Iran Confirms Nuclear Sites ‘Badly Damaged’ After US-Israel Strikes

Iran signals potential break with IAEA as war fallout deepens

Tone & Political Bias: Moderately Pro-Iran / Anti-Israel and US

Why: The coverage centers Iran’s official narrative, highlights Israeli and US actions as aggressive, and frames Iranian responses as defensive without exploring opposing claims or wider context.

Iran Acknowledges Strikes Severely Hit Nuclear Facilities

Iran has officially confirmed that multiple nuclear installations were “badly damaged” following coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel. The announcement was made by Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei in an interview with Al Jazeera.

“Yes, our nuclear installations have been badly damaged,” Baghaei stated. “That’s for sure because (they have) come under repeated attacks.”

The targeted facilities included three major Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. U.S. and Israeli forces used bunker-buster bombs in the attacks—the first time such weapons have reportedly been deployed in this context.

Although Iran confirmed the damage, U.S. intelligence sources have assessed that the strikes only caused temporary setbacks to Iran’s nuclear program rather than destroying it entirely.

Baghaei declined to elaborate further on the operational impact, saying it is now a “technical issue” under the review of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and other internal agencies.

Iranian Parliament Suspends Cooperation with IAEA

Following the airstrikes, Iran’s parliament passed legislation to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog. While the bill does not end cooperation outright, it imposes strict new conditions.

Baghaei said the bill reflects public and political outrage after what he described as “an egregious act of aggression.”

“Don’t you think it is only natural for the representatives of a nation... to reconsider the way they have been dealing with the IAEA?” he asked.

According to Baghaei, the bill sets the following terms:

• Cooperation with the IAEA is suspended, not terminated.

• Iran seeks guarantees for the safety of its nuclear scientists and facilities.

• Any future engagement with the IAEA must respect Iran’s rights under the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty).

  
  

Baghaei emphasized that Iran still wants to act within the NPT framework, which allows for peaceful nuclear development for non-nuclear weapon states.

Iran Denounces Civilian Losses, Labels Israeli Strikes as ‘War Crimes’

Baghaei further condemned Israel’s actions, claiming Iranian civilians were killed during the conflict. He described the casualties as “crimes against humanity” and called for accountability.

“Our people were massacred by Israeli aggression,” he said. “That’s war crimes.”

The Iranian official also suggested that Israel's attacks came in violation of an active ceasefire, which had been arranged with mediation by Qatar—after Qatar was contacted by the United States.

Despite suffering losses, Baghaei asserted that Iran’s population remains resilient.

“Our people showed they are resolute in their defence of national security and sovereignty,” he said.

Ceasefire Brokered, But Regional Tensions Remain High

Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire with Israel, following Qatari diplomatic efforts reportedly initiated by the United States. However, the ongoing rhetoric from all parties suggests that the situation remains fragile.

• Iran’s tone remains defiant.

• There is growing mistrust between Iran and international institutions like the IAEA.

• US assessments downplaying the damage are at odds with Iran’s admission of severe impact.

  
  

What’s Next?

The long-term implications of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain unclear. However, the diplomatic fallout is escalating, especially around Iran’s future involvement in nuclear oversight frameworks. Baghaei’s remarks reflect a pivot toward isolation, conditional diplomacy, and internal restructuring of Iran’s nuclear oversight.