In brief
In an official statement, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has revealed for the first time the significant damage inflicted upon the nation’s nuclear facilities due to recent U.S. military strikes. This claim starkly contrasts earlier assertions from Iran's supreme leader downplaying the assault's impact.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Thursday that the U.S. airstrikes on three nuclear sites had caused “significant and serious damages,” an admission that marks the first recognition of the full extent of the damage by Iranian officials. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is currently evaluating the losses, Araghchi noted in a state television interview, adding, “I must affirm that the losses have not been small; our facilities have been seriously damaged.”This statement serves as a stark contrast to earlier remarks from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had portrayed the strikes as largely ineffective. In a recorded address, Khamenei claimed that the U.S. attacks were unable to accomplish anything substantial, disputing President Trump's assertion that the strikes had “obliterated” key nuclear sites.The Iranian government is also considering a halt to its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear monitoring body. Araghchi indicated that access for IAEA inspectors may be restricted, directly questioning the timing and necessity of visits by the agency’s director, Rafael Grossi.Simultaneously, Iran's Guardian Council, which holds legislative veto power, has approved a legislative measure proposed by hard-liners in Parliament. This bill would effectively halt all collaboration with the IAEA in retaliation for the U.S. attacks on Iran's Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities over the past weekend.
