In a post on X, Araqchi said the attacks were a “grave violation” of the UN charter, international law and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people,” he said.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said it would not allow development of its “national industry” to be stopped, and an Iranian state television commentator said every US citizen or military member in the region would be legitimate targets.
State media in Iran reported that there were “no signs of contamination” at the nuclear sites at Esfahan, Fordo and Natanz which were hit in the US airstrikes, quoting a statement from the country’s National Nuclear Safety System Center.
“There is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites,” the statement said.
Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of Iran’s state broadcaster, said the three targeted nuclear sites had been evacuated “a while ago,” adding that Iran “didn’t suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out.” (Xinhua, AFP)
