for the Gulf

European leaders have struggled to defuse a brewing confrontation between Tehran and Washington since U.S. President Donald Trump quit the nuclear deal last year, which had assured Iran's access to world trade in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran and sharply tightened them. Iran has responded by gradually breaching its 2015 nuclear commitments and has set an October deadline to further scale back its nuclear obligations unless the Europeans salvage the pact by shielding Tehran's economy from U.S. penalties.

"The time has come for Iran to accept negotiation on a long-term framework for its nuclear program as well as on issues related to regional security, including its missiles program and other means of delivery," Britain, France and Germany said.

Macron has led a European push over the summer to find a compromise between the United States and Iran and wants to use the UN meeting as an opportunity to revive diplomacy, though his efforts have stalled in recent weeks.

When asked about Macron's attempt to mediate, Trump said: "We don't need a mediator... They (Iran) know who to call."

The United States will intensify pressure on Iran, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook said in New York on Monday.

The United States was seeking to address the issue through diplomacy and a multilateral effort, and there was a role for the United Nations Security Council to play, Hook said without elaborating.

(With input from Reuters, Xinhua)

(Cover: French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speak at the United Nations headquarters in New York, September 23, 2019. /VCG Photo)