Iran’s Supreme Leader Dismisses US Strikes on Nuclear Sites as Fruitless
In a recent address, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei firmly rejected claims that U.S. military strikes on its nuclear facilities had any significant impact. Following a ceasefire agreement with Israel, Khamenei emphasized that the strikes "gained no achievements" and insisted they did not disrupt the progress of Iran’s nuclear program.
The Supreme Leader’s comments came in response to statements from U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who claimed that intelligence gathered indicated the strikes substantially undermined Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Hegseth described the operation as a "historic success," asserting that it severely damaged nuclear facilities, thereby delaying Iran’s enrichment capabilities by years.
This assertion from the U.S. government contrasts sharply with Khamenei’s claims of resilience, as he highlighted a retaliatory strike against a U.S. air base in Qatar, framing it as a "heavy blow" to American forces and influence in the region.
Former President Donald Trump had previously characterized the strikes as having "totally obliterated" key nuclear sites, but a leaked intelligence report suggested that Iran’s uranium enrichment program had only been set back by a matter of months, raising questions about the efficacy of the U.S. military actions.
Hegseth further noted that the U.S. was not aware of any intelligence indicating that enriched uranium had been relocated from the Fordo facility before the strikes took place, asserting that the enrichment facilities were now "inoperable."
As tensions continue to escalate in the region, with conflicting narratives emerging from Washington and Tehran, the discourse surrounding Iran’s nuclear capabilities remains fraught with implications for international relations and regional stability.
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