'US strikes caused significant physical damage but ... ': Iran's nuclear program wiped out? What nuclear watchdog chief said
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said that US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites would have caused "significant physical damage" but it would be "too much" to say that their nuke program has been "wiped out".
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Centrifuges, which are spinning machines used to enrich uranium, require a high-degree of precision and are vulnerable to intense vibrations, the New York Times cited Grossi saying. "There was no escaping significant physical damage," he said, adding, "So we can come to a fairly accurate technical conclusion."
He was cited saying that it would be an exaggeration to claim Iran's nuclear program had been completely 'wiped out' by the Israeli and American airstrikes, given US President Donald Trump's claims that it had been "obliterated".
Grossi pointed out that several nuclear facilities remained untouched and that Iranian authorities had informed him of plans to implement 'protective measures' for their existing stockpile of enriched uranium.
Moreover, speaking to a French radio station, he said that US strikes "reduced" Iran's nuclear capacities but "it will be much more difficult for Iran to continue at the same pace as before."
The comments come in as the effectiveness of US strikes came under question with reports claiming that Iran moved uranium stock pile from the nuclear sites ahead of the attack.
The US has, however, dismissed such claims with Trump saying, "The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!"
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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Iran says no plan for new US nuclear talks, plays down impact of strikes
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"I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations," he said on state television. "No plan has been set yet to start negotiations." Araghchi's denial came as Iranian lawmakers passed a "binding" bill suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Trump of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. In a televised speech -- his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel -- Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran's "victory" over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating "slap". "The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration," Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran's nuclear programme had been set back by decades. The strikes, he insisted, had done "nothing significant" to Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Araghchi, for his part, called the damage "serious" and said a detailed assessment was under way. Trump said key facilities, including the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site, had been "obliterated" by American B-2 bombers. Posting on his Truth Social platform, he dismissed speculation Iran might have removed enriched uranium prior to the raid, saying: "Nothing was taken out... too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!" He added that satellite images showed trucks at the site only because Iranian crews were attempting to shield the facility with concrete. Khamenei dismissed such claims, saying "the Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America". Both sides have claimed victory: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "historic win", while Khamenei said Iran's missile retaliation had brought Israel to the brink of collapse. US defence In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates. A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran's nuclear programme may be less severe than initially claimed -- possibly delaying progress by only a few months. That contrasts with statements from senior US officials. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be "rebuilt over the course of years". Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accused the media of misrepresenting the operation. He said the United States used massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Fordo and another underground site, while submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles targeted a third facility. "President Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating -- choose your word -- obliterating, destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities," Hegseth said. Doubts remain about whether Iran quietly removed some 400 kilogrammes (880 pounds) of enriched uranium from its most sensitive sites before the strikes -- potentially hiding nuclear material elsewhere in the country. Netanyahu says Iran 'thwarted' Following waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites and retaliatory missile fire from Iran since mid-June -- the deadliest between the two countries to date -- the US bombed three key Iranian atomic facilities. Initial intelligence reports, first revealed by CNN, suggested the strikes did not destroy critical components and delayed Iran's nuclear programme only by months. Experts questioned if Iran had pre-emptively moved enriched uranium to protect it. The US administration has forcefully rejected such suggestions. The Israeli military said Iran's nuclear sites had taken a "significant" blow, but cautioned it was "still early" to fully assess the damage. Netanyahu said Israel had "thwarted Iran's nuclear project", warning any attempt by Iran to rebuild it would be met with the same determination and intensity. Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon while defending its "legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy. It has also said it is willing to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington. The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Not Iran, The Real Threat Is Pakistan… Tensions Rise After US Report, How India's Warning Is Proving True
