In a statement issued on Wednesday (25), CIA director John Ratcliffe said intelligence information indicated that Iran’s nuclear program was “serious damage” after US attacks on Saturday (21). According to Ratcliffe, the agency “has obtained a set of credible evidence” that point out the destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities, which should force Tehran to reconstruct them over several years.
The statement of the American Intelligence Chief points out that “several key Iranian nuclear facilities have been destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the years.” Also according to Ratcliffe, the information comes from a “historically reliable and accurate source/method.” The CIA, according to the director, “continues to collect information of reliable origin to keep the authorities informed” and ensured that, whenever possible, new data will be provided to the population, “given the national importance of this matter.”
Public confirmation of significant damages contrasts with the alleged confidential report of American intelligence released on Tuesday (24) by the United States press. According to a report by The New York TimesThe Pentagon Preliminary Document assessed that the bombings conducted by American and Israeli forces would have delayed the Iranian nuclear program for just a few months. The text states that the military managed to seal access to two nuclear centers, but did not destroy the underground structures, allowing Iran to maintain much of its ability to enrich uranium. The report, which would have been prepared by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (day), concluded that the impact of operations was limited, postponing nuclear advance for less than six months.
During a trip to the Netherlands, where he participates in the NATO summit, US President Donald Trump rejected the content of this document released by the media and insisted that the attacks prevented Iran from resuming uranium enrichment in the near future.
“They [iranianos] They want to recover. And let’s not allow it. First, militarily, we will not allow it, ”said Trump. He also classified the report as“ very inconclusive ”and said Iran’s nuclear program was subjected to“ obliteration ”.
