Iran Downplays Damage to Nuclear Sites
Iranian officials on Sunday dismissed US claims of having destroyed key nuclear sites in a wave of airstrikes, insisting the damage was minimal and that the country’s nuclear program remains intact. The strikes took place late Saturday, targeting Iran’s Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, in what President Donald Trump called a “historic military success.”
More than 30 tons of precision-guided munitions were dropped by US B-2 stealth bombers on the deeply buried Fordo uranium enrichment plant near Qom, according to US defense officials. In a televised address, President Trump said the facilities were “completely obliterated” and declared the mission a warning to Iran and its regional allies.
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Iran pushed back on that narrative. Manan Raeisi, a member of parliament representing Qom, told state media that the Fordo site suffered only “superficial” damage and that “no nuclear radiation has been detected.” He referred to the US president as “the lying president of the United States” and claimed Iran’s nuclear infrastructure remained intact.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the strikes “outrageous” and vowed retaliation. “In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interests and people,” he said on the X platform.
While no casualties were reported, the attack marks a dramatic escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Fordo facility, originally revealed in 2009, is a centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear program, buried under a mountain to protect it from airstrikes.
