Iran says no agreement to resume talks with United States

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that no arrangement or commitment had been made to resume negotiations with the United States, after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week.

In an interview with state broadcaster IRIB, Araghchi said the possibility of restarting talks was under consideration but would depend on whether Iran's national interests were protected.

"Our decisions will be based solely on Iran's interests," he said. "If our interests require a return to negotiations, we will consider it. But at this stage, no agreement or promise has been made and no talks have taken place."

Araghchi's denial came after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump of exaggerating the impact of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Khamenei, in his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel, said in a televised speech on Thursday that the U.S. gained nothing from the war against Iran and instead received a "harsh slap" in the face, while congratulating the Iranian nation on its "victory" in the war with Israel and the United States.

Khamenei said the U.S. exaggerated its achievements in the war because they failed to achieve their objective and needed that to cover up the truth, emphasizing that "here again, the Islamic Republic of Iran achieved victory and responded by giving the United States a harsh slap in the face."

The Iranian supreme leader insisted the strikes had done "nothing significant" to Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Araghchi, for his part, called the damage "serious" and said a detailed assessment was under way.

He also confirmed that a law suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, had become binding after being passed by parliament and approved by the Guardian Council, a top constitutional oversight body.

"The law is now obligatory and will be implemented. Our cooperation with the IAEA will take a new shape," he said.

In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates.

A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran's nuclear program may be less severe than initially claimed – possibly delaying progress by only a few months.

That contrasts with statements from senior U.S. officials. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be "rebuilt over the course of years." 

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes.

The Israeli military said Iran's nuclear sites had taken a "significant" blow, but cautioned it was "still early" to fully assess the damage.

Netanyahu said Israel had "thwarted Iran's nuclear project," warning any attempt by Iran to rebuild it would be met with the same determination and intensity.

As for the conflicting narratives surrounding Iran's nuclear capabilities, Qin Tian, deputy director of the Institute of Middle East Studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, believed that Iran is deliberately keeping the situation regarding its nuclear facilities and the transfer of enriched uranium ambiguous, because Iran's nuclear capabilities serve as a crucial bargaining chip in its negotiations with the United States.

Iran has two main approaches in dealing with nuclear talks with the United States, Qin argued. The first option is to consider rebuilding and restoring its nuclear capabilities, cautioning any such move would almost certainly trigger military strikes from Israel.

The second option is to keep the extent of its remaining uranium enrichment capabilities and overall nuclear strength intentionally vague. "By employing this strategy of calculated ambiguity, Iran aims to retain leverage for future nuclear negotiations."

Noting that U.S. military strikes against Iran have further deepened mutual distrust between Iran and the West, Qin said that for Iran, its nuclear capability is not merely a matter of military strength or national deterrence, but also a symbol of national dignity.

Qin added that whether a new agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue can be reached – and whether Iran is willing to make concessions – remains highly uncertain.