Iran admits massive damage to Fordow nuclear site from US strike

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has publicly acknowledged that US airstrikes on June 22, 2025, inflicted "serious and extensive" damage to the country's Fordow nuclear facility.

This statement follows a period of conflicting reports regarding the extent of the impact on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

“No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordo. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged,” Araghchi said in an interview with CBS News.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran… is currently undertaking evaluation and assessment, the report of which will be submitted to the government,” he added.

The US strikes, which also targeted the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites, involved the use of B-2 stealth bombers and "bunker-buster" bombs, designed to penetrate hardened underground facilities.

While Iranian officials now admit to serious damage, their initial statements downplayed the impact, claiming minimal damage and no radioactive contamination.

Earlier claims made by US President Donald Trump said that Iran's nuclear capabilities are "completely destroyed" or "obliterated" immediately after the strikes.

However, subsequent assessments from various sources, including early US intelligence reports and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), suggest a more nuanced picture.

While acknowledging "significant damage," some reports indicate that the underground infrastructure at Fordow may not be entirely destroyed, and the long-term setback to Iran's nuclear program could be months rather than years.

The IAEA also noted that while Fordow was impacted, the full extent of the underground damage is difficult to ascertain.

Adding to the complexity, satellite imagery taken days before the strikes showed increased vehicular activity at the Fordow site, fueling speculation that Iran may have moved some of its enriched uranium stockpile or centrifuges to undisclosed locations in anticipation of the attacks.

Iranian officials have claimed that materials that could pose a danger were removed before the strikes.