Iran has officially confirmed that its nuclear sites were badly damaged in recent US airstrikes, marking the first time a senior official has admitted the scale of destruction. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that the country’s nuclear facilities suffered serious damage. In his first public statement since the US attack, Araghchi said “the losses have not been small, and our facilities have been seriously damaged.”
At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron also said that the US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities had been effective. Speaking after an EU leaders’ meeting in Brussels, Macron noted that the attacks had clearly impacted Iran’s key nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
While Macron supported the US action, he also warned that the situation could get worse if Iran decided to pull out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. He said that could weaken global efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
Macron said he plans to talk soon with the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to help protect the nuclear treaty, which is meant to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
He added that those discussions had already started over a phone call to US President Donald Trump on Thursday. Macron said he told Trump about France’s recent conversations with Iran. He said that the goal is for all countries involved to agree on a common approach, and to make sure Iran does not restart its nuclear program.
Will Iran exit the nuclear treaty after US strikes?
Iran, which joined the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) in 1970 and agreed to share details of its nuclear material with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is now dropping hints that it is considering leaving the pact. The country has accused the IAEA of siding with Israel in what it calls a “war of aggression.”
This comes after the major US military strike last weekend. American B-2 bombers hit two Iranian nuclear sites using powerful bunker-buster bombs, while a US submarine launched cruise missiles at a third location.
Trump had described the attacks as a major success, saying the nuclear sites were completely destroyed. However, US media later reported citing an early intelligence report that the damage was limited and Iran’s nuclear program was only delayed by a few months. That report drew sharp criticism from the White House, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials.