Overview
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged to restore damaged nuclear facilities and said they will return to service with greater capacity.
- Tehran reiterated that it is not seeking atomic weapons and framed its nuclear work as civilian under a 2003 religious decree banning nuclear arms.
- Foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran is willing to engage to address concerns about its program but rejects direct talks with the United States and dismisses U.S. demands for zero enrichment and missile limits.
- Araqchi said more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60% were buried by the U.S. bombings, a claim that has heightened international concern.
- Israel launched air raids on June 13 and the U.S. struck three key sites on June 22, which Washington described as annihilating the facilities, a characterization Iran disputes.