US Intel Chief Clarifies Irans Nuclear Program Before War

US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard Testifies on Iran’s Nuclear Capabilities

Washington, DC - In written testimony submitted to the Senate intelligence committee, Tulsi Gabbard, director of US National Intelligence, stated that the US intelligence community had assessed that Iran was not rebuilding its nuclear enrichment capabilities following US and Israeli attacks last year. The assessment contradicts one of President Donald Trump’s key justifications for launching military action against Iran.

According to Gabbard’s testimony, “Operation Midnight Hammer” resulted in the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, with no efforts made since then to rebuild it. However, Gabbard did not read this portion of her testimony during her publicly televised oral testimony, citing a lack of time. She did not deny the assessment.

The White House has previously stated that Iran’s ballistic missile capacity was “functionally destroyed” and its navy “effectively destroyed”, with the US and Israel dominating the country’s airspace. However, experts have assessed that Iran still maintains the military capacity to inflict significant damage in the region.

Gabbard’s testimony also noted that despite the killings of high-ranking Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the regime appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury. She stated that Iran and its proxies remain capable of and continue to attack US and allied interests in the Middle East.

The administration has cited various reasons for launching military action against Iran, including its nuclear ambitions, ballistic capabilities, and potential threat to Israel and US forces in the region. The concept of an “imminent threat” is significant in determining the legality of Trump’s decision to strike a sovereign country under international law.

Source: Al Jazeera