Western Intelligence Agencies Say No Evidence Iran Making Nukes

(MENAFN) Western intelligence services have detected no evidence that Iran is enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels, The New York Times reported, citing informed sources. Although activity has been observed at nuclear facilities—including those damaged in last year's military strikes—no high-level enrichment operations are currently underway, according to the report.

Last summer, the US and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes against Iranian nuclear installations, defending the campaign as necessary to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons—a goal Iran categorically denies. The attacks struck the Fordow and Natanz enrichment complexes and the Isfahan research facility.

In its Thursday report, the NYT stated that uranium stockpiles stored at the attacked sites—material representing the closest approach to weapons-grade concentrations—remain undisturbed. Operations at these locations appear confined to excavation work designed to construct more fortified underground facilities. Intelligence analysts have identified no new nuclear sites, though modest activity has been documented at two unfinished locations near Natanz and Isfahan, the newspaper reported.

Trump previously declared the strikes "obliterated" Iran's enrichment capabilities, yet the recently published US National Defense Strategy indicates they merely "significantly degraded" the program. Sources informed the NYT that Iran could restart centrifuge operations within two months and achieve bomb-grade enrichment within a year once it recovers its buried nuclear fuel.

Trump has intensified threats against Iran this week, pivoting from criticism of Tehran's handling of anti-government demonstrations—which Iran characterizes as foreign-orchestrated insurrection—to issuing nuclear ultimatums. On Wednesday, he announced a "massive armada" was advancing toward Iran, prepared to employ "violence" unless Tehran agrees to nuclear negotiations. Friday brought another warning, with Trump revealing he had established a deadline for talks, stating cryptically: "If we don't make a deal, we'll see what happens."

Iran responded with defiance. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared Tehran was "ready for war" and would entertain US negotiation proposals only if military threats were withdrawn.

"Negotiations cannot take place under the shadow of threats," he stated in Istanbul on Friday during a visit to explore potential mediation initiatives.

Iran's senior security official, Ali Larijani, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow Friday, reportedly to address Trump's threats.

Moscow has urged the US to refrain from military intervention in Iran and pursue diplomatic channels instead, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioning this week that "any forceful actions can only create chaos in the region," while Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated Russia stood ready to help defuse tensions and facilitate negotiations.

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