The CIA has confirmed that recent US airstrikes have severely damaged Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, contradicting earlier reports that downplayed the impact.
The head of the CIA has said US strikes “severely damaged” Iran’s nuclear facilities and set them back years, diverging from a leaked intelligence report that angered President Donald Trump by downplaying the raid’s impact.
John Ratcliffe, the US spy agency’s director, said key sites had been destroyed, though he stopped short of declaring that Iran’s nuclear programme had been eliminated outright.
The declaration seemed as a contract with the latest leaks and it comes a day after a Pentagon intelligence agency suggested core components of Iran’s nuclear programme remained intact after the US air strikes.
Here’s what’s known so far:
– *Damage Assessment*:
CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that credible intelligence indicates several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would require years to rebuild. The US deployed 14 bunker-buster bombs targeting three nuclear sites, including Fordow.
– *Contrasting Reports*:
A leaked preliminary assessment from the Pentagon’s Defence Intelligence Agency suggested the strikes only caused temporary disruption, possibly setting Tehran’s nuclear program back by a few months. However, the CIA director diverged from this assessment, citing new intelligence from a historically reliable source.
– *Reactions*:
– *President Trump’s Claim*: Trump maintained the raid “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, dismissing media reports as “fake news”. He announced a news conference by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide “irrefutable proof” of the operation’s effectiveness.
– *Iranian Response*:
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei admitted nuclear installations were “badly damaged”, but didn’t elaborate. Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission estimated the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear timeline by “many years”.
– *International Concerns*:
– *Enriched Uranium*: Approximately 400 kilograms of enriched uranium remain unaccounted for, sparking concerns it could be used to develop nuclear weapons if further processed. US officials insist there’s no concrete evidence Iran moved the stockpile before the attacks.
– *IAEA Monitoring*:
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated the agency lost monitoring access to Iran’s nuclear material when hostilities began.
– *Aftermath*:
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran seems to be holding, with both sides appearing to honor the agreement brokered by Trump. The US and Israeli governments assert the strikes have significantly delayed Iran’s nuclear program, while Tehran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful.
