Report suggests US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear programme by months
Michelle L Price, Associated Press
A new US intelligence report found that Iran’s nuclear programme has been set back only a few months after a US strike, and was not “completely and fully obliterated” as President Donald Trump has said.
The early intelligence report issued by the Defence Intelligence Agency on Monday contradicts statements from Mr Trump and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the status of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
According to people familiar with the situation, the report found that while the Saturday strikes at the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites did significant damage, they were not totally destroyed.
Pushed back
The White House strongly pushed back on the assessment, calling it “flat-out wrong”.
“The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear programme,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“Everyone knows what happens when you drop 14 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”
The CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on the DIA assessment.
ODNI coordinates the work of the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies, including the DIA, which is the intelligence arm of the Defence Department, responsible for producing intelligence on foreign militaries and the capabilities of adversaries.
The intelligence assessment was first reported by CNN on Tuesday.
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On the one had some critics complain that Iran was no where near having a nuke, and then there are some who believe “US strikes only set back Iran’s nuclear programme by months”. Cognitive dissonance?
What happened to Saadam Hussein’s WMD’s
A recent earthquake in Iran could be of natural origins but considering it is close to one of its nuclear sites, it could very likely be due to a nuclear test. .
Iran had had 3 earthquakes this month. More than a dozen since last Autumn.
Really, wow. Shocked, so shocked he fibbed. We never had an idea he would fib. Iran will get the bomb sooner now. Trump ensured it. That was on the cards really once he pulled out the agreement in his first term to spite Obama, and then he started shouting at the aircraft to turn around after his strike, the Isreal ones that is, they had to go back and bomb some more after he said it was obliterated. Why would that be I wonder. Anyone checked with farage for his expert opinion? He was quiet yesterday on the 9th anniversary… Read more »
“… looking at his nobel peace prize slipping away…” Nobel for what?
the gibbering idiot thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace prize. Pakistan have already nominated him for the 2026 draw. Then he illegally bombed Iran.
Trump likes to think he has brought peace to the world. He has let gaza suffer and let Ukraine suffer for starters and managed to invade his own country.
He is obsessed with the prize.
What about the Abraham Accords? As far as ‘illegality’ goes; didn’t President Obama bomb Libya without Congressional approval? What about President Bill Clinton’s Kosovo bombing campaign? Trump’s bombing of Iran lasted less than a day/night in contrast to the Libya and Kosovo bombing campaigns. Hypocrisy.