The United States attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran early on Sunday, in what is the first direct US involvement in the recent Israeli attacks on Iran.
President Donald Trump announced that the “very successful attack” targeted three Iranian facilities. He added that the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility is “gone”.
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The attacks targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, facilities that Israel had targeted in its bombings but was unable to destroy due to their underground locations in dense mountains.
In a post on his social media, Truth Social, Mr Trump said the US has completed its strikes and then called for peace.
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“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan,” he wrote. “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!”
Iran has condemned the attacks and accused the US of breaching international law.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to the attacks by accusing Washington of breaching international law.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Mr Araghchi said in a social media post.
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“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.”
Mr Araghchi indicated that Iran may retaliate against US interests in the region, saying Iran “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Analysts had feared that a US involvement may bring the region into chaos as Iran and its proxies could then target US facilities across the regions including in Bahrain and Qatar.
Iran has avoided targeting US interests since the war with Israel started, and all Arab and Islamic countries in the region have condemned Israel for the attacks and called for peace.
The US has been under intense pressure from Israel and pro-Israel American lawmakers to join the war, and Mr Trump had initially said he would make a decision in two weeks. However, the American strikes occurred about three days after the US president gave a two-week timeframe.
Al Jazeera reports that Iran’s nuclear agency said on Sunday that there are no signs of contamination or danger to residents near the sites attacked by the US.
“Following the illegal US attack on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, field surveys and radiation systems data showed: No contamination recorded,” the organisation said in a social media post.
“There is no danger to residents around these sites. Safety is in a stable state.”
The agency also said Iran’s nuclear ambition will not be stopped by the strikes.
ALSO READ: Israel-Iran war continues as Tehran rules out US negotiations while under attack
“The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran assures the great Iranian nation that despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies, with the efforts of thousands of its revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, it will not allow the development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped,” it said in a statement.
Many experts believe Iran had moved many of its centrifuges, equipment and fortified uranium from the sites to undisclosed facilities since the war with Israel began.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the latest war started on 13 June when Israel carried out attacks on Iran, which it claimed were targeted at Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iran, in retaliation, fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. Both sides have carried out daily attacks since leading to the deaths of over 200 people in Iran and over 24 people in Israel.
More details will be provided in subsequent reports.
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