They are being set back decades.
President Donald Trump asserted on Wednesday that U.S. military strikes on Iran’s three nuclear sites caused “total obliteration” and delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by “decades.” Speaking at the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Trump responded to a leaked Pentagon report suggesting the attacks might have only set back Iran’s program by a few months, insisting instead that the damage was far more severe.
While the Pentagon report, as reported by ABC 6, indicated that the strikes caused limited harm and that Iran had moved some uranium before the attacks, Trump dismissed this, saying the rapid U.S. action prevented Iran from removing sensitive materials. He emphasized that the removal of such material is difficult and dangerous and claimed Iran was aware of the impending strikes, reducing their ability to respond effectively.
Trump described the impact on Iran’s nuclear program as devastating, saying it had essentially “collapsed” and would be difficult to rebuild. He expressed confidence that Iran’s nuclear efforts had been set back for many years, adding that the destruction was so extensive that no one could even inspect the facilities.
Regarding early intelligence assessments, Trump called them “very inconclusive” but maintained that the damage was severe, reiterating the phrase “obliteration.” Meanwhile, the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, according to Fox News, confirmed that the strikes had significantly hindered Iran’s nuclear capabilities, particularly highlighting the destruction at the Fordow facility, which was rendered inoperable.
The commission’s statement, shared by the White House, noted that the combined U.S. and Israeli attacks had delayed Iran’s nuclear weapons development by many years, a setback expected to last as long as Iran is denied access to nuclear materials.
