It may be true, but no independent evaluation of Iran’s nuclear sites has occurred by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
See Trump’s full speech to the nation after our bomb Iran
He addressed the country after the US attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites that President Trump called “very successful.”
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump and his defense chief say American fighters have completely “eliminated” three major nuclear complexes of Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, using bombs connecting bunkers capable of penetrating underground targets.
That may be true, but so far there has been no independent assessment of that claim from nuclear watchdogs, international officials, or others who have direct information about the situation on the ground. And other US authorities have not used such decisive rhetoric.
“The ultimate battle damage will take time, but the initial battle damage assessment shows that all three sites maintained very serious damage and destruction,” Chairman Dan Kane told reporters a day after the June 22 strike.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, the main body assessing the size and evolution of Iran’s nuclear program, said hostilities need to be stopped for testing to resume. The organisation housed within the United Nations said it will hold an emergency meeting on June 23.
Trump said Iran’s nuclear site has disappeared
When he told the world that Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities had been destroyed, it was not entirely clear what evidence and intelligence Trump had relied on. He also challenged the two Intelligence Election Community findings before the strike that Iran was not approaching nuclear weapons production.
“Tonight I can report to the world that the strike is an epic military success,” Trump said in a late-night speech on June 21. “Iran’s major nuclear enrichment facility has completely disappeared.”
Hegus used similar rhetoric at a morning press conference, saying that thanks to Trump’s leadership, “Iran’s nuclear ambitions have disappeared.”
However, Heggs admitted during the briefing that a battle damage assessment was ongoing. He said that was the “early evaluation” of the Pentagon, and that precision ammunition had the desired effect.
“In particular, at Fordow, our main target here. We believe we have achieved the destruction of our capabilities there,” Heggs told reporters.
Kane was more cautious. “It’s too early to comment on what I might or may not be there,” he said when asked at the same press conference about Iran’s remaining nuclear capabilities.
How many hits did Iran get?
It was a “responsible” comment from Kane, said Simone Leden, deputy director of the Middle East defense in Trump’s first administration.
Whether Iran’s nuclear program was 10 or decades, and whether there is no longer a nuclear program period, “must really be determined by a systematic combat damage assessment,” she said.
But the president and the Secretary of Defense know about the bombs that were dropped, and Ladyne added, “I don’t think it’s that noticeable that they say these sites have been destroyed.”
Democrats on the military, the Intelligence Reporting Community and the Committee that oversees the Foreign Policy Equipment are seeking classified briefings to help them reach their own conclusions.
“There’s still so much I don’t know and I need an accurate, de facto damage assessment,” said Jack Reed, Senate Armed Services Rankings member at D-Rhode Island, in a statement.
“We are still waiting to understand the extent to which the actions have thwarted Iran’s nuclear threat,” Senate Diplomacy Ranking member Jeanne Shaheen said in a statement.
“President Trump now has to lift tensions with Iran and quickly give a brief explanation of Congress,” the New Hampshire Democrats said.
Vice President JD Vance conducted a television interview the morning after the strike, and therefore did not specify the extent of the damage to Iranian sites.
“But we know that we made a major return to Iran’s nuclear program last night,” Vance said in the ABC News “This Week” program. “We know that it will be a very long time until Iran can even build nuclear weapons if he wants, whether it’s for many years.”
Iran claims its uranium stockpile has been evacuated.
A broadcaster in Iran’s Ilib province claimed that a wealth of uranium stockpiled was “evacuated” from all three sites before the US strike.
Dmitry Medvedev’s vice-president of the Russian Security Council also said Iran’s critical nuclear infrastructure appears to have been unaffected or have had minor damage.
“Enrichment of nuclear material – and now we can say it perfectly, future production of nuclear weapons continues,” Medvedev said in a social media thread. “Many countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads.”
Russia is a Tehran ally, and Medvedev is the former president of Russia.
Israeli forces can try to enter Iran’s nuclear sites with sensitive operations and decide to itself and the United States, said Reden, the first-term Secretary of Defense. However, the official evaluation must be made by the IAEA. This states that the international community cannot enter until the conflict is over to accept it.
“I hope it’s over, so the IAEA can get inspectors there earlier than later,” Ledeen said. “You also don’t want loose material to be in the wrong hands.”
Contribution: Kim Hujelmgard
