 "Israeli official admits Iran can recover enriched uranium buried under Isfahan")
Last month, the United States launched airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, with President Donald Trump boldly claiming the American military had wiped them out completely, calling it “total obliteration.”
That said, some US intelligence agencies weren’t so sure about the extent of the damage.
Now, a senior Israeli official has revealed that Iran might still be able to recover uranium buried underground.
During a Wednesday briefing with reporters, the Israeli official—who preferred to stay anonymous—explained that digging up the uranium at Isfahan would be a tough task. If Iran tried, he warned, it would be noticed, and Israel would strike again. He also noted that most of the enriched uranium is stashed at that site.
Iran’s claims
Israel’s assessment suggests Iran’s nuclear programme has been delayed by about two years, though Iran insists its uranium enrichment is purely for peaceful purposes and denies any intent to build nuclear weapons.
Just before the US strikes, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had argued that every nation has the right to enrich uranium peacefully.
“This is an achievement of our own scientists. It’s a question of national pride and dignity,” he said.
Parts of Iranian nuclear sites ‘still intact’
The Trump administration is sticking to its guns, insisting the nuclear facilities were totally demolished.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement, “As President Trump has said many times, Operation Midnight Hammer totally obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities. The entire world is safer thanks to his decisive leadership.”
However, US intelligence reports had hinted that while the sites took a hit, they weren’t fully destroyed. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was quoted as saying by CBS News that the facilities were “destroyed to an important degree,” but parts are still intact.
“Frankly speaking,” he added, “one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there."
In a chat with Tucker Carlson, Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian admitted the nuclear sites were “severely damaged” and said, “We don’t have access to them right now.” He also mentioned that a thorough evaluation isn’t possible yet.
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