Donald Trump Sends Message To Iran Over Nuclear Ambitions
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
President Donald Trump has warned Iran not to attempt to rebuild their nuclear facilities, after he claimed recent U.S. military strikes in June "completely destroyed" Iran's sites.
The President wrote on Truth Social on Saturday: "All three nuclear sites in Iran were completely destroyed and/or OBLITERATED. It would take years to bring them back into service and, if Iran wanted to do so, they would be much better off starting anew, in three different locations, prior to those sites being obliterated, should they decide to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Why it Matters
The stakes surrounding Iran's nuclear program remain high for U.S. national security interests and for stability across the Middle East.
President Trump's warning comes against a backdrop of ongoing debates about the effectiveness of U.S. strikes and the future of diplomatic efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.
What To Know
On June 21, the U.S. military—under an operation code-named Midnight Hammer—conducted airstrikes against three of Iran's principal nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
President Trump and defense officials publicly claimed that all three sites were "completely destroyed," saying that Iran would require years to reconstitute its nuclear program if it tried to rebuild. Trump reiterated this with his message on Saturday.
But some U.S. intelligence assessments have challenged the administration's narrative.
Only one out of three of Iran's nuclear sites was destroyed with the other two surviving enough to be able to resume nuclear enrichment within several months if Tehran wants it, according to NBC News, which cited five current and former U.S. officials familiar with the assessment.
The Defense Department and the White House have pushed back, asserting that their own intelligence showed all three facilities were "completely and totally obliterated."
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Purnell said: "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."
"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."
Iran maintains that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, despite long-standing Western suspicions.
Iranian diplomats are set to meet in Europe next week for discussions about a possible nuclear deal, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
"Iran has not softened its position on its right to enrich uranium on Iranian soil, which makes it unlikely that Iran will accept a nuclear deal that includes a zero uranium enrichment demand," the Institute said in its most recent report.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a press briefing with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House in...
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a press briefing with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the White House in Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 27, 2025—President Trump addressed Iran, the "Big, Beautiful Bill" and tariffs. More
AP
What People Are Saying
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell previously told reporters that American strikes had "degraded (Iran's) program by one to two years." He said: "We believe, and certainly, all of the intelligence that we've seen have led us to believe that Iran's—those facilities especially, have been completely obliterated."
Trump said in an interview on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures: "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."
What Happens Next
The debate over the true impact of the U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear capabilities is likely to persist, with calls for independent verification of the destroyed facilities.
Iran's response to both the military strikes and diplomatic overtures remains uncertain, as tensions in the region continue to simmer.
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