US intelligence has concluded that Iran is not rebuilding its nuclear enrichment capabilities destroyed in a 2025 joint strike by the United States and Israel, contradicting claims by President Donald Trump.
The assessment was disclosed by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in written testimony submitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of the annual threat report.
“As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme was obliterated. There has been no effort since then to rebuild that capability,” Gabbard stated in the document.
However, she did not repeat the finding during her oral testimony before senators. When questioned, Gabbard said time constraints prevented her from presenting the full report but did not dispute its conclusions.
Trump has consistently maintained that the February 28 strike on Iran, carried out alongside Israel was necessary due to an “imminent threat.” He has also claimed Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon, a position not widely supported by analysts and despite ongoing diplomatic talks.
A senior aide to Gabbard resigned earlier, arguing there was no imminent threat and alleging that the president had been misled by intelligence interpretations and external influences.
In her remarks, Gabbard acknowledged that Iran has suffered significant damage from weeks of attacks, including losses in leadership and military capacity. She noted, however, that the government remains operational.
The US intelligence community assesses that while Iran’s system is weakened, it is still intact and could attempt a long-term rebuild of its military capabilities, including missile and drone programmes.
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