Iran State Media attempted to maintain peace and order after U.S. airstrikes hit several key nuclear facilities early Sunday, portraying them as limited and ineffective attacks while asserting that Iran’s nuclear program remains intact and operational.
The coordinated assault, believed to be authorized by U.S. forces with strong support from former President Donald Trump, targeted nuclear sites at Natanz and Fordow as well as critical infrastructure linked to Iran’s atomic development. While international analysts reported heavy structural damage at Natanz and satellite images showed smoke rising from it, Iranian outlets such as IRNA and Press TV asserted that attacks had been repulsed with minimal damage and disruptions being “negligible”.
“Those opposing the Islamic Republic attempted to impede our progress, but once again they failed,” according to an IRNA bulletin. Iran’s nuclear program is more determined than ever to advance.
State television also broadcast images purporting to show functional centrifuges and laboratories, along with patriotic segments showing citizens waving flags and chanting slogans against “American aggression.”
Responding to U.S. strikes intended to stop Iran’s rapid nuclear escalation. Following these attacks, former President Trump took an increasingly vocal stance toward Tehran during his 2024 campaign, declaring after one strike “Tehran must choose peace–or face consequences”.
Even though President Joe Biden remains Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump’s statement was widely reported and taken as evidence of division within America and electoral posturing by Iranian media outlets, such as Tehran Times which supports state. According to Tehran Times: “America’s confused leadership is trying to win votes through war.”
Iranian military officials claimed multiple incoming missiles had been intercepted and that air defense systems across Iran had been placed on high alert. A senior commander with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Ahmad Daryan stated “America will regret their aggression,” hinting at potential retaliatory operations “at a time and place of our choosing”.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization issued a measured statement, acknowledging some buildings had been damaged but ruling out radiation leakage or compromise to enrichment processes. “Our response is not solely military; rather it’s scientific–we will rebuild stronger and faster.”
Independent observers and satellite firms have released imagery illustrating damage at at least two main Iranian nuclear sites, including collapsed roofs and cratered compounds. Analysts from ISIS noted that attacks likely set back Iran’s nuclear development timeline by several months.
Iran’s media remains calm and united despite reports of strikes across major cities, while Friday prayer leaders from each city condemned these strikes while hailing Iran’s “unbreakable resistance”.
International reactions remain mixed; while allies of the U.S. such as Israel praised it, European Union leaders expressed concerns about potential for escalation while Russia and China cautioned against further unilateral actions taken by the United States.
As diplomatic channels remain unclear, Iran’s strategy appears clear: publicly downplay damage, maintain national morale, and prepare for a larger geopolitical showdown should one emerge.