Trump Claims Iran Sites “Obliterated” in U.S. Strikes

News Desk

Islamabad: U.S. President Donald Trump has once again pledged to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, repeating familiar rhetoric despite growing doubts over the effectiveness of recent American airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

In an appearance on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News, Trump claimed Iran was just “weeks away” from developing a nuclear weapon before Israel launched its military campaign on June 13 — a 12-day conflict that included direct U.S. strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.

The U.S. targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities nine days after Israel’s initial offensive. Trump declared that these strikes had “obliterated” the facilities and “set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions by decades.”

However, this assessment has been challenged by both American intelligence agencies and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA reported that the extent of damage to Fordow — a fortified underground site — remains uncertain. According to the agency, Iran still possesses over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, a level close to weapons-grade and theoretically enough to produce up to nine nuclear bombs if further refined.

Tehran has repeatedly denied any intention of developing nuclear weapons, insisting its nuclear programme is strictly for peaceful, civilian purposes.

Trump dismissed these reports and intelligence findings, accusing the media of fabricating stories and spreading “fake news.” He insisted that the facilities were thoroughly destroyed, saying, “It was obliterated like nobody has ever seen before. That meant the end of their nuclear ambitions — at least for a period of time.”

In response to fears that Iran might resume its nuclear efforts, Trump stated, “The last thing they want to do right now is think about nuclear.”

Some reports had indicated Iran relocated its enriched uranium from Fordow before the U.S. strike, but Trump rejected those claims, saying there was no advance warning. “It’s a very hard thing to do, plus we didn’t give them much notice,” he said. “Nobody believed we’d target that site because it’s buried deep in a mountain. But the bomb went through it like butter.”

Trade and TikTok Developments

In the same interview, Trump also addressed trade issues, warning that trade talks with Canada would be put on hold unless Ottawa repealed its new digital services tax, which impacts both domestic and foreign tech companies.

Regarding China, Trump acknowledged the ongoing trade imbalance but described current relations as “stable,” saying, “We’re getting along.”

On the issue of TikTok, the president announced that a buyer had been secured for the Chinese-owned social media platform, which has been facing a potential U.S. ban. He said the deal involves a group of “very wealthy people” and will be disclosed within two weeks. He also extended the deadline for the ban by another 90 days — the third such extension.