CIA Director John Ratcliffe departs a classified briefing for senators at the Capitol on Capitol Hill, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, in Washington — AP photo
CIA Director Says U.S. Strikes Dealt Years-Long Blow to Iran’s Nuclear Program
CIA Director John Ratcliffe told U.S. lawmakers in a classified briefing last week that recent American military strikes destroyed Iran’s only metal conversion facility, delivering a significant setback to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions—one that could take years to overcome, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity.
The intelligence shared during the closed-door session emphasized the strategic impact of the strike on the facility at Isfahan, a key component in Iran’s ability to convert enriched uranium gas into bomb-grade metal—a critical step in producing a nuclear weapon.
The disclosure comes as the Trump administration continues defending the scale and impact of the strikes following the ceasefire with Israel. President Donald Trump, speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, described the assault as “obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before,” claiming it effectively halted Iran’s nuclear aspirations “at least for a period of time.”
According to Ratcliffe’s briefing, most of Iran’s stockpiled enriched uranium is now believed to be buried under rubble at Isfahan and Fordo, two of the primary sites targeted, along with Natanz. While the uranium itself may not be destroyed, the loss of the metal conversion facility cripples Iran’s capability to weaponize it.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Grossi confirmed on CBS’s Face the Nation that key Iranian sites with uranium enrichment and conversion capabilities suffered major destruction. However, he cautioned that “some is still standing,” and warned that Iran retains the knowledge and technical capacity to restart its program if it chooses to.
“You cannot claim that everything has disappeared,” Grossi said, stressing the importance of Iran allowing inspectors full access to assess the true extent of the damage.
President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have both insisted that the strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. However, a preliminary U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report acknowledged significant—but not total—damage to the facilities.
Israeli and U.S. officials appear aligned in their assessments, with Israeli sources suggesting Iran’s nuclear progress has been delayed by “many years.” The strikes also reportedly resulted in the deaths of key scientists and inflicted heavy losses on Iran’s missile and air defense infrastructure.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at the NATO summit, underscored the scale of the destruction. “You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility,” he said. “We can’t even find where it used to be. The whole thing is just blackened out. It’s gone.”
Ratcliffe also informed lawmakers that Iran’s air defenses were effectively dismantled during the 12-day campaign, leaving the country vulnerable to further Israeli strikes should it attempt to rebuild.
Despite the heavy blows, critics warn that technical capacity and scientific knowledge remain intact. “You cannot undo the knowledge you have,” Grossi said, urging a renewed diplomatic push to rein in Iran’s nuclear program through negotiations rather than solely relying on military action.