The Pentagon says U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites have degraded Tehran’s programme by as much as two years, following attacks last month that used heavy bunker-buster bombs.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters on Wednesday that the current assessment points to a “probable” delay of up to two years in Iran’s nuclear progress after the destruction of three key facilities in coordinated air strikes on 22 June.
The U.S. military deployed more than a dozen 30,000-pound (13,600kg) bunker-buster bombs in the operation, targeting deeply buried nuclear infrastructure. The Pentagon did not specify which sites were hit, but Iran has since confirmed damage at the Fordow enrichment plant.
President Donald Trump previously claimed the strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, although international assessments remain more cautious.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said at the weekend that Iran could resume enriched uranium production within a few months, suggesting Tehran retains some capacity.
The strikes mark a sharp escalation in U.S. military engagement with Iran’s nuclear programme and follow years of mounting tensions over enrichment activity, sanctions, and stalled diplomatic efforts. Iran began scaling back its nuclear commitments in 2019 after the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview this week that the Fordow site had been “seriously and heavily damaged” and that authorities were still assessing the full extent.
The Pentagon’s estimate is being closely scrutinised by Western allies and the IAEA amid fears of further escalation in the region.
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Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms coul...
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation fo...
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust...
ussian President Vladimir Putin described Moscow’s relations with Baghdad as historically strong and unbroken during a meeting with Iraqi President ...
Thailand's leader vowed to continue military operations along the disputed border with Cambodia, as fighter jets launched strikes on Saturday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire agreement between the two nations.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held talks on Friday during the International Peace and Trust Forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, focusing on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues
ussian President Vladimir Putin described Moscow’s relations with Baghdad as historically strong and unbroken during a meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid in Turkmenistan.
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