Amidst the ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States, a recent report from the Washington Post has stirred controversy. According to the report, after intercepting confidential communications, U.S. officials found that Iranian officials were downplaying the damage caused by American attacks.
Washington: The ongoing standoff between Iran and the United States over its nuclear program is once again in the spotlight. The latest dispute stems from a Washington Post report, which claims that U.S. intelligence agencies intercepted secret conversations of Iranian officials, wherein they stated that American attacks had not significantly damaged their nuclear program.
According to the report, four separate sources confirmed that Iranian officials were attempting to minimize their losses and downplay the pressure from the U.S. In these conversations, Iranian officials were discussing alleged attacks on nuclear sites and asserting that their core infrastructure was secure.
Meanwhile, officials associated with the U.S. intelligence apparatus acknowledged that Iranian statements may not be entirely truthful and could be strategic propaganda. Reuters also reported, citing an anonymous source, that complete reliance should not be placed on these secret conversations.
Defense Intelligence Agency's Assessment Differs
According to initial leaked reports from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Iran's nuclear program has only been set back by a few months, not completely destroyed, following recent attacks by the U.S. This report has raised questions about the claims made by the White House and the Trump administration. The Trump administration has asserted that U.S. airstrikes have decimated several Iranian nuclear sites, dealing a decisive blow to Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
However, according to the DIA, Iranian scientists and technical experts had already prepared backups in several locations, enabling them to restart the program quickly.
White House Rebuttal
Upon the release of the Washington Post report, the White House completely dismissed it. In a sharp response, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that it was "absurd" to believe that anonymous Iranian officials, present hundreds of feet under debris, had an accurate understanding of the situation. Their nuclear weapons program had been completely dismantled by U.S. actions. She said that this claim from Iran was only propaganda to reassure its public and regional allies.
Trump Reiterates His Claim
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also reiterated his claim during an appearance on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, saying, "We targeted Iranian sites that nobody ever did before. Their entire nuclear infrastructure was destroyed, and their ambitions ended, even if only for a while." Trump said that if Iran was claiming otherwise, it was a lie, and U.S. intelligence agencies were well aware of it.
Iran's Silence, but Internal Deliberations
The report also revealed that serious deliberations are underway within Iran's Supreme National Security Council and the Atomic Energy Organization following the recent attacks. Some sources claim that Iran is developing a new strategy to make its nuclear sites operational again soon and may reveal new sites in the coming months.
Tehran has not yet issued any official statement on this report, but sources close to the Iranian Foreign Ministry have said that the country's military and nuclear capabilities are entirely "safe" and that any future U.S. or Israeli action will be met with a b response.
Has Iran's Nuclear Dream Ended?
Experts believe that although Iran's nuclear program has been hit by the U.S. attacks, it has not been completely eliminated. This is partly because Iran has long been spreading its program across different locations, preventing the entire system from being shut down by an attack on a single site. The Washington Post report and the initial assessment of the DIA indicate that if the U.S. and Israel want to completely stop Iran's nuclear activities, they will need to maintain continuous surveillance and action.
