Iran will not abandon nuclear enrichment, says FM
Iran foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, lookd on during a press conference at the Lutfi Krdar Congress Center on the sideline of the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in Istanbul on June 22, 2025. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on June 22, 2025 condemned US attacks on key nuclear sites as "outrageous" and said his country has a right to defend its sovereignty. "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences," he posted on X, adding that the attacks were "lawless and criminal" behaviour. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News that Tehran will not abandon its uranium enrichment programme, despite the heavy damage inflicted during last month’s Israel-Iran conflict, as reported by Al-Monitor via Reuters on July 21st.
Araghchi stressed that enrichment remains both a scientific achievement and a matter of national pride.
Before the conflict, Tehran and Washington engaged in five rounds of nuclear negotiations, with Oman acting as mediator. Talks stalled over disagreements on how far Iran should be permitted to enrich uranium.
The United States and Israel argued that Iran stood on the brink of enrichment levels suitable for rapid nuclear weapons production. Tehran insisted its nuclear activities serve only civilian purposes.
“Our facilities have been damaged, seriously damaged, the extent of which is now under evaluation by our atomic energy organisation. But as far as I know, they are seriously damaged,” Araghchi said.
He acknowledged the disruption caused by U.S. and Israeli strikes but made clear Iran’s intentions. “It is stopped because, yes, damages are serious and severe. But obviously we cannot give up of enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride.”
The conflict saw Israel launch strikes on June 13th, with Washington joining in attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites. A 12-day air war followed, ending with a ceasefire in late June.
Iran remains a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, unlike Israel. The U.N. nuclear watchdog reported “no credible indication” of a coordinated weapons programme in Iran. Israel, widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, maintains it acted to prevent Tehran from developing such capability.
Al-Monitor via Reuters, Maghrebi.org, Fox news
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