Islamabad, June 27, 2025: Despite aggressive US claims of crippling Iran’s nuclear program, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has dismissed the strikes as ineffective, calling the outcome a “victory” for the Islamic Republic.
In his first appearance since a ceasefire with Israel, Khamenei declared that Iran delivered a “humiliating slap” to the United States. “The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” he said, insisting that the country’s nuclear infrastructure remains unaffected.
Trump’s Version Meets Iranian Rejection
Former President Donald Trump hailed the attacks as devastating, claiming that no enriched uranium was removed ahead of the strikes due to the material’s “dangerous and heavy” nature. He wrote on Truth Social that “nothing was taken out… too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!”
However, Iranian leadership flatly rejected this. “The Islamic republic won,” Khamenei declared, reinforcing that the US strikes failed to cripple Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Real Damage Under Debate
Back in Washington, doubts have emerged. A leaked US intelligence assessment suggests that the attack delayed Iran’s progress by mere months—not decades as claimed.
This contradicts statements by CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asserted that facilities would need “years” to rebuild and that no enriched uranium was removed beforehand.
Still, international experts remain skeptical. Satellite imagery shows heavy vehicle movement at Iran’s Fordow facility days before the strikes, raising questions over whether uranium was moved to hidden sites across the country.
A senior Iranian source confirmed that most of the 60% highly enriched uranium was relocated prior to the assault, and European reports claim Iran’s stockpile remains mostly untouched.
Iran Cuts Off IAEA Access
Further escalating tensions, Iran’s Guardian Council has approved a bill suspending all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Lawmakers passed the motion shortly after the ceasefire, accusing the IAEA of siding with Israel and the US. “The government is required to suspend all cooperation with the IAEA,” council spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif announced, citing the need to protect national sovereignty.
The bill, pending President Masoud Pezeshkian’s signature, reasserts Iran’s right to enrich uranium under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
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Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that cooperation is “not possible” until Iran’s nuclear sites are secure from foreign threats.
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