CIA Director John Ratcliffe has told U.S. lawmakers that recent American military strikes destroyed Iran's only metal conversion facility, delivering a significant blow to Tehran's nuclear program that could take years to recover from, a U.S. official said Sunday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the classified nature of the information, the official confirmed Ratcliffe’s remarks were made during a closed-door briefing with members of Congress last week.
The revelations come amid continued scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers over the extent of the damage inflicted by U.S. and Israeli strikes, which preceded last Tuesday’s ceasefire with Iran.
“It was obliteration like nobody’s ever seen before,” President Donald Trump told Fox News Channel's “Sunday Morning Futures,” claiming the strikes brought an end to Iran's nuclear ambitions “at least for a period of time.”
Ratcliffe reportedly told lawmakers that while most of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is believed to remain buried beneath the rubble at Isfahan and Fordo—two of the main nuclear sites targeted—the loss of Iran's metal conversion capabilities severely limits its ability to produce a nuclear weapon.
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Metal conversion, the process of turning enriched uranium gas into dense metal for the explosive core of a bomb, is a critical step in nuclear weapons development. The destroyed facility was located at the Isfahan nuclear complex.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), echoed those assessments on CBS' “Face the Nation,” stating that Iran’s nuclear sites with capabilities for uranium treatment, conversion, and enrichment suffered "important" damage. However, he cautioned that “some is still standing” and full damage assessments depend on Iran granting access to inspectors.
“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared,” Grossi added, warning that Iran retains the technical knowledge to restart its program if it chooses.
Despite the cautious statements from international officials, Trump and his administration have maintained that Iran’s nuclear capabilities were effectively neutralized. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the targeted sites as “destroyed,” while the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency’s preliminary report acknowledged significant damage to Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan but stopped short of confirming total destruction.
Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, also believe Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity has been neutralized for an extended period. They attribute this to the loss of critical facilities, damage to Iran’s missile production infrastructure, the elimination of key scientists, and the near-collapse of Iran's air defense systems during the 12-day assault.
Ratcliffe also informed lawmakers that Iran’s air defense network was "shattered," making any future attempts to revive its nuclear program vulnerable to further Israeli strikes.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the significance of the destroyed metal conversion site during last week’s NATO summit. “You can’t build a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility,” Rubio said, adding that satellite imagery shows the location has been completely obliterated. “It’s wiped out.”
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While Iran’s physical capabilities have been significantly degraded, Grossi and other experts warn that Iran’s technical expertise remains intact.
“You cannot undo the knowledge or the capacity they have,” Grossi said, stressing the importance of renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear dispute.
Source: Agency