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Washington, D.C. — A newly released U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment reportedly contradicts public claims by former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, concluding that Iran’s nuclear program has only been set back by a matter of months, not destroyed.
The classified report, according to two officials familiar with its contents, finds that U.S. airstrikes on June 22 targeted Iranian nuclear sites at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, but did not obliterate the program as Trump has claimed.
While significant damage was done—especially to entrances and infrastructure—critical components such as highly enriched uranium stockpiles and centrifuges survived or were moved before the strike, making Iran’s nuclear capability resilient despite the attack.
Intelligence vs. Public Narrative
At a NATO summit in the Netherlands, Trump insisted the facilities were “totally destroyed” and dismissed the DIA’s findings as “very inconclusive.” His special envoy Steve Witkoff called the report’s leak “treasonous.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the leakers “professional stabbers.”
But the report suggests Iran anticipated the strikes, sealing tunnels and potentially relocating enriched uranium and centrifuges days beforehand. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies back this up, showing trucks and bulldozers around Fordo on June 19—three days before the airstrikes.
According to analysts, Iran still retains the core infrastructure needed to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels in a matter of weeks or months.
What Was Actually Hit?
The U.S. used 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Fordo’s underground complex. While entrances collapsed and surface infrastructure was damaged, analysts believe the underground facilities remained largely intact.
Experts say Iran likely preemptively moved materials and possibly delicate centrifuges, which are critical for uranium enrichment. This preservation means Iran could reconstitute a covert program relatively quickly.
“This offers Tehran a pretty solid foundation for a reconstituted covert program and for getting a bomb,” said Eric Brewer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
The Stakes of Survival
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned that Iran already possesses 60% enriched uranium, which is close to weapons-grade. Just 42 kilograms of that material could be enough for one nuclear bomb if enriched further to 90%.
Iran insists its program is peaceful, but its construction of a third enrichment facility in Isfahan, along with the recent strikes, raises fears that the nation is preparing to go underground—both literally and figuratively—in pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Vice President JD Vance countered criticism, saying that while Iran may still possess 60% uranium, “they don’t have the ability to enrich it to 90%” or convert it into a weapon, arguing that the strikes represent a successful mission.
A Growing Divide
The White House, Department of Defense, and CIA have declined to comment on the details of the DIA report. Meanwhile, Israel has not released an independent assessment, though Netanyahu declared that Iran’s program had been “brought to ruin.”
Yet experts remain skeptical. Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association notes Iran could potentially build a covert facility with a small footprint, inject the remaining gas, and reach weapons-grade levels quickly—especially if no inspections are permitted.
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