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Trump said Iran's nuclear sites were 'obliterated' but questions remain about enriched uranium
Trump said Iran's nuclear sites were 'obliterated' but questions remain about enriched uranium

NBC News

time23-06-2025

  • Politics
  • NBC News

Trump said Iran's nuclear sites were 'obliterated' but questions remain about enriched uranium

But Jeffrey Lewis, an American expert in nuclear nonproliferation and a professor at the California-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, said on X that he was 'unimpressed' by both the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran because they 'failed to target significant elements of Iran's nuclear materials and production infrastructure.' Iran's highly enriched uranium 'was largely stored in underground tunnels' near the Isfahan site, he said. But despite extensive American and Israeli attacks on the facility, he said, 'there does not seem to have been any effort to destroy these tunnels or the material that was in them.' He added that there had been 'no effort to strike the enormous underground facility next to Natanz where Iran can make more centrifuges and maybe do other things.' Satellite images taken two days before the strike on Fordo also showed 16 cargo trucks on an access road leading up to the complex. Released by Maxar Technologies, a U.S. defense contractor headquartered in Colorado, pictures taken the following day show the trucks had moved away from the site. Tehran is also signalling that its intent to achieve nuclear weapons is undimmed, maybe even strengthened. 'Even if the nuclear sites are destroyed, the game isn't over,' Ali Shamkhani, a top political, military and nuclear adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wrote on X on Sunday. 'Enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.' An assessment by FilterLabs, which uses artificial intelligence and experts to monitor social media, also suggests that Iranians believed that they would not have been attacked if the country had a nuclear weapon. 'What we have started to see in the last few days is actually Iranians say this is the reason why we should have a nuclear weapon,' FilterLabs founder and CEO Jonathan Teubner told NBC News on Monday. 'That if they had one, they would be more protected.' 'The fundamental reality remains that military action alone can only roll back the programme by degrees, not eliminate it fully,' Darya Dolzikova​, a senior research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, said in an op-ed Sunday. The success of the American attacks, particularly at the Fordo plant, 'is not immediately apparent,' she wrote. 'Imagery can't show much about the damage down at the centrifuge enrichment hall, so the U.S. and Israel will be relying heavily on intelligence from inside the Iranian system.' But even if the destruction was widespread, 'Iran retains extensive expertise that will allow it to eventually reconstitute what aspects of the programme have been damaged or destroyed,' she said. 'The Iranian nuclear programme is decades old and draws on extensive Iranian indigenous expertise. The physical elimination of the programme's infrastructure — and even the assassination of Iranian scientists — will not be sufficient to destroy the latent knowledge that exists in the country.'

Russia wants to mediate in the Middle East. But it seems unprepared to help strategic ally Iran

time17-06-2025

  • Politics

Russia wants to mediate in the Middle East. But it seems unprepared to help strategic ally Iran

