Credited from: REUTERS
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has admitted that recent US and Israeli military strikes caused "excessive and serious" damage to the country's nuclear sites, particularly affecting facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. However, he stated that no plans or discussions are underway for resuming nuclear talks with the United States, emphasizing that the Iranian government is currently assessing the implications of the damages on future diplomatic strategies according to India Times, BBC, and Newsweek.
Despite Trump's assertion that the strikes "totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, intelligence reports provide contradictory assessments, with some suggesting that the damage may only have set back Iran's nuclear progress by a few months. The Pentagon's leaked assessment framed the damage as moderate rather than catastrophic, diverging from President Trump's characterization according to Jakarta Post and South China Morning Post.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei further dismissed claims of major disruptions, asserting that the attacks failed to achieve anything of significance and framing the situation as a "victory" for Iran while highlighting its commitment to its nuclear program. His government has also moved to restrict cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amidst these tensions according to Middle East Eye and Africa News.
In summary, the fallout from the strikes complicates potential avenues for dialogue between the US and Iran, with officials in Tehran signaling a hardened stance against negotiations while assessing the impacts of the military actions on their nuclear capabilities and regional diplomacy according to Reuters, Channel News Asia, and TRT Global.