Iran Admits Serious Damage To Nuclear Sites

Iran’s foreign minister has admitted that “excessive and serious” damage was done to the country’s nuclear sites in the recent US and Israeli bombings.

Abbas Araghchi told a state broadcaster that an assessment of the damage was being carried out by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran.

But, just hours earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the strikes did not disrupt the country’s nuclear programme. Khamenei was responding to US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the bombs had “totally obliterated” three nuclear sites.

Khamenei said the US attacks had failed to “accomplish anything significant”.

The supreme leader, who has been in hiding since the war with Israel began on 13 June, insisted that Trump had “exaggerated” the impact of the bombs, and declared victory over the US and Israel.

But Araghchi’s remarks create a different impression.

The foreign minister also said there were no plans to resume nuclear talks with the US. Iran cancelled a scheduled sixth round of talks when Israel began its attacks.

“I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations,” he said.

He added that the government was examining what was in the “interest of the Iranian people”, saying its approach to diplomacy will take a “new form”.

He did not explain what he meant.

In an attempt to bring Iran back to the negotiating table, the Trump administration has discussed the possibility of helping Iran access $30bn to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear programme, easing sanctions and freeing up billions of dollars in restricted Iranian funds, CNN has reported.