Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Nov. 14, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia press Agency) via REUTERS

Iran plans to restore its nuclear program despite a newly brokered ceasefire with Israel and US President Donald Trump’s vow that the regime will “never rebuild” its nuclear facilities, according to the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

“We planned to avoid any interruption in the nuclear industry process,” Iranian nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami said in an interview with the state-run Mehr news agency. “Preparations for the revival [of the country’s nuclear program] were foreseen in advance, and our plan is to not allow any interruption in the production and service process.”

Eslami’s comments were published on the same day that Trump wrote in a social media post on Truth Social that “IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!”

Experts and Western governments have long warned that Iran’s nuclear program is ultimately meant to build weapons; Tehran has claimed its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.

Earlier this month, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a sweeping military campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities and neutralizing what officials described as an imminent nuclear threat.

Israel’s campaign of airstrikes and covert sabotage from within Iran came on the 61st day of the 60-day deadline set by Trump for Tehran to secure a deal through diplomacy to curb Iran’s nuclear activities.

After five rounds of negotiations with Washington, a potential agreement fell through when Iran announced it would continue its uranium enrichment and expand its nuclear program. Since then, the regime has faced mounting pressure to return to the negotiating table.

On Monday, Trump announced a “complete and total” ceasefire between Tehran and Jerusalem, bringing an end to the 12-day war between the two Middle Eastern adversaries.

Trump’s announcement came just a few hours after Iran launched missile strikes on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar, retaliating against American attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

On Saturday night, the US joined Israel’s airstrike campaign against the Islamist regime by launching a large-scale military strike against Iran, destroying three key nuclear enrichment facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow site.

In a public address, Trump said that the operation had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities and urged Tehran to “make peace,” warning that any future aggression would be met with even greater force.

However, Tehran broke the nascent ceasefire within minutes of it starting. Israeli officials said that three Iranian missiles were launched within the first three hours of the truce. The first came just six minutes in, with two more following later. All were either intercepted or landed in open areas. In response, Israeli warplanes struck a single radar installation north of Tehran, a strike that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office described as a proportional reply to Iran’s violations of the agreement.

As Israeli jets responded, however, an incensed Trump told reporters on the White House lawn: “I’m not happy that Israel’s going out now.” He added that the two sides had “been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f—k they’re doing.”

Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog, praised the ceasefire announcement and urged Iran to resume negotiations and cooperation with the agency.

“I welcome announcements on the Iran situation. Resuming cooperation with the IAEA is key to a successful agreement,” Grossi wrote in a post on X.

He also said he had reached out to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a potential meeting aimed at resuming negotiations, “stressing this step can lead to a diplomatic solution to the long-standing controversy over Iran’s nuclear program.”

Grossi’s comments followed an announcement from Iran’s parliament on Tuesday that its national security committee had approved a bill outlining the full suspension of Tehran’s cooperation with the agency.