Iran refuses to abandon nuclear program, uranium enrichment a source of national pride – Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
[Tehran, 22 July 2025] — Despite heavy damage to multiple nuclear facilities in recent U.S. strikes, Iran has no intention of backing down from its uranium enrichment program — a stance made clear by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Speaking in a special interview with Fox News on Monday, Araghchi said:
"Enrichment activity is temporarily halted, yes — but permanently abandoning it is out of the question. This is the achievement of our scientists, a source of national pride."
He added:
"Our nuclear program doesn’t rely on imported technology that can be wiped out with bombs. We still possess the technology, and we will rebuild it whenever we choose."
U.S. strikes and nuclear damage
On June 22, the United States — backed by Israel — launched airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities. Among them was the underground Fordow uranium enrichment site, located south of Tehran.
President Donald Trump claimed:
"These strikes have completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear sites."
Araghchi partially acknowledged this, saying:
"Yes, the damage is severe. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop."
He noted that Iran's Atomic Energy Organization is currently assessing the extent of damage to uranium reserves and nuclear materials.
Possibility of diplomatic talks
Just before Araghchi’s remarks, it was revealed that Iran is set to restart nuclear negotiations this Friday in Istanbul with Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
On the question of direct talks with the United States, Araghchi said:
"The door to dialogue remains open — but now is not the time for direct discussions."
Soon after the foreign minister’s remarks, Donald Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social:
"I’ve said it before — if necessary, we’ll strike again."
