The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, said on Wednesday that the country’s nuclear capabilities cannot be destroyed by airstrikes, explaining that the programme is based on domestic production and will continue without interruption.
Speaking to state television, Eslami said, “The nuclear industry is not something that can be destroyed by bombing. It is a national and local industry, and its progress will continue steadily and without interruption.”
He described the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on 22 June as “a severe blow to United Nations resolutions”.
Eslami also stated that “the US attacks on Iran show that the law of the jungle is being applied in the world. If you are not strong, you cannot survive.”
Earlier, Iranian sources confirmed that informal talks have already started between Tehran and Washington in a European country, with international mediation, in preparation for an expected meeting between White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to the Al-Jarida newspaper in Kuwait.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC that Tehran requires Washington to rule out launching any new strikes before any diplomatic talks can resume. He also noted that Iran has not yet agreed on a date or framework for dialogue.