Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirmed that the United States caused “considerable and serious damage” to its nuclear facilities. He also warned that “many realities have changed” and that Iran is raising new demands in anticipation of potential negotiations.
“When a war is left behind, many realities change, and the conditions that follow are fundamentally different from those before,” he explained. He emphasized that, after the “strong resistance” of the Iranian people during these twelve days, “it is impossible to return to the previous conditions.”
Araghchi stated that Iran is now presenting “new demands,” including compensation for damages suffered at its facilities. He expressed this in an interview with the state television IRIB, where he also stated that Tehran does not consider returning to the negotiating table with Washington.
“Up to now, we have not reached any agreement to resume negotiations,” the minister stated on Thursday, accusing the United States of “further complicating things” with the bombings over the past weekend against the facilities in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow.
“There were deaths, the war broke out, and the challenge has become more complex. With this mistake, the United States did not resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, but rather worsened it,” the chancellor emphasized.
Araghchi also defended Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and accused its Director General, Rafael Grossi, of acting without “honesty or justice” in his assessments. He argued that Grossi “paved the way” for attacks by Israel and the United States.
“It is evident that was a political act,” he criticized, reproaching Grossi for not condemning these attacks. “The Director-General should have done it. International Law is clear: attacking nuclear facilities constitutes an unforgivable crime, and they did not attack just one, but several,” he concluded.