President Pezeshkian Asserts No Setback from Strikes
Iran declared on Sunday that it will rebuild nuclear sites damaged by Israeli and US strikes, promising to make them “stronger than before.” The announcement comes as Oman urged Tehran and Washington to revive stalled diplomatic talks.
During a visit to Iran’s nuclear organisation, President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a video posted on his official website, “By destroying buildings, we will not be set back.” He added that Iranian scientists still possess the necessary nuclear know-how, though he provided no details about reconstruction plans.
In June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, residential areas, and key scientists, triggering a 12-day conflict. Iran retaliated with ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities.
US President Donald Trump had claimed the strikes had obliterated Iran’s nuclear programme, but the actual extent of the damage remains uncertain. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously described the destruction as “serious and severe.”
The comments follow renewed calls for diplomacy from Oman, which has historically mediated between Iran and the United States. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi told the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on Saturday, “We want to return to the negotiations between Iran and the United States.”
Tehran confirmed receiving messages about resuming diplomatic engagement, according to government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani, without providing further details. Oman facilitated five rounds of US-Iran talks earlier this year, but a sixth round was disrupted by Israel’s strikes.
Meanwhile, Iran is also grappling with the return of UN sanctions after Britain, Germany, and France invoked the “snapback” mechanism, citing alleged Iranian violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.
The situation underscores rising tensions in the Middle East, with Iran balancing reconstruction of its nuclear facilities while facing international pressure to resume diplomatic talks.
