Iran Atomic Energy Organisation spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi has affirmed that Iran will continue with the nuclear expansion plans announced in 2023 to build 20 GW of nuclear power capacity across multiple provinces.
This comes as a direct response to recent military actions against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure by the U.S. military. The series of attacks by Israel on specific Iranian nuclear plants began on June 13, 2025.
In an earlier statement on Sunday, the atomic energy agency described the attack by the US military as a “savage assault”. However, the IAEO assured that the strikes targeting three nuclear sites will not halt the development of the nuclear facilities.
Attacks on Iran
On June 13, 2025, Israel launched a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, targeting sites including the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, Esfahan nuclear site, TESA Karaj workshop, Tehran Research Centre, and Khondab Heavy Water Research Reactor.
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These attacks caused significant damage, including the destruction of the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at Natanz, electricity infrastructure, and centrifuge manufacturing facilities.
The situation escalated further on June 22, 2025, when the United States, under President Donald Trump, conducted airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites: Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz.
The US deployed B-2 stealth bombers and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, alongside approximately 30 Tomahawk missiles, aiming to decapitate Iran’s atomic program.
These attacks have significantly impacted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, particularly its enrichment and centrifuge manufacturing capabilities, which are critical for both civilian energy production and potential weaponization.
Following the attack on the three nuclear sites, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported circumscribed radiological and chemical contamination inside affected sites but no significant off-site impact, with radiation levels remaining unchanged.
Despite the damage, Iran has maintained a resolute position. Kamalvandi’s statement supports earlier declarations from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, insisting that the nuclear program will not be halted.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the US strikes by stating that the US had crossed a ‘very big red line’ and that the time for diplomacy had passed.
Iran retaliated by launching 40 missiles at Israel, including the Khorramshahr-4, though Israel swiftly neutralized the launchers and began strikes on military targets in western Iran.
Iran’s Nuclear Production
Iran’s nuclear program has long been a point of contention, with the country claiming it is for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.
However, the US intelligence assessment from March 2025, reported by the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, stated that Iran had not resumed its nuclear weapons program but retains the capability to produce weapons-grade uranium quickly if it chooses to do so.
The US and Israel’s actions represent a significant escalation in the conflict. Trump acted without congressional authorization, claiming the strikes had completely and fully obliterated key nuclear sites and warning of additional strikes if Iran retaliated.
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“There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran” Trump stated, a decision praised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the US action a “dangerous escalation,” and there have been global calls for diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict.
The collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) under Trump’s administration, which pulled the US out of the nuclear deal, has left little room for diplomatic engagement.
This has hardened positions, with Iran continuing to enrich uranium and the US and Israel resorting to military action to prevent potential weaponization.
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