In a recent development involving the U.S. and Iran, President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he anticipates Iran will permit international inspections to confirm that it is not resuming its nuclear program. This statement came during a press conference at the White House, where Trump was asked if he would require Iran to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or another respected organization to conduct such inspections. Trump indicated that Iran would need to comply with the IAEA or an equally trusted group, which could include U.S. oversight.
Earlier in the day, Iran’s Foreign Minister raised concerns regarding the possibility of renegotiating with the U.S. over its nuclear program. The situation has been complicated by an American military assault on three Iranian sites, which resulted in substantial damage. This attack comes after the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement during Trump’s previous term in office. The original deal saw Tehran agreeing to restrict its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
Regarding the nuclear negotiations, Trump’s administration has suggested the possibility of renewed discussions with Iran, hinting at a meeting scheduled for the following week. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking on state television, noted that any new talks would not occur soon. In his statement, Araghchi clarified that no commitment has been made regarding resuming negotiations or setting a timeline.
The military intervention by the U.S. has further complicated efforts to reopen dialogue between the nations, Araghchi remarked. His comments arrived on a day when numerous Iranian imams highlighted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s message during Friday prayers, portraying the recent hostilities as a win for Iran. In Tehran, cleric Hamzeh Khalili promised that the judiciary would specially prosecute anyone accused of espionage for Israel.
During the ongoing conflict with Israel, several individuals in Iran have been executed on charges of spying, raising alarm among human rights advocates about potential forthcoming executions. The conflict witnessed relentless Israeli attacks starting June 13, targeting various Iranian facilities, including nuclear sites and military infrastructure. Over 1,000 fatalities have been reported, a significant portion of which are civilians, according to a report from a U.S.-based human rights group.
Conversely, Iran launched over 550 missiles towards Israel, though most were intercepted, resulting in 28 Israeli deaths. Israeli military officials noted they exceeded their operational targets during this military exchange but cautioned that the threat from Iran persists.
The United States further escalated tensions by striking three Iranian nuclear facilities using advanced bunker-buster bombs, dropped by B-2 bombers. Iran retaliated by targeting a U.S. base in Qatar with missile fire, although no casualties were reported.
President Trump asserted that these actions utterly dismantled Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Nonetheless, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei, dismissed Trump’s assertion as an exaggeration, claiming that the attacks failed to achieve any substantial outcomes. In response, Trump stressed that the bombings severely impaired Iran’s nuclear assets. His remarks were supported by an Israeli official, who claimed Israeli strikes significantly halted Iran’s uranium enrichment activities.
There are indications that Iran might have relocated a portion of its enriched uranium before these incidents, which aligns with previous notifications to the IAEA. Nonetheless, IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi described the damage to Iran’s Fordo nuclear site as substantial, noting that the strikes likely incapacitated essential centrifuges. Araghchi conceded that the inflicted damage was indeed severe but mentioned Iran has yet to decide on permitting IAEA inspectors to evaluate the situation.