19 July,2026 08:05 PM IST | Tehran | mid-day online correspondent
Iran alleges US violated agreement with strike on Darkhovin nuclear facility. File pic
Iran on Sunday alleged that the United States carried out a missile strike on the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant in Khuzestan province, describing the attack as a violation of international law and a fresh escalation in the ongoing military confrontation between the two countries. The claim was made by the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB, reported the ANI.
According to the AEOI, the strike occurred at around 3.39 a.m. local time and involved multiple projectiles targeting the Darkhovin nuclear power plant, which is still under construction.
The organisation condemned the alleged attack, calling it an aggressive act by what it described as the "terrorist and criminal regime" of the United States. It said the facility symbolised Iran's scientific progress and technological self-reliance, while accusing Washington of violating international law through the reported strike, according to the ANI.
No independent confirmation of the alleged attack or assessment of damage was immediately available.
The development came as US President Donald Trump said he was unconcerned by Iran's decision to stop adhering to the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month.
In an interview with NewsNation, Trump said he "couldn't care less" about Tehran's announcement and reiterated that Washington's primary objective remained preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, as per the ANI.
The agreement had been signed in mid-June in an effort to halt hostilities following months of conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also claimed it had intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-9 drone over Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, according to state-run media.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had conducted another round of military operations targeting Iranian assets, saying the strikes were authorised by President Trump. According to CENTCOM, the operations were intended to reduce Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy transit routes, the news agency reported.
The latest military exchanges follow days of intensified hostilities, with both sides accusing each other of violating previous understandings and escalating the conflict.
Reacting to the developments, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei criticised Washington, alleging repeated violations of the bilateral understanding. Iran's Foreign Ministry also announced that Tehran no longer considered itself bound by the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding, arguing that the US had failed to honour its commitments.
The latest accusations underscore the rapidly worsening security situation in the region, although several of Iran's claims, including the reported strike on the Darkhovin nuclear site, had not been independently verified at the time of publication.
(With inputs from ANI)
