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.
Cameroon concluded a weeklong training programme on Saturday for indigenous communities in artificial intelligence (AI), as part of activities marking...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Sy...
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Isra...
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough,...
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, ...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Syria, and deepening bilateral ties.
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday.
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough, marking a decisive step toward stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, according to Tolonews.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
Cameroon concluded a weeklong training programme on Saturday for indigenous communities in artificial intelligence (AI), as part of activities marking the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough, marking a decisive step toward stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, according to Tolonews.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had spoken with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noting their shared view on the threat posed by Russia’s attempt “to reduce everything to discussing the impossible.”
Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Saturday that certain countries would make “titanic efforts” to derail the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for 15 August.
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