Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has confirmed that the United States’s recent military strike on the Fordow nuclear facility inflicted “serious and heavy” damage, marking the most direct acknowledgment from Tehran to date of the operation’s impact.

Speaking in an interview with CBS News broadcast Tuesday, Araghchi said that while full details remain unclear, “what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged,” Reuters reported.

The Fordow site, built into a mountain near the city of Qom, has long been a centerpiece of Iran’s nuclear program.

The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization is currently assessing the extent of the damage, Araghchi added, with a full report expected to be submitted to government officials in the coming days.

His remarks follow claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that the strike “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.

However, U.S. intelligence assessments cited by The Washington Post suggest a more cautious view, noting that intercepted Iranian communications may have understated the impact of the attack and that a full damage assessment is still underway.

Despite the destruction, Araghchi warned that Iran retains the capacity to quickly restore its enrichment capabilities.

“One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings,” he said.

“If there is the will — and the will exists — we will be able to repair the damages and make up for the lost time.”

When asked about the International Atomic Energy Agency’s assessment that Iran could resume enriched uranium production within months, Araghchi affirmed that Tehran could meet that timeline if it chooses to restart enrichment.

“We have done a lot for our enrichment industry to thrive,” he said, calling the nuclear program “a matter of national pride and glory.”

Still, the foreign minister left the door open to diplomacy.

While he said talks would not resume under current conditions, he noted that negotiations remained possible — provided the U.S. halts further military strikes.

“The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut,” he said.

“But for us to decide to reengage, we will have to first ensure that America will not revert back to targeting us during the negotiations.”

President Trump has dismissed the idea of talks for now, saying there is no offer on the table since Iran’s nuclear sites have been “totally obliterated.”

However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff remains in contact — directly and indirectly — with Iranian officials.

The U.S. and Israel have defended the strikes as necessary to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability and expanding its ballistic missile arsenal.

Though Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful, its recent enrichment to 60% purity, restrictions on international inspections, and growing missile development have fueled fears it is edging closer to weaponization.

Israel has warned that it could take further military steps should Iran attempt to rebuild the damaged sites or accelerate its nuclear progress.

According to Israeli officials, intelligence reports indicate that Tehran had been actively working toward constructing a nuclear weapon.

PHOTO: A US Air Force B-2 bomber (X Screenshot) Use according to Section 27A