America’s June 21 (U.S. time) strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities left that nation’s nuclear program “obliterated like nobody’s ever seen before,” President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday.
Satellite images of trucks at two of the nuclear sites hit by U.S. pilots did not mean that Iran smuggled out its enriched uranium, said Trump.
“No. First of all, it’s very hard to do. It’s very dangerous to do. It’s very heavy, very, very heavy,” said Trump of the enriched uranium.
“Plus, we didn’t give much notice because they didn’t know when we’re coming until, just ... then. And nobody thought we’d go after that site because everybody said that site is impenetrable,” he added.
Trump’s remarks contradicted those of Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS‘s “Face the Nation,” Grossi said that without knowledge of the whereabouts of the uranium “this will continue to be hanging ... over our heads as a potential problem.”
Iran could resume uranium enrichment “in a matter of months,” said Grossi.
Trump, however, insisted that the only thing the Iranian leadership moved was “themselves. They were all trying to live. They didn’t move anything. They didn’t think it was going to be actually doable, what we did.”
On June 25, speaking at the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump said, “I don’t believe they had a chance to get anything out because we acted fast.
“[Israel] is doing a report on it now, I understand. And I was told that they said it was total obliteration,” he added.
The Iranian nuclear program had been set back “basically decades,” Trump said. “I think they’ve had it. They just went through hell. ... the last thing they want to do is enrich.”
He warned that if Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear program, the United States would strike again, but added, “we’re not going to have to worry about that. It’s gone for years. Very tough to rebuild because the whole thing has collapsed.”
Trump clarified on his Truth Social platform on Monday that his administration is not in talks with Tehran over its nuclear program and that he has not made any offers to the regime.
“Tell phony Democrat Senator Chris Coons that I am not offering Iran ANYTHING, unlike Obama, who paid them $Billions under the stupid “road to a Nuclear Weapon JCPOA (which would now be expired!), nor am I even talking to them since we totally OBLITERATED their Nuclear Facilities,” Trump wrote.
