Iran threatens 'everlasting consequences' after US strikes, downplays impact on nuclear sites

Iran has downplayed the intensity of the United States’ strikes that targeted key Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday.

President Donald Trump ordered warplanes to drop bombs on Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, three of Iran’s nuclear sites, thrusting the US fully into the Middle East conflict.

“Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror,” Trump said.

Iranian officials, according to Mehr News Agency, said the uranium that was previously stored at the Fordow enrichment facility had been moved to another location before the strikes.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there had been no reported increases in off-site radiation levels at the three Iranian nuclear sites targeted by the US.

Iran’s foreign ministry warned that the US has begun a “dangerous war” as a result of the offensive.

“The world must not forget that it was the United States that, in the midst of a diplomatic process, betrayed diplomacy,” the ministry said in a statement.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US of breaching international law, warning that there will be “everlasting consequences” for the action.

“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” he wrote on Twitter.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.

“In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”

World leaders have urged Iran to exercise restraint and return to the negotiating table but Iran says it never left.

The IAEA said it will hold an emergency meeting on Monday.

Meanwhile, Israel has launched new airstrikes on western Iran, its first since the US attack on Iran.