US caused 'serious damage' to Iran's nuclear sites: Foreign minister

(NewsNation) — U.S. strikes caused significant, "serious damage" to nuclear sites in Iran, the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday.

It was the first official acknowledgement from Iran regarding the damage caused by "Operation Midnight Hammer," which Trump and his top administration officials have said obliterated three of Iran's nuclear sites, despite a conflicting preliminary damage report.

"I have to say, the losses have not been small, and our facilities have been seriously damaged," Araghchi said in an interview with Iran's state television.

Araghchi's assessment echoes that of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth —and departs from the narrative pushed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a prerecorded video Thursday, Khamenei said Trump had "exaggerated" damage done by the U.S., adding on social media that America "achieved nothing" in the attacks.

What's next for Middle East?

With Iranian nuclear capabilities reportedly dismantled, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a "victory" over Iran opens up opportunity for "a dramatic expansion of the peace agreements."

Both Washington and Tehran have said there is no meeting currently scheduled for nuclear talks, though the White House has claimed it is keeping communication lines open.

Historically, many of these lines have gone through Qatar, which has also played a key mediation role between Hamas and Israel over the war in Gaza.

Qatar is hopeful the U.S. will help broker long-term peace in the region, an adviser to the Qatari prime minister told NewsNation in an exclusive interview.

Congress receives secure briefing on Iran

Messaging about damage to Iranian nuclear sites remains largely consistent from the Trump administration, but some lawmakers aren't convinced.

Senators emerged from an intelligence briefing late Thursday, offering different interpretations of the same classified material.

"The president was deliberately misleading the public when he said the program was obliterated. It is certain that there is still significant capability and significant equipment," said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

But Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said "obliterated is a good word" to describe the attacks' impacts: "The program was obliterated at those three sites, but they still have ambitions."

House members will receive their own intelligence briefing Friday.

As the White House prepares to limit intelligence-sharing with Congress, the FBI has continued its investigation into who leaked a classified defense intelligence agency report.

When asked whether the Defense Intelligence Agency's preliminary report would ever be made public, press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NewsNation: "I don't think this administration is going to get into the habit of sharing classified, top-secret information."

NewsNation's Anna Kutz contributed to this report.