Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, citing The Washington Post, reported on June 30 that intercepted communications among Iranian officials suggest the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities from recent U.S. airstrikes was less severe than expected.
According to four sources familiar with classified U.S. intelligence, the intercepted conversations revealed Iranian officials privately assessing that the American strikes had a limited effect on their nuclear program. A separate anonymous source confirmed the intercepts to Reuters but expressed skepticism about the veracity of the Iranian claims, calling such communications an "unreliable indicator."
These findings contradict U.S. President Trump's assertion that the military operation "completely destroyed" Iran's nuclear weapons program. Administration officials acknowledge that a full assessment of the strikes targeting three key nuclear sites will take time.
The report renews questions about the actual impact on Iran's nuclear capabilities. Last week, a leaked preliminary assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested the attacks may have only delayed Iran's nuclear weapons development by months.
The White House dismissed the Post's reporting, with the press secretary stating: "The idea that unnamed Iranian officials would know the condition of nuclear facilities buried hundreds of feet underground is absurd. Their nuclear program is finished."
In a June 29 Fox News interview, Trump reiterated his confidence: "Their nuclear capability has been totally wiped out - unprecedented destruction. This means their nuclear ambitions are over, at least for a considerable time."
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