New Delhi: Iran on Wednesday confirmed that its nuclear infrastructure sustained “severe damage” in US airstrikes.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei acknowledged for the first time the extent of the destruction, stating: “Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure.” He did not disclose further details, but confirmed that the strikes carried out on Sunday by US B-2 bombers using bunker-buster munitions had been “significant”.
The confirmation came after US President Donald Trump at a NATO summit in the Netherlands asserted that the American strikes had “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. However, US intelligence reportedly estimates that the attacks may have set back the programme by only a few months, while Israeli officials suggest the damage could delay Iran’s capabilities by “years”.
The strikes targeted three major nuclear sites in Iran. In response, Tehran has accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of failing to condemn the attacks and announced it would suspend cooperation with the UN watchdog.
Iran fast-tracks withdrawal from IAEA protocols
In a swift move, Iran’s parliament voted to fast-track a proposal that effectively halts cooperation with the IAEA until “security of nuclear facilities is ensured”. Parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said: “The IAEA refused to even pretend to condemn the attack… Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme will now move forward at a faster pace.”
The decision comes amid reports that Iran moved portions of its highly enriched uranium stockpile before the strikes. The IAEA has called for renewed access to inspect the facilities and verify current inventories.
“We need to return. We need to engage,” said IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking from Vienna.
Ceasefire holds amid nuclear fallout
The strikes came just days before a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel took hold on Tuesday, ending nearly two weeks of hostilities. Both sides initially accused each other of violating the truce, but the situation remained calm on Wednesday.
President Trump, who claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire, said the outcome proves the US strategy is working: “They’re not going to have a bomb and they’re not going to enrich.”
His Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff echoed the sentiment, telling Fox News: “The total destruction of the enrichment capacity is complete… No one’s shooting at each other. It’s over.”
While Israeli military officials welcomed the damage inflicted on Iran’s programme, international observers have warned that the strikes could harden Iran’s stance and push it further away from diplomatic engagement.
