TEHRAN: Iran’s government said Tuesday it had “taken the necessary measures” to ensure the continuation of its nuclear programme after US and Israeli strikes targeted its
facilities.
“We have taken the necessary measures and are taking stock of the damage” caused by the strikes, said the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, in a statement aired on state television.
“Plans for restarting (the facilities) have been prepared in advance, and our strategy is to ensure that production and services are not disrupted,” he added.
The United States struck the Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz uranium enrichment facilities on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump called the strikes a “spectacular military success”. The extent of the damage is unknown.
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said his country still had stocks of enriched uranium and that “the game is not over”.
Israel announced on Monday that it had again bombed the Fordo site, buried under a mountain south of Tehran, to “obstruct access routes”.
US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was in force on Tuesday, urging both sides to “not violate it” on the 12th day of the war between the two arch-foes.
The US leader had earlier said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.
Israeli rescuers said four people were killed in an Iranian strike, after state media in the Islamic republic reported waves of missiles were headed toward Israel.
Neither Iran nor Israel have confirmed the agreement touted by Trump on ending the conflict that has killed hundreds in Iran and two dozen in Israel.
Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday Tehran did not intend to continue its strikes if Israel stopped its attacks, hours after US President Donald Trump announced a staggered ceasefire to bring about an “official end” to their conflict.
Abbas Araghchi suggested that Iran had already halted its operation at 4am Tehran time (0030 GMT) — and wanted a simultaneous end in attacks from Israel as well.
Trump had said the ceasefire would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations. Israel would follow suit 12 hours later.
