US bombing 'seriously, heavily damaged' Fordow nuclear site, admits Iranian Foreign Minister

The US bombing of Iran's key Fordow nuclear site has "seriously and heavily damaged" the facility, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview with CBS News.

"No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordow. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged," Araqchi said in the interview broadcast on Tuesday.

"The Atomic Energy Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran... is currently undertaking evaluation and assessment, the report of which will be submitted to the government." Intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the extent of damage caused by US strikes on Iran's nuclear programme, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the US government.

President Donald Trump has said the strikes "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear programme, but US officials acknowledge it will take time to form a complete assessment of the damage caused by the US military strikes last weekend.