Russia launched more than 400 drones at Ukraine in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a clear reminder of the country's ability to terrorize Ukrainian cities through the relatively cheap weapons it has been able to mass produce with the help of Iran. But now that Iran is being targeted by rounds of Israeli airstrikes, Moscow is willing to only go so far for a country it considers a strategic partner. Despite the fact that the two countries signed a co-operation pact (new window) in January, experts say since 2022, Moscow has refused to send the air defence systems and fighter jets that Tehran has been pleading for. There is some defence co-operation going on … but the kinds of capabilities that the Iranians really want from Russia, those that Iran would have needed to beef up their deterrence over the last year… Russia has not given, said Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia nonproliferation program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Russia launched more than 400 drones at Ukraine in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a clear reminder of the country's ability to terrorize Ukrainian cities through the relatively cheap weapons it has been able to mass produce with the help of Iran. But now that Iran is being targeted by rounds of Israeli airstrikes, Moscow is willing to only go so far for a country it considers a strategic partner. Despite the fact that the two countries signed a co-operation pact (new window) in January, experts say since 2022, Moscow has refused to send the air defence systems and fighter jets that Tehran has been pleading for. There is some defence co-operation going on … but the kinds of capabilities that the Iranians really want from Russia, those that Iran would have needed to beef up their deterrence over the last year… Russia has not given, said Hanna Notte, director of the Eurasia nonproliferation program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. Limited help for Iran While the Kremlin has condemned the Israeli strikes and said Russia is prepared to act (new window) as a mediator in the conflict — an offer condemned by Europe and supported by U.S. President Donald Trump — experts say it's highly unlikely Moscow will wade in militarily. Not only does it need its own weapons for the war it's waging in Ukraine, but as Kyiv increasingly targets Russian military and energy sites with longer-range drones, it needs its air defence systems. WATCH | Trump says he wants 'real end' to fighting between Israel and Iran: Trump says U.S. wants a 'real end' to Israel-Iran conflict — not just a ceasefire (new window) Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One as he returned ahead of schedule from the G7 summit in Canada, reiterated his position that Iran cannot be allowed to have nuclear weapons and took questions about the conflict. Russia and Iran are both heavily sanctioned countries united in their criticism of the West. But analysts say Moscow is reluctant to take a position that would damage its relations with other countries in the Middle East, including Israel and Turkey, and doesn't want to see a nuclear-armed Iran. Notte, who studies defence co-operation (new window) between Moscow and Tehran, says Russia has sent Iran some armoured vehicles, along with electronic warfare systems that can jam radio frequencies and disrupt GPS signals. She says while it has also launched satellites for Iran, she has found no reliable evidence of Russia sending any of its Su-35 fighter jets to Tehran, despite rumours that have circulated online. Over the past year, there have been reports (new window) that Israeli strikes have taken out four S-300 air-defence systems that Iran purchased from Russia. Notte says there's been no indication Moscow moved to repair or replace them. Whether that is because of Russian inability or unwillingness…. I would argue it's probably a combination of both, Notte said in a phone interview from Berlin. Balancing relationships She says Russia's normally stable relations with Israel, which hasn't moved to sanction Moscow over its war with Ukraine, have become strained in recent months. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and its military's subsequent offensive in Gaza, the Kremlin has adopted more pro-Palestinian positions, which Notte says are an opportunistic attempt to tap into anti-Western sentiments. "But I think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has remained mindful of certain Israeli red lines when it comes to Russian defence co-operation with Iran, and has therefore not given certain assistance to the Iranians," she said. She also believes Moscow doesn't need Iran like it did in 2022, when it relied on the country more heavily to help it skirt international sanctions. Drone production Not only did Iran send Moscow missiles and explosive-laden drones to use in its war against Ukraine, but Tehran has helped Russia produce the drones at a factory in Tatarstan, an area about 900 kilometres east of Moscow. A report produced by Washington-based C4ADS (new window) found that the Russian enterprise making the drones, Alabuga JSC, bought equipment and services from Iran and paid for them in gold bars, as well as with wire transfers processed through the United Arab Emirates. Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and its military's subsequent offensive in Gaza, the Kremlin has adopted more pro-Palestinian positions, which Notte says are an opportunistic attempt to tap into anti-Western sentiments. "But I think [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has remained mindful of certain Israeli red lines when it comes to Russian defence co-operation with Iran, and has therefore not given certain assistance to the Iranians," she said. She also believes Moscow doesn't need Iran like it did in 2022, when it relied on the country more heavily to help it skirt international sanctions. Drone production Not only did Iran send Moscow missiles and explosive-laden drones to use in its war against Ukraine, but Tehran has helped Russia produce the drones at a factory in Tatarstan, an area about 900 kilometres east of Moscow. A report produced by Washington-based C4ADS (new window) found that the Russian enterprise making the drones, Alabuga JSC, bought equipment and services from Iran and paid for them in gold bars, as well as with wire transfers processed through the United Arab Emirates. It's estimated that with Iran's help, Russia has been able to churn out nearly 3,000 drones a month. They are strategic partners. At least, they were before this escalation started, said Nikita Smagin, an independent analyst on Russia and the Middle East based in Baku, Azerbaijan. Smagin used to work for the Russia state media news agency TASS and was its correspondent in Iran for three years, up until 2022. After Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Smagin left the country and earlier this year was declared a foreign agent and accused of spreading false information against Russia. He believes Moscow not only wanted to keep its own weapons instead of sending them to Iran, but that the Kremlin assessed that giving Iran a bit more hardware wouldn't have made a big difference to the balance of power on the ground. In this sense, he thinks Moscow is being pragmatic, but says the average Iranian citizen will likely see it differently, thinking Russia didn't help enough. Potential benefits Still, he says it's a mistake to think this is a lopsided, hollow partnership, and points to data released earlier this month from Iran, which showed Russia was the biggest foreign investor in the country, committing billions of dollars to gas projects. While Smagin says there's a lot Russia can lose from a protracted war between Israel and Iran, there are also benefits, such as rising oil prices that will enrich Russia's coffers. Beyond the financial gain, Notte also points out the political implications — the escalation in the Middle East has taken global attention even further away from the battlefields of Ukraine. To wit, U.S. President Donald Trump is no longer talking about ramping up pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine. Instead, he's musing about having Vladimir Putin help mediate a peace agreement in another war. Briar Stewart (new window) · CBC News

