Iran’s nuclear programme has been “very, very delayed” by US and Israeli strikes, France’s foreign intelligence chief said on Tuesday, wading into a contentious debate over just how hard it was hit.

Ten central trade unions have called for a nationwide strike, Bharat Bandh, on July 9, supported by rural and agricultural labor organizations. The unions are protesting government policies favoring big businesses at the expense of workers and farmers. They are demanding better wages, more government jobs, and opposing new labor codes, potentially disrupting public transport and services.

The remark, captured on video, quickly went viral and drew sharp condemnation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the civil society in the state.