US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the United States will hold talks with Iran "next week," referring to a possible agreement on the Iranian nuclear program, which has been set back "decades" by US strikes.
On the second day of the ceasefire announced by Trump between Iran and Israel, the Jewish state said it was too early to assess the damage to Iranian nuclear facilities, which Iranian authorities described as "significant."
"We'll be talking to the Iranians next week," Trump said at a press conference at the conclusion of the NATO summit in The Hague. "We might make a deal (on Tehran's nuclear program), I don't know."
Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran on June 13 with the stated goal of preventing its arch-enemy from obtaining a nuclear weapon, a claim Tehran denies.
The war prevented a new round of talks scheduled for June 15 between Washington and Tehran, mediated by Oman.
The indirect talks, which began in April, aimed to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions crippling its economy.
After declaring "victory" after the ceasefire took effect on Tuesday, Iran reaffirmed its "legitimate right" to pursue its civilian nuclear program and said it was ready to resume talks with Washington.
Trump said the ceasefire was "holding well," explaining that both Israel and Iran were "weary and tired" from the 12-day war between them.
"I've dealt with both sides, and they're wearied and tired," Trump said, adding, "They fought very hard, very brutally, and very violently, and both were satisfied" with the cessation of hostilities.
He explained that the US strikes inflicted "total destruction" on the Islamic Republic's nuclear capabilities, setting its program back "decades."
"They won't be making bombs for a long time," Trump said. Israeli military spokesman Avi Divrin indicated that his country had dealt a "painful blow" to the Iranian nuclear program during the war that began on June 13 and lasted 12 days.
However, he clarified that "it is still too early to assess the results of the operation."
A secret US intelligence report published Tuesday raised doubts about the effectiveness of the strikes carried out by the United States overnight on three major nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—during the war waged by Israel, which primarily targeted nuclear and military sites.
A secret preliminary US intelligence report, reported by media outlets and citing informed sources, concluded that the US strikes targeting the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities did not completely destroy centrifuges or the stockpile of enriched uranium, particularly at the Fordow facility, which is dug deep into the mountains.
According to the report, the strikes sealed off the entrances to some of the facilities without destroying the underground structures, thus setting back Tehran's nuclear program by only a few months and not destroying it.
White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt also denied the accuracy of this information, asserting that the intelligence report was "completely false and was classified as 'top secret,' yet it was leaked."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicated that it was impossible to assess the damage at this stage and requested access to Iranian sites.
Experts believe that Iran may have removed nuclear material from the damaged sites, and Tehran maintains that it still possesses a stockpile of enriched uranium.
The IAEA said it had found no evidence of a "systematic program" to build a nuclear bomb in the country.
Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the UN agency.
With the ceasefire holding, the Israeli military lifted restrictions imposed on the civilian population during the war on Tuesday evening, but Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned that "the campaign against Iran is not over."
The Chief of Staff said his army would focus on the Gaza Strip, where it has been waging a war with Hamas since October 2023.
On Wednesday, traffic returned to the streets of Tel Aviv, with buses and cars resuming operations, schools opening, and employees heading to their offices. Cafe terraces were also packed with customers.
Yossi, a 40-year-old yoga instructor and mother of two, said she was "exhausted but relieved to be able to live in peace."
In Tehran, Saeed, a 39-year-old salesman, confirmed that "the situation has improved." "People are returning to their work and their lives," he told AFP in a quieter-than-usual capital where many shops remained closed.
Iranian authorities announced a gradual lifting of internet restrictions, which had been tightened during the war.
Iran's official news agency, IRNA, reported that a state funeral will be held in Tehran on Saturday for senior military commanders and scientists killed in the war. A funeral ceremony will be held in central Iran on Thursday for Hossein Salami, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards who was killed on the first day of the war.
The war has killed at least 627 people and injured more than 4,870 in Iran, according to the latest official tally from the Ministry of Health, which includes only civilian casualties.
In Israel, 28 people have died as a result of the war, according to authorities.
.jpg)
0 Comments