WASHINGTON - Iran "cannot give up" its nuclear enrichment program which suffered major damage in recent US airstrikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi told US media on Monday.

"Our facilities have been ... seriously damaged. The extent of which is now under evaluation by our atomic energy organization," Araghchi told Fox News in an interview via video link, adding that the damage has ceased Iran's enrichment capabilities for the time being.

On June 22, the US Air Force bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities of Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan, the impact of which, according to the Pentagon's assessment, had set back Teheran's nuclear program "by one to two years".

"We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride," Araghchi said. "Our enrichment is so dear to us."

The US air raids on Iran came during an intense 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last month.

ALSO READ: Iran accuses US of backing Israeli strikes during 12-day conflict

The conflict began on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple targets across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.

Iran retaliated with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory, causing casualties and damage. A ceasefire between the two countries was reached on June 24.

Following Israel's strikes, the sixth round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States scheduled in Oman on June 15 was canceled.

After the Fox News interview was aired, US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday evening: "Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on the Iran Nuclear Sites: 'Damages are very severe, they are destroyed.' Of course they are, just like I said, and we will do it again, if necessary!"

ALSO READ: Trump says he would bomb Iran again if provoked

In late June, the US Senate voted against a resolution that would have limited the president's authority to launch further military action against Iran without congressional approval.

New round of talks with E3

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that a new round of talks between Tehran and France, Britain and Germany (E3) is scheduled to be held in Turkiye's Istanbul on Friday.

Baghaei said the talks would center on the removal of sanctions on Iran and issues pertaining to Tehran's nuclear program, during which Iran would "seriously" put forward its demands. The meeting would be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers and would be attended by the European Union's deputy foreign policy chief.

Baghaei criticized the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal for what he called "inappropriate" positions and silence in the face of Israel's recent military "aggression" against Iran, adding that they should be held accountable for their stance.

He pointed to the E3's threats to trigger the snapback mechanism, emphasizing that resorting to the mechanism was "meaningless, illegal and immoral."

The snapback mechanism is a clause in the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA), that would allow the other parties to re-impose all international sanctions should Iran fail to comply with the agreement.

READ MORE: Iran's foreign minister warns E3 against sanctions revival

Iran and the E3 have held six rounds of talks since September last year, when the two sides' delegations began dialogue on a number of issues, including Tehran's nuclear program and the removal of sanctions, on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May.

Iran signed the JCPOA in July 2015 with six countries - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.