Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The intelligence reports from the US suggest that the core components of the nuclear programme was not destroyed.
The intelligence report from the US suggest that the core components of the nuclear programme was not destroyed.
What is happening
During the weekend, the US launched “Operation Midnight Hammer” on three sites of the Iranian nuclear programme.
Afterwards, US President Donald Trump said that the nuclear programme had been completely destroyed.
New report contradicts The White House
But a new intelligence reports from the US paints a very different picture.
In fact, the reports assess that the Iranian nuclear programme is not destroyed – only set back by a couple of months at most.
Core components not destroyed
According to CNN, the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), a, part of Pentagons intelligence department, has analyzed the battle damage from the operation, and the conclusion is that the operation did not destroy core components of the nuclear programme.
Enriched uranium “largely intact”
Two people familiar with the assessment tell CNN, that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium were not destroyed, and one of the people said that the centrifuges are largely “intact”.
Uranium was moved
Another source familier with the report tells CNN that intelligence assess the enriched uranium to have been moved prior to Operation Midnight Hammer.
White House disagrees
The White House do acknowledge the existense of the intelligence assessment, but White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called the assessment “flat-out wrong”.
Early days yet
It’s important to note the the report is based on current available information. As more information is gathered, the assessment can change, but the provisional analysis directly contradict Trumps claims.
