U.S. Bombs Iran’s Nuclear Sites the Day Before Tehran’s Meeting With Putin
The United States has launched coordinated airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—just one day before Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The strikes, conducted with B-2 stealth bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles, mark a dramatic escalation in the widening Middle East crisis.
Iran has accused the United States of violating international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, calling the strikes a “gross violation” of its sovereignty. Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that “every American citizen or military [member] in the region is now a target,” and confirmed that Iran has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council.
While Iranian authorities claim that the targeted sites were evacuated in advance and that no nuclear materials were released, the attack’s political symbolism is undeniable. The timing appears calibrated to humiliate Tehran just as it prepares to court deeper strategic cooperation with Moscow.
U.S. Reaction
In a sharply worded address on Sunday, June 21, 2025, President Trump declared that U.S. strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities were “very successful” and even “completely and fully obliterated,” emphasizing that “there are many targets left” if Iran does not choose peace.
Domestically, his statement triggered a highly polarized reaction.
Leading Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, offered their support, while others—such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene—voiced strong opposition, arguing “this is not our fight” and raising constitutional concerns over the president acting without Congress.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the president for acting unilaterally, accusing him of misleading the public and endangering U.S. interests. Senator Mark Warner added that Trump had campaigned on ending foreign entanglements but was now risking a new war “without a strategy or public explanation.”
On Wall Street, business figures like hedge‑fund manager Spencer Hakimian welcomed the operation’s precision and minimal civilian risk—even as they warned of supply chain disruptions and oil‑price spikes.
Moscow’s Reaction
The strikes have also created an awkward spectacle for Russia. Just hours after the bombing, state media in Moscow rushed to downplay the significance of the damage, emphasizing that no radiation had been released and suggesting Iran’s nuclear program remains intact. But behind the propaganda curtain, the political cost is harder to obscure. Iran is one of Russia’s most important wartime allies. The United States bombing its strategic facilities on the eve of a high-profile diplomatic meeting in Moscow is, for the Kremlin, a public blow to its image as a regional power broker.
Despite this, the Kremlin is proceeding with the summit. Russian state outlets confirmed that Araghchi will meet with Putin in Moscow tomorrow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated earlier that any attack on Iran’s supreme leader would be viewed “very negatively,” calling regime change in Tehran “unacceptable” and warning that such a move would “open Pandora’s box.” Yet Moscow’s response to the actual airstrikes has been muted, focused more on damage control than deterrence.
Observers say this gap between rhetoric and reality underscores a larger truth: while Russia talks of alliance, it lacks the capacity—or will—to prevent such strikes. For Putin, who has tried to position himself as a guardian of anti-Western states, the U.S. attack and Iran’s vulnerability are both a diplomatic and reputational setback.
International Response
Reactions worldwide were swift. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the strikes a “dangerous escalation,” and several European governments urged restraint. In the U.S., political responses were divided, with critics warning of constitutional overreach and supporters defending the need for deterrence.
As Iran vows to respond, and Russia scrambles to maintain its influence, the immediate future is fraught. U.S. forces across the Middle East are now on high alert, and American citizens have been advised to avoid non-essential travel in the region.
For Tehran, the strikes are a challenge. For Moscow, they are a humiliation. And for Washington, they are a calculated show of power—delivered precisely the day before Iran’s closest ally was meant to step up and offer support.
