US Strikes On Nuclear Sites Pushed Iran's Atomic Program By Up To Two Years, Pentagon Says

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Pentagon has claimed that the United States' strike on Iran's nuclear sites recently has jeopardized Iranian atomic program plans by at least two years, according to an AP report. The US intelligence assessment received by the Pentagon suggests that the ongoing Iranian nuclear programs have now degraded by one to two years after the US strikes. This new development comes amid the Israel-Iran conflict that the entire world currently has eyes on.
"We have degraded their program by one to two years at least -- intel assessments inside the (Defense) Department assess that," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell was quoted as telling journalists.

Parnell later added, "We're thinking probably closer to two years."
The Pentagon now claims U.S. strikes have crippled Iran's nuclear ambitions for up to two years, reversing earlier intelligence suggesting far less damage. Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell stated Wednesday that internal assessments show Iran's program was "degraded by one to two years, at least," adding,“we're thinking probably closer to two years.”

Conflicting assessments emerge as Trump insists on 'obliteration'

This clashes sharply with last week's leaked Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report-classified as preliminary and low-confidence-which concluded the June 22 bunker-buster bomb attacks only delayed Iran's atomic progress by months.

President Trump continues insisting the strikes "completely obliterated" nuclear facilities despite mounting evidence otherwise. The White House dismissed the DIA assessment as "flat-out wrong," sparking accusations of political interference in intelligence analysis.
Satellite imagery reveals significant but incomplete damage at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, where U.S. B-2 stealth bombers dropped fourteen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs alongside cruise missiles. While above-ground structures were devastated, underground centrifuge halls-particularly at the mountain-buried Fordow facility-likely survived structurally.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi acknowledged "serious and heavy damage" at Fordow but emphasized full impacts remain unknown. UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi cautioned Iran could resume uranium production "in a few months," contradicting Pentagon timelines. Analysts note Trump administration officials initially cited "months-long setbacks" before abruptly shifting to "years" this week without releasing new evidence.

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