The Pentagon has assessed that US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last month set back the country's nuclear program by one to two years, according to chief spokesperson Sean Parnell. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Parnell repeated President Donald Trump's claim that key sites were destroyed, citing intelligence assessments from within the department.
The estimate is more measured than Trump's assertions of obliteration. A low-confidence Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report based on early assessments suggested a setback of several months. The evolving picture comes as US intelligence agencies continue to issue new assessments, using materials including video from B-2 bombers and Israeli intelligence indicating that centrifuges at the Fordow enrichment site were destroyed, though it remains unclear if the facility itself collapsed.
The extent of damage is critical as it could determine how long Iran's program is delayed. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Sunday that Iran could resume producing enriched uranium within months, adding, 'You cannot undo the knowledge that you have or the capacities that you have.'
Verification of damage has been complicated by Iran's new law suspending cooperation with the IAEA, which it accuses of siding with Western countries. A US State Department spokesperson called the move 'unacceptable' and demanded full compliance with nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