New Delhi: The maps in Washington have shifted focus. The chatter inside intelligence rooms is not about Tehran anymore. It is Rawalpindi. A fresh report from U.S. intelligence agencies has triggered serious alarm. Hidden under radar, Pakistan is reportedly building an intercontinental ballistic missile. It is said to be nuke-tipped that could reach mainland America. Until now, Iran had held the spotlight. But this new revelation has brought Pakistan's nuclear ambitions straight into global crosshairs. For India, it is vindication. For the United States, a potential crisis. For the region, a ticking clock. A report quoting U.S. sources claims that Pakistan's new missile has crossed theory stage. It is being developed quietly – away from public eyes. It is capable of traveling over 5,500 kilometers. That is ICBM territory. A range wide enough to strike far beyond Delhi. All the way to Washington. The report was published in Foreign Affairs – an American magazine. It says the missile project picked up speed after India's Operation Sindoor rattled Pakistan's military brass. With Chinese help, Pakistan is now said to be acquiring the components and know-how needed to leapfrog its existing arsenal. What This Means for America Washington is watching closely. Senior officials say that if Pakistan achieves the ICBM capability, it will be reclassified as a nuclear threat like North Korea, China and Russia. There will be no middle ground. The United States has already imposed sanctions. Last year, it froze assets and blocked trade with Pakistan's National Development Complex and its key missile contractors. That was not random. It came after evidence emerged of Islamabad sourcing sensitive tech from foreign markets. For years, Pakistan insisted its nuclear weapons were for deterrence against India. Nothing more. No ICBMs. No aggression. Just defense. But this new intelligence contradicts that script. With Shahin-III already reaching over 2,700 km, experts believe Pakistan is preparing to extend its reach far beyond South Asia. And there is a motive. If Pakistan owns a missile that can hit the United States, it will change the rules. It will act as a shield. It will limit U.S. involvement in any future India-Pakistan conflict. That is the strategy. Quietly but clearly. Why India Is Saying 'We Told You So' New Delhi has long raised concerns. That Pakistan cannot be trusted with nuclear weapons. That its command chain is fragile. That terror groups work hand in glove with rogue military elements. After recent air strikes inside Pakistan, India also neutralised nine terror camps and targeted 11 airbases. Pakistan reportedly fired a Fateh-II hypersonic missile. India shot it down. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other top Indian leaders have called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor Pakistan's nuclear stockpiles. The concern is not hypothetical. It is urgent. One weapon in the wrong hands could mean catastrophe. While the world debated strikes on Iran, Pakistan was quietly reshaping its arsenal. The fear is not merely the missile. It is what surrounds it – terror cells, sleeper agents and political instability. If these missiles fall into the wrong hands, no country is out of reach. No continent immune. According to global estimates, Pakistan currently has around 170 nuclear warheads. It is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It also has a history of proliferation. That is what makes the new report even more chilling. The ICBM threat from Pakistan is no longer whispers. It is a documented risk. A weapon in the making. America now faces a choice. Ignore and risk a future crisis. Or act. India, meanwhile, continues to say the same thing - Pakistan's nukes are not only a South Asia's problem. It could soon become the world's.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
‘You Have 12 Hours – Save Your Wife And Kids': Israel's Covert Calls That Shattered Iran's Nerves
New Delhi: Inside hotel rooms, military bases and secret compounds across Iran, top officers were jolted by phone calls they never expected. On the line – a calm voice in flawless Persian, warning them their lives were ticking down. 'You have 12 hours. Take your wife. Take your children. Get out.' Some hung up in disbelief. Others vanished. And a few, as Israel claims, did not survive the warning. This was not just war with missiles. It was psychological warfare. A parallel operation. A whisper campaign backed by precision airstrikes and names checked off a death list. The Other War While Israeli drones and stealth jets were hitting Iranian missile sites and nuclear bunkers, another operation was underway – one with no coordinates on a map. Code-named 'Rising Lion', the covert campaign targeted Iran's nerves. One phone at a time. Three operatives involved in the mission – along with a leaked recording – confirmed the plan's scope to The Washington Post. Around 20 senior Iranian officials received direct calls. The message was blunt. Stop backing Ayatollah Khamenei or join the dead. A chilling audio clip, now circulating among intelligence watchers, captures one such call. An Israeli operative speaks softly but firmly, 'You are on our list. We are closer than your carotid artery. Remember that.' The target was a high-ranking general. He reportedly escaped. Others did not. From Threat to Aftershock Israeli sources claim some of the men warned by phone were killed soon after. The calls were not bluffs. They were preludes. The strikes that followed wiped out important names – Major General Hossein Salami of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corpse (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Bagheri of Iran's armed forces and others. Subsequent calls invoked their deaths. One officer recalled a voice saying, 'I am calling from the country that, two hours ago, sent Bagheri and Salami straight to hell. You are next if you do not wake up.' Letters at the Door The pressure was not only through phones. Some officers found anonymous letters on their doorstep. Others were contacted through their spouses. It was personal, deliberate and meant to rattle men deep inside the regime's ranks. No bombs. No gunshots. Just fear. The campaign's goal? To paralyse succession planning. To ensure that after the decapitation strikes on top brass, those next in line would hesitate. Ayatollah Khamenei, reportedly hiding in a bunker during the height of the war, struggled to replace fallen commanders. One Israeli security official put it simply, 'We wanted those left behind to doubt everything. Their safety. Their futures. Their leader.' Despite the psychological pressure, no large-scale defection surfaced from the IRGC or Iran's armed forces. But insiders say the fear ran deep. At mid-levels, command chains frayed. Paranoia was growing. And that was always the point. This was not only about breaking bunkers but breaking resolve and killing silence whisper by whisper.
