(MENAFN) Iran has stated it will not abandon its nuclear enrichment efforts, even after significant damage caused by recent U.S. airstrikes, according to remarks made by Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in a media interview on Monday.

Speaking via video link, Araghchi explained that several of Iran’s nuclear sites had been “seriously damaged,” though a full assessment of the destruction was still ongoing by the country’s atomic energy agency. "Our facilities have been ... seriously damaged. The extent of which is now under evaluation by our atomic energy organization," he said.

The strikes, carried out by the U.S. Air Force on June 22, targeted Iran's nuclear installations at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. According to military assessments, the operation may have delayed Iran’s nuclear development by one to two years.

Despite this setback, Araghchi insisted Iran would continue its enrichment program, describing it as a core achievement. "We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride," he emphasized. "Our enrichment is so dear to us."

The bombing campaign took place amid a tense 12-day military exchange between Iran and Israel last month.

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