Tehran - BORNA - Eslami — who also serves as Iran’s vice president — stressed in an interview with Sky News that while the U.S. bombing raids on June 22 caused major destruction at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Iran’s scientific and technological foundation remains strong. “It is natural for facilities to be damaged in military attacks, but what matters is that science, knowledge, technology, and industry have deep roots in Iran’s history,” he said.
The U.S. used B-2 bombers to strike the three nuclear sites, with satellite images showing significant damage. Iranian officials later acknowledged the severity of the destruction. Still, Eslami defended Iran’s right to nuclear development, reiterating that the program is for peaceful purposes.
Asked why Iran enriches uranium to levels close to weapons-grade, Eslami dismissed Western claims as politically motivated. “Enrichment percentages are inflated by politicians, tricksters, and our enemies. High enrichment is not necessarily for weapons,” he explained.
He said Iran requires higher enrichment for precise measurement instruments, safety systems in reactors, and sensitive processes in reactor management. “No one sells these to us. We have been under sanctions for years, so we must produce them ourselves.”
Sky News reported that on Tuesday, Iranian and European officials, together with the EU foreign policy chief, held talks on Iran’s nuclear program and the snapback mechanism on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The E3 — Britain, France, and Germany — launched a 30-day process on August 28 to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, saying they would suspend it only if Tehran took immediate steps, including restoring IAEA access and reengaging in talks with Washington.
Eslami rejected this premise outright. “Tehran will not negotiate with Americans after their recent war against us. There is no need to negotiate with them,” he said. “The U.S. government has committed great injustices against the Iranian people from the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. It recently carried out military aggression against our country.”
“An enemy is an enemy, even if it shows no hostility,” Eslami continued. “Their hostility has always been evident. Negotiating with such an enemy is pointless. While indirect talks were ongoing, they launched military operations.”
He added, “They came to the negotiating table, then abandoned it and forgot the promises they had made. The U.S. government is full of unfulfilled commitments. Nobody can trust them anymore.”
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