President Donald Trump has warned Iran against rebuilding its nuclear infrastructure. His warning follows US military airstrikes in June, which he said “completely destroyed” several key nuclear sites.
On Saturday, he posted on Truth Social:
“All three nuclear sites in Iran were completely destroyed and/or obliterated. It would take years to bring them back into service. If Iran wanted to rebuild, they would be better off starting in three new locations, rather than the ones that were obliterated. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to raise concerns for both US national security and stability across the Middle East. Trump’s remarks come at a time when policymakers are debating the long-term impact of these strikes and the prospects for renewed diplomatic engagement.
Disputed impact of the airstrikes
On 21 June, the US military carried out Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted three of Iran’s major nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
Trump and defence officials insisted the airstrikes “completely destroyed” all three locations. According to them, Iran would need several years to rebuild its programme. However, some intelligence sources have challenged that view.
NBC News reported that only one facility was fully destroyed. The other two, according to several current and former US officials, retained enough capability to resume uranium enrichment within months. Despite these claims, both the White House and Pentagon rejected the assessment, maintaining that all three sites were “completely and totally obliterated.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Purnell reaffirmed this view, stating:
“President Trump was clear, and the American people understand: Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz were completely and totally obliterated. There is no doubt about that.”
Furthermore, he criticised media reports that suggested otherwise, adding:
“The credibility of the Fake News Media is similar to that of the current state of the Iranian nuclear facilities: destroyed, in the dirt, and will take years to recover.”
Diplomatic efforts and Iran’s stance
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme serves peaceful purposes. Nevertheless, Western governments remain sceptical. Meanwhile, diplomatic discussions continue in Europe, where Iranian officials are scheduled to meet with international representatives to discuss a possible agreement.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, Iran is unlikely to accept any deal that bans uranium enrichment entirely. The group noted in its latest report:
“Iran has not softened its position on its right to enrich uranium on Iranian soil. This makes a deal requiring zero enrichment highly unlikely.”
Earlier, Sean Purnell said the US strikes had delayed Iran’s nuclear development by one to two years. He stated:
“We believe—and the intelligence backs this up—that the strikes significantly set back Iran’s nuclear capacity.”
In a Fox News interview on Sunday Morning Futures, Trump added:
“It was obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before. And that meant the end to their nuclear ambitions, at least for a period of time.”
Looking ahead
The full extent of the damage remains a point of contention. As a result, several experts have called for independent verification of the targeted sites. Meanwhile, Iran has yet to issue a clear response to either the military action or the diplomatic proposals.
Tensions in the region remain high. The coming weeks may prove critical in determining whether diplomacy can de-escalate the situation or if further conflict will follow.
