US intelligence has concluded that Iran has not attempted to resume its nuclear enrichment program, destroyed in US and Israeli strikes in 2025, contradicting the White House’s justifications for the war.
The assessment was submitted in writing by intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard at a Senate hearing but was not mentioned in her oral testimony — an omission that drew criticism from lawmakers.
According to the document, “no effort has been made” by Tehran to restore nuclear enrichment capabilities since the bombardments carried out last June, with the struck underground facilities having been sealed. President Donald Trump has justified the military intervention by citing an alleged “imminent nuclear threat” from Iran, claiming the programme had been “annihilated.”
Read more about this topic: Iran War: Israel says it has killed Iranian intelligence minister
Democratic senator Mark Warner accused Gabbard of omitting from her oral testimony elements that contradict the president’s position, in a hearing marked by political tensions. The hearing took place a day after the resignation of a senior US counter-terrorism official who argued that the Islamic Republic posed no imminent threat to the United States.
At the hearing, Gabbard also said Russia maintains a significant advantage in the war in Ukraine and is expected to continue a prolonged conflict strategy until reaching an agreement.
On China — on the eve of a Trump visit to Beijing — intelligence services consider Beijing is rapidly modernizing its armed forces in preparation for a possible attack on Taiwan, though it currently prefers reunification by peaceful means. US intelligence also warned of growing global missile capabilities, estimating that the number of systems capable of striking US territory could exceed 16,000 by 2035.
