Donald Trump has warned Iran that he will bomb the country again if it tries to resume its nuclear programme.
The US president claimed it would take “years” to bring the sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan back into service and promised to “obliterate” any new nuclear sites Iran may try and build.
In a post on his Truth Social site sent from his golf club near Washington, he claimed all three of Tehran’s nuclear sites had been destroyed after the US dropped 14 30,000lb GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs on them.
“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,” he said before ending with his trademark signoff. “Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Mr Trump has endured a difficult week, fending off criticism from his supporters about his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and the embarrassing revelation that he allegedly sent a lewd message and drawing to the billionaire financier in 2003, before he was convicted of sex offences.
On Thursday, the White House said the swelling in Mr Trump’s legs was caused by chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in which veins have trouble moving blood back to the heart.
Donald Trump in the situation room with members of his Cabinet as the US military attacked three Iranian nuclear sites – Getty Images
On Saturday, he pivoted back to one of the major successes of his presidency so far: Operation Midnight Hammer, when B-2 bombers struck Iran’s nuclear sites without Iran firing a shot in defence.
Mr Trump claims the Iranian programme was “totally obliterated”. But a recent assessment by US intelligence suggested that only the underground site at Fordow was completely destroyed.
Two other sites, at Natanz and Isfahan, may not have been dealt a knockout blow, according to officials who briefed NBC News last week.
2306 US to Iran route
Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, dismissed the report.
He said: “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.”
There have also been questions about whether the lead-up to the strikes on June 21 allowed Iran enough time to move highly enriched uranium to secret locations.
For example, 16 lorries were spotted lining up outside Fordow ahead of the attacks.
A possible destination was Pickaxe mountain, Kūh-e Kolang Gaz Lā, which is 90 miles south of Fordow, and minutes away from Natanz in central Isfahan province.
Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant was ‘obliterated’ by US military – AFP
Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Iranian officials refused to answer questions about what was happening at the fortified, underground facility.
He said: “Since it is obvious it is in a place where numerous and important activities related to the programme are taking place, we’re asking them, ‘What is this for?’ And they are telling us, ‘It’s none of your business.”
