US strikes set back Iran’s nuclear programme by up to 2 years: Pentagon

The Pentagon announced Wednesday that recent US airstrikes have delayed Iran’s nuclear programme by up to two years, a significant update from earlier, more cautious assessments.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told reporters that intelligence inside the Department of Defense estimates the June 22 strikes severely damaged three Iranian nuclear sites, including the heavily fortified Fordow facility. The operation involved bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

“We have degraded their programme by one to two years,” Parnell said, adding that all available intelligence indicates the targeted facilities were “completely obliterated.” However, he did not provide specific evidence for the estimate.

President Donald Trump had initially claimed the nuclear programme was “obliterated” immediately after the strikes, but such claims usually take weeks for intelligence agencies to confirm.

The UN’s nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, recently warned Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months, raising questions about the strikes’ long-term effectiveness.

Some experts believe Iran moved stocks of near weapons-grade uranium from Fordow before the attack, possibly protecting them. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week said he had no intelligence confirming this.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the strikes caused “serious and heavy damage” to Fordow but did not specify the full impact.

As intelligence continues to develop, analysts remain cautious about the ultimate effect of the US operation on Iran’s nuclear capabilities.