(Adnkronos) – The American bombing of three nuclear sites in Iran has delayed the country’s nuclear program by only a few months. The New York Times writes this, citing officials familiar with a classified report according to which the attacks sealed the entrances to two of the facilities, but did not cause the underground buildings to collapse. Before the attack, US intelligence agencies had stated that if Iran tried to accelerate the production of a bomb, it would take about three months. After the US bombing and Israeli air force attacks, the Defense Intelligence Agency report estimates that the program has been delayed, but no more than six months.
The report also states that much of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was moved before the attacks, which destroyed only a small portion of the nuclear material. Iran may have moved some of it to secret locations. Some Israeli officials have said they also believe that the Iranian government has maintained small, secret enrichment plants so that it can continue its nuclear program in the event of an attack on the larger plants. Other officials noted that the three nuclear sites – Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan – suffered moderate to severe damage, with the Natanz plant being the most damaged. It is unclear whether the Iranians will try to rebuild the programs.
