A classified US intelligence assessment suggests recent American military strikes on Iran only set back Tehran's nuclear program by a few months. This directly contradicts President Donald Trump's assertion that the facilities were "completely destroyed." The report, cited by US media, indicates the strikes damaged some sites but failed to eliminate Iran's enriched uranium stockpile or fully disable its centrifuges.
The assessment suggests that the aerial and missile assaults primarily sealed off entrances to facilities rather than destroying the fortified underground structures themselves. This nuanced finding paints a less decisive picture than the "total obliteration" claimed by the administration.
President Trump has vehemently rejected these findings, accusing media outlets of attempting to undermine the operation's credibility. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed this, dismissing the intelligence assessment as "flat-out wrong" and implying the leak was politically motivated.
Despite the intelligence report, Trump's special envoy, Steven Witkoff, maintains that the nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo were "effectively obliterated," claiming most centrifuges were destroyed and that Iran would need years to recover.
Conversely, Iran has stated it has activated contingency plans to resume its nuclear program, with the head of its Atomic Energy Organization confirming "production and services are not disrupted." An adviser to the supreme leader also warned that "the game is not over," indicating Iran still holds enriched uranium.
These differing accounts highlight a significant disconnect between the US administration's public pronouncements and intelligence assessments regarding the true impact of the strikes. The long-term implications for Iran's nuclear ambitions remain a subject of intense debate and concern.
Source: https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2025/6/us-intel-reveals-trumps-strikes-did-not-destroy-iran-nuclear-program-new-report-says.html