Latest North Korean Ship Can Carry Dozens of Missiles, Analysts Say
Latest North Korean Ship Can Carry Dozens of Missiles, Analysts Say

Asharq Al-Awsat

time02-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Asharq Al-Awsat

Latest North Korean Ship Can Carry Dozens of Missiles, Analysts Say

North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. "They're pretty big cavities," said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles." Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defense missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States," he added. "So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us." North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. "Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. "If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system," he said. "Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper." The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and US warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. "The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defense navy," he said. "So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet." Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring program.

Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles: Analysts
Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles: Analysts

Al Arabiya

time02-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Al Arabiya

Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles: Analysts

North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a US Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. 'They're pretty big cavities,' said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. 'I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles.' Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defense missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. 'I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States,' he added. 'So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us.' North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. 'Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defense ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. 'If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system,' he said. 'Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper.' The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and US warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. 'The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defense navy,' he said. 'So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet.' Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring program.

Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say
Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say

Yahoo

time02-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Yahoo

Latest North Korean ship can carry dozens of missiles, analysts say

By Gerry Doyle SINGAPORE (Reuters) - North Korea's new class of warship can accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles its military has already developed, analysis of a satellite image showed, a step that would give its navy more punch and create an export opportunity. Little is known about the unnamed class of ships being built in the Chongjin and Nampo shipyards. In December, South Korea's military said they would displace about 4,000 tons, somewhat less than half the size of a U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Images captured of the ship in Nampo in the last week of March, however, show cavities on its deck large enough to hold more than 50 missiles, depending on their type, said researcher Jeffrey Lewis. "They're pretty big cavities," said Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. "I would think 32 (missiles) in front and a few fewer in the back would be a very reasonable number. Or it could be a much smaller number of ballistic missiles." Vertical launch systems (VLS) allow ships to carry more missiles, and make launching and reloading easier. Lewis said North Korea had developed several different types of missile that would be compatible with VLS cells, which Pyongyang had not fielded on any previous surface ship. Such types include anti-ship cruise missiles, land attack cruise missiles, air defence missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, he added. The new ships' armament seemed to hew close to South Korean navy standards, said Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "I think we have to take conventional enhancements seriously, because North Korea has limited resources and has invested in nuclear weapons to close the deterrence gap with the Republic of Korea and United States," he added. "So it must fit within their concept of operations, even if the concept appears odd to us." North Korean state media released first photos of the ship in December, when leader Kim Jong Un conducted an inspection. He later made several more visits to the shipyards, where the country said as recently as early March it was also building its first nuclear-powered submarine. "Overwhelmingly powerful warships must serve as a strong nuclear deterrent against hostile forces' habitual 'gunboat diplomacy,'" state media reported Kim as saying. South Korea's national defence ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lewis said compatibility with a VLS would make the weapons even more attractive as exports for countries that are cut off from, or cannot afford, other arms suppliers. "If you were interested in buying North Korean anti-ship missiles because they were cheap, it would be awfully nice if they came in a tested VLS system," he said. "Quantity has a quality all its own. Those North Korean missiles might not be as good as their Russian counterparts, but they are much, much cheaper." The new ships, although more advanced than others in the North Korean fleet, may not make much of a difference in conflict, said Collin Koh of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Their locations are well-known, they cannot operate far from North Korean shores and are decades behind the technology in South Korean and U.S. warships. But they show Pyongyang is serious about investments to improve its navy, he said. "The North Korean navy is largely traditionally a coastal defence navy," he said. "So they are likely trying to reinvigorate the fleet." Last year Kim stressed the importance of strengthening North Korea's navy. It recently finished fitting out its latest Sinpo-C ballistic missile submarine, according to 38 North, a Washington-based North Korea monitoring programme.

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