‘Seriously and heavily damaged’: Iran admits damage to nuclear sites after US strikes

Iran has admitted that US strikes on its key Fordow nuclear site have “seriously and heavily damaged” the facility, adding that nobody knows what exactly transpired there. Amid the conflict between Israel and Iran, the US launched Operation Midnight Hammer on June 21, targeting Tehran’s three nuclear sites, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. In an interview with CBS News that was broadcast on Tuesday (Jul 1), the Iranian Foreign Minister said that an evaluation was being done on the facility.

“No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordow. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged,” Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi said. “The Atomic Energy Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is currently undertaking evaluation and assessment, the report of which will be submitted to the government.”

According to a Washington Post report, citing four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the US government, intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the extent of damage caused by US bombings.

The Fordow nuclear facility is located deep inside a mountain and is mostly underground. US President Donald Trump has said that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. However, US officials have acknowledged that it will take time to form a complete assessment of the damage caused by the US strikes.

While Trump claimed that the strikes were ‘very very successful’ and destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program, US media reported, citing intelligence data, that the damage at nuclear sites was not significant. On June 26, the Pentagon released test footage showing how bunker-busters work. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a press conference, said that the media is spinning the story of a “highly successful” strike.

Earlier, Hegseth said, “Strikes in Iran were highly successful, it was a resounding success and brought the end of the war. Trump created the conditions to end war destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities. What other presidents talked about, President Trump achieved. This is a historic moment.” He added, “Leaked preliminary report is based on lynchpin assumptions. Rafael Grossi also said that US strikes caused enormous damage. This is a historically successful mission.”