Iran has accused the US of striking an unfinished nuclear power plant in Darkhovin in the south of the country and said it would give a "befitting response".
This was written by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi on the social network X.
He said the attack was a “dangerous attack on Iran’s peaceful infrastructure”, and he placed the responsibility for possible further escalation on Washington.
“Iran will take appropriate measures to protect its national interests and security,” Garibabadi said.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was verifying information about the strike. The agency noted that the Darkhovin nuclear power plant is in the early stages of construction, so the attack likely does not pose a radiation threat.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command said it had completed its ninth consecutive wave of nighttime strikes on Iran. The US military struck Iranian military command centers, air defenses, coastal observation posts, missile and drone launchers, and communications networks.
CENTCOM says these strikes are intended to further weaken Iranʼs ability to attack commercial vessels and civilian sailors passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
What preceded
On June 18, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding committing to a 60-day ceasefire. But on July 8, the sides exchanged blows again, with Iran striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US striking targets on Iranian territory.
Then US President Donald Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding was no longer in effect. Already on July 10, Trump reported that Iran had asked to continue peace talks. According to him, the US agreed, but emphasized that the truce was over.
A US official told ABC News that despite the exchange of strikes, the US and Iran are continuing technical talks on Iranʼs nuclear program, and the 60-day ceasefire and memorandum of understanding remain in effect.
At the same time, a CNN source says that the US is deliberately alternating strikes with pauses to continue negotiations. Washington has a list of potential targets and is ready to attack them if necessary, but for now it prefers diplomacy.
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