Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has confirmed for the first time that several of the country’s key nuclear installations sustained “serious and heavy” damage in last month’s U.S. air strikes. In an interview with CBS News broadcast 1–2 July, Araqchi said preliminary assessments show the Fordow plant, as well as facilities at Natanz and Isfahan, were hit hard enough that resuming operations could take a long time—“if that is even possible.” The remarks mark a rare public acknowledgment from Tehran of the extent of the strikes ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump on 22 June. Trump has claimed the operation “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme, while U.S. officials have cautioned that a full damage assessment is still under way. Araqchi said Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is conducting its own evaluation and will report to the government once the site inspections are complete.