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US Airstrikes Set Back Iran’s Nuclear Program by Up to Two Years, Pentagon Says

Pentagon’s claim of a multiyear delay clashes with UN warnings of a swift restart after Tehran halted IAEA inspections.

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Overview

  • On June 22, US bombers and missiles struck Iran’s Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan facilities with bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles targeting underground enrichment sites.
  • Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on July 2 that intelligence assessments show the strikes degraded Iran’s nuclear program by one to two years, likely closer to two.
  • A preliminary low-confidence DIA report and European officials suggest only months of delay, while experts warn some enriched uranium may have been moved off-site before the strikes.
  • IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi cautioned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months given the uncertainty over buried facilities and materials.
  • Iran’s parliament enacted a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA, cutting off UN inspectors and heightening doubts over the verification of Tehran’s nuclear activities.