US strikes didn’t destroy Iran nuclear programme, says Pentagon evaluation

The US strikes on Iran’s nuclear services didn’t destroy the nation’s nuclear programme and possibly solely set it again by months, in keeping with a Pentagon intelligence evaluation.

The Islamic Republic’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not eradicated within the bombings, sources conversant in an analysis by the Protection Intelligence Company advised the BBC’s US associate CBS.

The White Home mentioned the preliminary harm evaluation was “flat-out mistaken” and “a transparent try and demean” President Donald Trump.

The president has mentioned Saturday’s air strikes “utterly and completely obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment services.

The US struck three nuclear services in Iran – Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – with “bunker buster” bombs able to penetrating 18m (60ft) of concrete or 61m (200ft) of earth earlier than exploding.

However sources conversant in the Pentagon’s intelligence evaluation say Iran’s centrifuges are largely “intact” and the influence was restricted to aboveground buildings.

Entrances to 2 nuclear services had been sealed off, and a few infrastructure was destroyed or broken.

The nameless sources advised US media it’s estimated the assault solely set Iran again “a couple of months, tops”, and that any resumption of its nuclear programme could also be based mostly on how lengthy it takes the nation to dig out and make repairs.

Sources additionally confirmed to CBS that a few of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was moved earlier than the strikes, in keeping with the intelligence evaluation.

The US 30,000lb (14,000kg) Huge Ordnance Penetrator bomb was regarded as the one weapon able to destroying Iran’s underground nuclear enrichment services.