Iran’s deputy FM demands reparations from US over attacks on nuclear sites

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh says the United States must pay millions of dollars in reparations to the Islamic Republic over its blatant act of aggression against civilian nuclear sites, which it carried out jointly with the usurping Israeli regime.

Speaking to the al-Mayadeen television news channel on Wednesday, Khatibzadeh said that Washington must compensate for the losses incurred upon Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, adding that Tehran will file complaints with the United Nations in strong condemnation of the bombardment of its scientific and technical installations.

The senior diplomat and former ministry spokesperson said the United States was the party conveying messages that it was seeking an end to the war, noting that Iran launched a powerful missile strike against the US military’s al-Udeid airbase near the Qatari capital Doha on Monday evening in retaliation for Washington’s strikes on the Iranian nuclear sites.

Khatibzadeh commended Iran as a great civilization that cannot be eliminated, advising US President Donald Trump to realize the incontrovertible fact.

The Iranian diplomat highlighted that the Islamic Republic is determined to continue resistance, adding that the Israeli entity has received “a major stinging blow.”

“Iran, a powerful and resilient country, stood firm in the face of the Israeli aggression,” he said, adding that Israeli settlers have fallen victim to the strategic blunders of their prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Khatibzadeh warned that any further acts of aggression against Iran will draw a crushing response, saying the country’s armed forces are “prepared to respond to any attack.”

He also took a swipe at the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, saying he must be held to account for his conduct as he “played a regrettable role” in paving the way for the Israeli regime’s war of aggression against Iran.

Khatibzadeh noted that Iran has explicitly declared that US-Israeli attacks undermined the very essence of diplomacy, stressing, “Iran does not trust a negotiator who plotted against it.”

The Iranian deputy foreign minister stressed that what was not achieved through aggression cannot be obtained by means of diplomacy.

Khatibzadeh also touched on the Zionist regime's frequent violations of ceasefire agreements with other parties, including Gaza and Lebanon.

“Over the last year and a half, it has been noted that Zionists have not fulfilled any of their commitments in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. Therefore, Iran will remain fully alert and ready and will respond to any act of aggression with its full power at any time and place,” the Iranian diplomat stressed.

In response to a question about the clauses of the ceasefire with Israel, Khatibzadeh said Tehran announced through exchange of indirect messages that it will not engage in nuclear negotiations with Washington unless Israeli attacks stop, and the occupying Tel Aviv regime accepts responsibility for them.

“We did not have any written agreement with the Zionist regime that contains any clauses. What happened is the cessation of aggression by Zionists. Iran, in return, while standing prepared, will not carry out any more attacks,” the Iranian deputy foreign minister noted.

Israel waged an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran on June 13, carrying out airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear, military and residential sites that resulted in the martyrdom of top military commanders, nuclear scientists and many ordinary citizens.

The Iranian armed forces started counterattacks immediately afterwards. The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force carried out 22 waves of retaliatory missile strikes against the Zionist regime as part of Operation True Promise III.

Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarqandi said on Tuesday that the official statistics show 606 Iranian people have been martyred in the Tel Aviv regime’s aggression since June 13.

He noted that a total of 5,332 people have been injured across Iran as well.

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