The ceasefire announced this week between Israel and Iran appears to be holding so far, with both sides claiming victory in the 12-day conflict despite uncertainty over the damage inflicted by US strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.

United States President Donald Trump, who helped negotiate the ceasefire, stated on June 25 that the truce was “going very well” and that US and Iranian officials would talk next week. Iran has not acknowledged whether the talks will take place.

Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said earlier that Washington was hopeful for a long-term peace deal.

Trump reiterated on June 25 that US strikes resulted in the “total obliteration” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, setting the country’s nuclear program back by “decades”.

His administration was countering an initial assessment report issued by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, which said the US B-2 bomber attacks on three key nuclear sites in Iran sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has touted what he described as a “historic victory”, as the Israeli military said Iran’s nuclear program was set back “by years”.

He said Israel had removed “two immediate existential threats”, and that he is determined to thwart any attempt by Teheran to revive its weapons program.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country had gained a “great victory”. He said the aggressors failed in their goals of obliterating Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program and inciting social unrest.

In Teheran, Iranian lawmakers voted on June 25 in favor of a plan for the government to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, Iranian state TV said. Iran has said that its enrichment activities are for civilian purposes only.

“The IAEA, which refused even to appear to condemn the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, has put its international credibility up for sale,” Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on June 25 that the UN watchdog’s top priority is returning to Iran’s nuclear facilities to assess the impact of recent military strikes on Teheran’s nuclear program.

Amid growing concerns over potential radiation leaks in Iran following the bombings of three nuclear facilities, the IAEA released a statement on June 25 in which it said that “some localized radioactive as well as chemical release” has been detected at the damaged sites. However, Grossi stated that “there has been no report of increased off-site radiation levels”.

Mahdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker, said Iran had moved its nuclear infrastructure from Fordow.

Iranian media quoted an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying on June 25 that Iran still had stocks of enriched uranium and “the game is not over”.

Sina Azodi, director of the Middle East studies program at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera: “The Israelis have not been able to achieve their objectives in destroying the Iranian nuclear program or forcing Iran to capitulate.

“Netanyahu may have achieved and can claim some short-term victory, but in the long term, I don’t think his leadership serves Israel’s interests.”

Since June 13, at least 610 Iranian civilians have been killed and more than 4,700 injured, while Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel have claimed 28 lives, according to official figures.

Agencies contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn