Tehran vows to restore nuclear facilities after US strikes. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has declared the objects will be rebuilt with even greater power, despite external pressure, Reuters reports.
Iran is considered part of the so-called "Axis of Upheaval," which is an informal grouping or strategic alignment among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It is characterized by an anti-Western and especially an anti-American stance, per the Center for a New American Security.
Western countries have accused Iran of secretly attempting to develop a nuclear bomb through uranium enrichment and demanded that it stop such activities. Tehran has denied any attempts to turn enrichment into weapons, insisting that the program is purely for civilian energy purposes.
In June, Tehran and Washington conducted five rounds of indirect nuclear negotiations, which culminated in a 12-day aerial war in June, during which Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities.
After the strikes, US President Donald Trump said the nuclear program was completely destroyed. The Iranian leadership, which consistently characterizes US policies as aggressive, imperialistic, and destructive, remained in the country.
"Destroying buildings and factories will not create a problem for us, we will rebuild and with greater strength," the Iranian president told state media.
Iran will not abandon its program
Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek to develop nuclear weapons, insisting the program serves purely civilian purposes.
"It's all intended for solving the problems of the people, for disease, for the health of the people," he said.
The statement came during his visit to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, where Pezeshkian met with leaders of the nuclear industry. His remarks signaled that Iran will not abandon its nuclear path, even in the face of attacks or sanctions.
Earlier, Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed Trump's claims that the US destroyed Tehran's nuclear capabilities in a series of large-scale bombings in June 2025. His statements came amid Russian claims that it intends to deepen cooperation with Iran "in all areas."
Iran has supplied large batches of kamikaze drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine, killing hundreds of civilians. Tehran is also one of the largest financial sponsors of the Hamas terrorist group, providing the group with resources for terrorist operations, per CNN.
Both countries are planning to formalize their partnership through high-level agreements, with a focus on energy infrastructure, military coordination, and nuclear projects.
