Iran’s foreign minister has signaled that the door to new nuclear negotiations with the United States remains shut, for now, following a devastating round of US airstrikes that Tehran says caused “serious damage” to its nuclear infrastructure.
In an interview broadcast on Iranian state television late Thursday, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi made clear there has been no movement toward restarting talks. “No agreement has been made for resuming the negotiations. No time has been set, no promise has been made, and we haven't even talked about restarting the talks,” Araghchi said.
His comments follow US President Donald Trump’s assertion earlier this week that talks could resume as early as next week. Trump, who unilaterally pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal during his first term, has said he is open to a new agreement with Tehran. But for now, the Iranian side is keeping its distance.
American intervention changes the calculus
The prospect of renewed diplomacy was further complicated after the US entered the conflict between Iran and Israel, striking three of Iran’s most fortified targets with B-2 bombers, cruise missiles, and bunker-buster bombs last Sunday. The Pentagon said the operation was intended to neutralize key components of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran retaliated two days later, firing missiles at a US base in Qatar. While the attack caused no known casualties, the message was unmistakable.
Araghchi acknowledged the US strikes had taken a toll. “The level of damage is high, and it’s serious damage,” he said, admitting the attacks had altered the diplomatic landscape. “The American decision to intervene militarily made it more complicated and more difficult.”
A war, and its political aftershocks
The broader conflict began on June 13, when Israel launched a sweeping campaign against Iran, targeting nuclear sites, defense systems, and senior military leadership. In 12 days of strikes, Israel said it had killed 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, hitting more than 720 military sites and eight nuclear-related facilities. Over 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group.
Iran responded with more than 550 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems. Still, 28 Israelis were killed.
Despite Trump’s claim that the American strikes “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday accused Washington of exaggerating the damage. He said the strikes “did not achieve anything significant.”
However, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi contradicted that narrative, telling Radio France International that the damage to the Fordo nuclear facility, built deep inside a mountain, was “very, very, very considerable.” Grossi noted that centrifuges are extremely sensitive machines, and “it’s not possible” they escaped damage from multiple 30,000-pound bombs. “These centrifuges are no longer operational,” he added.
Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors to assess the site and says they will be kept out “for the time being.”
Executions, arrests and warnings
Back home, Iranian clerics praised the military's response. At Friday prayers, many echoed Khamenei’s claim that the war marked a “victory” for Iran.
Hamzeh Khalili, a senior cleric and deputy chief justice of Iran, declared during a prayer service in Tehran that those accused of spying for Israel would be prosecuted “in a special way.”
During the conflict, Iran executed several individuals already in custody on espionage charges. Human rights groups fear that dozens of recent arrests across cities, on charges of collaborating with Israel, may lead to a new wave of politically motivated executions.
In an interview broadcast on Iranian state television late Thursday, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi made clear there has been no movement toward restarting talks. “No agreement has been made for resuming the negotiations. No time has been set, no promise has been made, and we haven't even talked about restarting the talks,” Araghchi said.
His comments follow US President Donald Trump’s assertion earlier this week that talks could resume as early as next week. Trump, who unilaterally pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear deal during his first term, has said he is open to a new agreement with Tehran. But for now, the Iranian side is keeping its distance.
American intervention changes the calculus
The prospect of renewed diplomacy was further complicated after the US entered the conflict between Iran and Israel, striking three of Iran’s most fortified targets with B-2 bombers, cruise missiles, and bunker-buster bombs last Sunday. The Pentagon said the operation was intended to neutralize key components of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran retaliated two days later, firing missiles at a US base in Qatar. While the attack caused no known casualties, the message was unmistakable.
Araghchi acknowledged the US strikes had taken a toll. “The level of damage is high, and it’s serious damage,” he said, admitting the attacks had altered the diplomatic landscape. “The American decision to intervene militarily made it more complicated and more difficult.”
A war, and its political aftershocks
The broader conflict began on June 13, when Israel launched a sweeping campaign against Iran, targeting nuclear sites, defense systems, and senior military leadership. In 12 days of strikes, Israel said it had killed 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, hitting more than 720 military sites and eight nuclear-related facilities. Over 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group.
Iran responded with more than 550 ballistic missiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel’s defense systems. Still, 28 Israelis were killed.
Despite Trump’s claim that the American strikes “completely and fully obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday accused Washington of exaggerating the damage. He said the strikes “did not achieve anything significant.”
However, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi contradicted that narrative, telling Radio France International that the damage to the Fordo nuclear facility, built deep inside a mountain, was “very, very, very considerable.” Grossi noted that centrifuges are extremely sensitive machines, and “it’s not possible” they escaped damage from multiple 30,000-pound bombs. “These centrifuges are no longer operational,” he added.
Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors to assess the site and says they will be kept out “for the time being.”
Executions, arrests and warnings
Back home, Iranian clerics praised the military's response. At Friday prayers, many echoed Khamenei’s claim that the war marked a “victory” for Iran.
Hamzeh Khalili, a senior cleric and deputy chief justice of Iran, declared during a prayer service in Tehran that those accused of spying for Israel would be prosecuted “in a special way.”
During the conflict, Iran executed several individuals already in custody on espionage charges. Human rights groups fear that dozens of recent arrests across cities, on charges of collaborating with Israel, may lead to a new wave of politically motivated executions.
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