Mon Jun 30 01:53:23 UTC 2025: **Headline: US Claims Major Setback to Iranian Nuclear Program After Strikes, But Experts Urge Caution**

**Washington D.C. – June 30, 2025** – U.S. officials are asserting that recent military strikes have dealt a significant blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, potentially setting back the program by years. This comes after a 12-day assault that ended with a ceasefire brokered last Tuesday between the US and Israel.

APCIA Director John Ratcliffe, in a classified briefing to U.S. lawmakers last week, claimed that American military strikes effectively destroyed Iran’s metal conversion facility at Isfahan. This facility is crucial for transforming enriched uranium into the metal core needed for a nuclear weapon. Ratcliffe also stated that most of Iran’s enriched uranium remains buried under rubble at targeted sites like Isfahan and Fordo.

President Trump echoed these claims, stating in a Fox News interview that the strikes were “obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before,” effectively ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions “for a period of time.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio went further, suggesting the facility was “wiped out” and unlocatable.

However, these claims are being met with skepticism. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), while acknowledging “severe damage” to Iranian nuclear sites, stated that “some is still standing.” He emphasized that Iran still possesses the knowledge and capacity to restart its program if it chooses.

A preliminary report from the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency also confirmed significant damage but stopped short of declaring complete destruction of the targeted facilities.

Israeli officials corroborate the assessment of a prolonged setback to Iran’s ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, attributing this to strikes on key facilities, the death of key scientists, and damage to both the missile production industry and Iran’s air defense systems.

Grossi underscored the need for IAEA inspectors to access the sites to assess the full extent of the damage. He and other experts stressed the importance of a diplomatic solution to address the underlying issues surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.

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