In first appearance since truce with Israel, supreme leader hails 鈥榮lap鈥 on the face of America
鈥 Hegseth insists strikes on N-facilities were successful
鈥 Iran鈥檚 legislature clears bill to suspend cooperation with IAEA
TEHRAN / WASHIN-GTON: Even after Iran鈥檚 supreme leader accused President Donald Trump of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Washington continued to insist on the success of its actions, claiming that there was no evidence Tehran had been able to move any of its highly enriched uranium.
In his first public appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed what he termed a 鈥渧ictory鈥 over Israel, vowing never to yield to US pressure and insisting that the US had been dealt a humiliating 鈥渟lap鈥.
鈥淭he American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,鈥 Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme had been set back by decades.
The strikes, he insisted, had done 鈥渘othing significant鈥 to the country鈥檚 nuclear infrastructure.
Trump, however, maintained that the attacks were devastating.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump dismissed speculation Iran might have removed enriched uranium prior to the raid, saying: 鈥淣othing was taken out… too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!鈥
鈥淭he cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of (the) facility,鈥 Trump wrote on his social media platform, without providing evidence.
But Khamenei dismissed such claims, saying 鈥渢he Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America鈥.
True impact?
In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates.
A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran鈥檚 nuclear programme may be less severe than initially claimed 鈥 possibly delaying progress by only a few months.
This assessment contrasts with statements from senior US officials.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be 鈥渞ebuilt over the course of years鈥.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from US strikes.
鈥淧resident Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating 鈥 choose your word 鈥 obliterating, destroying Iran鈥檚 nuclear capabilities,鈥 he said at a press conference.
Trump, who watched the exchange with reporters, echoed his defence secretary, saying it would have taken too long to remove anything.
But doubts remain about whether Iran quietly removed some 400 kilograms of enriched uranium from its most sensitive sites before the strikes 鈥 potentially hiding nuclear material elsewhere in the country.
Several experts cautioned this week that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes, and could be hiding it and other nuclear components in locations unknown to Israel, the US and UN nuclear inspectors.
They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing 鈥渦nusual activity鈥 at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday that most of the 60pc highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the US attack.
The Financial Times, citing European capitals, reported that Iran鈥檚 highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact since it was not concentrated at Fordow.
IAEA cooperation ended
Meanwhile, Iran鈥檚 Guardian Council has approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Lawmakers had voted in favour of the bill a day after a ceasefire ended a 12-day war with Israel.
Iranian officials have sharply criticised the International Atomic Energy Agency for failing to condemn the strikes, while Tehran criticised the watchdog for passing a resolution on June 12 accusing it of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations.
Iranian officials say the censure motion was 鈥渙ne of the main excuses鈥 for the Israeli and US attacks.
鈥淭he government is required to suspend all cooperation with the IAEA to ensure full respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,鈥 Guardian Council spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif told the official IRNA news agency.
The bill, which will now be submitted to President Masoud Pezeshkian for final ratification, would allow Iran 鈥渢o benefit from all the entitlements specified under… the Non-Proliferation Treaty especially with regard to uranium enrichment,鈥 Nazif said.
Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a post on X that cooperation with the watchdog was 鈥渘ot possible鈥 at this time until security at Iran鈥檚 nuclear facilities 鈥渋s ensured.鈥
Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2025