WANA (Jul 24) – Iran’s nuclear program remains resilient and will continue to grow despite external pressures and attacks, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), in a recent interview.

 

Referring to the 12-day military conflict and the recent Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Kamalvandi stated:

 

“Iran’s nuclear industry is deeply rooted. What has roots cannot be destroyed by attacks or pressure. This industry will bloom again.”

 

He emphasized that Iran’s nuclear capabilities are not easily erased and that scientific knowledge, once acquired, cannot be undone.

 

This perspective has also been echoed by Western officials. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates previously acknowledged that military strikes alone cannot eliminate Iran’s nuclear program, stressing that “nuclear knowledge cannot be bombed out of existence.”

 

Similarly, Robert Malley, the former U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, has expressed skepticism about military options.

 

“A U.S. military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be a mistake,” Malley said. “The military option is not a solution to Iran’s nuclear program.”

 

The remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and renewed debates in Washington and Tel Aviv over how to confront Iran’s advancing nuclear capabilities.

 

On June 13, the Israeli regime, in a blatant violation of international law and Iran’s national sovereignty, launched a military attack targeting areas in Tehran and other cities, including the country’s nuclear facilities.

 

This terrorist act killed several Iranian scientists, military personnel, and civilians. This action did not go unpunished, as Iran’s Supreme Leader stated, and the Israeli regime faced severe retaliatory strikes.

 

In the continuation of this aggression, the United States also joined Israel’s war against Iran by launching direct attacks early Sunday (June 22) on Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

 

This aggression also faced a strong response, in which Iran struck the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. This base is the headquarters of the U.S. Air Force and its largest strategic asset in West Asia.

 

Finally, on June 24, the U.S. President announced a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the Israeli regime. The Islamic Republic of Iran, while stressing that it did not start the war, declared that if the Israeli regime halts its illegal aggression, Iran also has no intention of continuing its retaliatory actions.

Arak nuclear facility after U.S. strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency