Latest news with #NuclearProgram
Asharq Al-Awsat
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump Tells Iran's Supreme Leader: ‘You Got Beat to Hell'
President Donald Trump on Friday scoffed at Ali Khamenei's heated warning to the US not to launch future strikes on Iran, as well as the Iranian supreme leader's assertion that Tehran "won the war" with Israel. Trump, in remarks to reporters and later in an extended statement on social media, said Khamenei's comments defied reality after 12 days of Israeli strikes and the US bombardment of three key nuclear sites inflicted severe damage on the country's nuclear program. The president suggested Khamenei's comments were unbecoming of Iran's most powerful political and religious figure. "Look, you're a man of great faith. A man who's highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth," Trump said of Khamenei. "You got beat to hell." The US president spoke out a day after Khamenei insisted Tehran had delivered a "slap to America's face" by striking a US air base in Qatar and warned against further attacks by the US or Israel on Iran. Khamenei's pre-recorded statement, which aired on Iranian state television, was the first time that Iranians had heard directly from the supreme leader in days. The heated rhetoric from Trump and Khamenei continued as both leaders face difficult questions about the impact of the strikes. Trump and his aides have pushed back vociferously after an early damage assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency became public and indicated that the US bombardment likely only set back Tehran's nuclear program by months. The 86-year-old Khamenei, the most powerful figure in Iran's theocracy, meanwhile, has appeared intent on demonstrating his authority and vigor amid speculation about his health and how involved he was in making Iran's wartime decisions through the 12-day conflict. In a social media post Friday, Trump also appeared to refer to a plan presented to the White House by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in the first days of the Israel-Iran conflict to try to kill Khamenei. Trump vetoed that plan, according to a US official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. "His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the US Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life," Trump posted on Truth Social. "I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, "THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!" Trump, after the US airstrikes, sent chilling warnings via social media to Khamenei that the US knew where he was but had no plans to kill him, "at least for now." After launching the US strikes — including with US-made bunker-buster bombs — Trump has been insistent that Iran's nuclear sites have been "obliterated." Administration officials have not disputed the contents of the DIA report but have sought to focus on a CIA statement and other intelligence assessments, including those out of Iran and Israel, that said the strikes severely damaged the nuclear sites and rendered an enrichment facility inoperable. Trump also said that he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program. Asked if he would demand during expected talks with Iran that the International Atomic Energy Agency or some other organization be authorized to conduct inspections, Trump told reporters Iran would have to cooperate with the IAEA "or somebody that we respect, including ourselves." White House officials have said they expect to restart talks soon with Iran, though nothing has been scheduled. US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this week said there has been direct and indirect communication between the countries. A sixth round of US-Iran negotiations was scheduled for earlier this month in Oman but was canceled after Israel attacked Iran. Trump expressed confidence that Iran's nuclear ambition has faded. "Can I tell you, they're exhausted. And Israel's exhausted, too," Trump said. He added, "The last thing they're thinking right now is nuclear."
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Iranian-Canadians gripped with fear and uncertainty trying to reach family after U.S., Israeli attacks
Saeed Abdollahi had just returned to his Calgary home after work when a friend phoned with the news that U.S. air strikes had targeted his hometown of Isfahan, in central Iran. His heart sank; this was the moment he had feared. The 31-year-old architect turned on the television, desperate for more information from news channels. He frantically tapped out messages to family and friends in Iran, knowing that a near-complete internet blackout meant they wouldn't be received. The government has said it ordered the shutdown because of cybersecurity concerns. Mr. Abdollahi tried calling, but got no answer – he hoped because it was the middle of the night in Iran. 'I was kind of having this nightmare that it is possible to lose my whole family and everybody that I know from home at the same time,' he said in an interview. 'It was hard times. I can't even describe that.' Unease spreads through Iranian-Canadian communities after U.S. strikes The U.S. air strikes on Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites followed more than a week of attacks by Israel on Iran. The fallout of the conflict has reverberated thousands of kilometres away, including to the Iranian diaspora in Canada who have watched and worried from afar. Mr. Abdollahi, who moved to Canada in 2021 to complete his master's degree, had been on edge throughout the escalation of the long-simmering conflict. After warnings of an imminent offensive by Israel aimed at Iran's nuclear program and military targets, some family members had fled Tehran to seek safety in Isfahan, only for it, too, to be targeted a week later. Mr. Abdollahi would learn a short time later that his family and friends were safe. But the anxiety of an uncertain future remains. 'I keep following the news, the experts on the situation. But even they don't know what's going to happen,' he said. 'The uncertainty is going to remain. My friends and family over there have the same feeling, that it's not over yet.' A timeline of the Israel-Iran conflict and tensions between the two countries Amir Samani moved to Canada at age 12, which was difficult, but he has grown up to understand why his parents left Iran in 2012. The country requires young men to serve in the military – one of the reasons Mr. Samani's last visit was as a teenager. When missiles first struck Iran weeks ago, most of his family left Tehran and took refuge in safer, more rural areas of the country. Mr. Samani's grandmother, who can't travel, stayed behind with his uncle in the city. Not everyone could leave areas targeted by Israeli forces. Many Iranians live in densely populated cities such as Tehran, and residents have work, school and familial responsibilities, said Mr. Samani, who works for a creative agency in Vancouver. Mr. Samani still can't clearly communicate with his family because of sporadic internet outages. He stays in touch through his cousin, who accesses the internet via a VPN, a method he says is uncommon in Iran because it's expensive and requires bypassing firewalls. 'There's a bottleneck on information to a point that locals have a tough time communicating, even by phone calls or lines, because everything's been outed,' Mr. Samani said. Canadians fleeing war in Iran face obstacles in absence of diplomatic ties Sanaz Safa's mother had travelled to Iran shortly before Israel's strikes on the country to visit her ailing mother. After Israel launched its offensive and Iran closed its airspace, Ms. Safa's mother told her daughter in a short phone call that her return flights were cancelled, but that she was not worried. 'And then after that, there was no communication at all,' said Ms. Safa, a medical esthetician in Vancouver. 'There was no internet, there was nothing. I tried to call direct with my own phone, and there was no connection at all.' In a vacuum of information, Ms. Safa feared the worst. Her mind went to 2019, when Iranian authorities shut down internet access during widespread protests to quell information sharing and hide the killing of hundreds of protesters by the country's security forces. 'I was really worried because when government disconnects the internet, that means that they are doing something to the people,' she said. 'I was worried they would do something to civilians and blame it on Israel or the U.S.' Ms. Safa heard from her mother about a week later, when internet connectivity improved. With her mother expected to fly out of Tehran in coming days, and most of their family now living in Europe, Ms. Safa says her thoughts are now with the people of Iran.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
US Senators divided after briefing on Iran strikes
US Senators have emerged from a classified briefing on the Trump administration's strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, with Republicans calling the mission a clear success and Democrats expressing deep scepticism. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went to Capitol Hill to deliver the briefing for all 100 members of the US Senate.. Many Republicans left satisfied, though their assessments of how much Iran's nuclear program was set back by the bombing varied. Senator Tom Cotton said a "major blow" and "catastrophic damage" had been dealt. Democrats remained doubtful and criticised Trump for not giving Congress more information. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the briefing "raised more questions than it answered." Senators are expected to vote this week on a resolution that would require congressional approval for strikes against Iran, although the measure is not expected to be enacted. Earlier, in an often fiery news conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth insisted he is unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved highly enriched uranium out to shield it from US strikes on Iran's nuclear program. US military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time using huge 'bunker-buster' bombs. The conference was aimed at disputing a leaked preliminary assessment from the US Defense Intelligence Agency suggesting the strikes may have only hampered Iran by months, counter to President Donald Trump's claim of 'total obliteration'. It also gave Hegseth an opportunity to blast media that had reported the assessment. Several experts have cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes, and could be hiding it in locations unknown to Israel, the US and UN nuclear inspectors. They noted satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showing "unusual activity" at Fordow on Thursday and Friday, with a long line of vehicles waiting outside an entrance to the facility. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Sunday most of the 60 per cent highly enriched uranium had been moved to an undisclosed location before the attack. But Trump maintains it would have taken too long to remove anything. "The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of (the) facility," Trump wrote on his social media platform, without providing evidence. The Financial Times, citing European intelligence assessments, reported that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile remains largely intact since it was not concentrated at Fordow. Hegseth's said the Defense Intelligence Agency assessment was 'low confidence', and, citing comments from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, said it had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged and would take years to rebuild. He told reporters the strikes had been "historically successful." His comments came after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory in the 12 day war launched by Israel and vowed Iran would not surrender. During the news conference, Hegseth criticised the media for having an anti-Trump bias. "It's in your DNA and in your blood to cheer against Trump because you want him not to be successful so bad," Hegseth said. "There are so many aspects of what our brave men and women did that ... because of the hatred of this press corps, are undermined," he said. Trump praised Hegseth's news conference as: "One of the greatest, most professional, and most 'confirming' News Conferences I have ever seen!" During the news conference, Caine, the top US general largely stuck to technical details, outlining the history of the bunker-busting bombs used. Caine showed a video testing the bombs on a bunker like the ones struck on Sunday. Caine declined to provide his own assessment of the strike and deferred to the intelligence community. He denied being under any pressure to change his assessment to present a more optimistic view of the US strikes.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Senators offer glimpse into actual result of Trump's Iran bombing campaign after classified briefing
Democrats remained skeptical after the classified briefing on the Iran bombing, as Republicans insisted Tehran's facilities had been 'obliterated.' CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gen. Dan 'Raizin' Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Capitol Hill to give the classified briefings, originally scheduled for Tuesday. Senators emerged from a classified briefing Thursday with sharply diverging assessments of President Donald Trump´s bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, with Republicans calling the mission a clear success and Democrats expressing deep skepticism. Many Republicans left satisfied, though their assessments of how much Iran´s nuclear program was set back by the bombing varied. Sen. Tom Cotton said a 'major blow' and 'catastrophic damage' had been dealt to Iran's facilities. 'Their operational capability was obliterated. There is nobody working there tonight. It was highly effective. There´s no reason to hit those sites anytime soon,' said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Democrats remained doubtful and criticized Trump for not giving Congress more information. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the briefing 'raised more questions than it answered.' Some on the left repeated the mainstream media reports that Trump has raged against suggesting they didn't push back Iran's nuclear program very far. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said the strike appears to 'have only set back the Iranian nuclear program by a handful of months.' 'There's no doubt there was damage done to the program,' said Murphy, but 'allegations that we have obliterated their program just don't seem to stand up to reason.' 'I just do not think the president was telling the truth when he said this program was obliterated,' he added. 'It's still too early to know exactly what the battle damage was, and that's normal,' said Democrat and former CIA agent Elissa Slotkin. The session came as senators weighed their support for a resolution affirming that Trump should seek authorization from Congress before launching more military action against Iran. A vote on that resolution could come as soon as Thursday. Democrats, and some Republicans, have said the White House overstepped its authority when it failed to seek the advice of Congress. They also want to know more about the intelligence that Trump relied on when he authorized the attacks. A similar briefing for House members will be held Friday. A preliminary U.S. intelligence report found that Iran´s nuclear program had been set back only a few months, contradicting statements from Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the status of Iran´s nuclear facilities, according to two people familiar with the report. They were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. 'You want to call it destroyed, you want to call it defeated, you want to call it obliterated - choose your word. This was an historically successful attack,' Hegseth said at a Pentagon briefing Thursday. Hegseth went ballistic on reporters at a Pentagon press conference Thursday, lashing out at reports that U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities were ineffective. The defense secretary was joined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Caine, to tout to reporters the 'historic success' of last weekend's B-2 bombing run. A fired-up Hegseth was also adamant that journalists in the Pentagon press corps are decidedly anti-Trump. 'You cheer against Trump so hard, it's like in your DNA and blood,' he accused the press in the room. 'You have to cheer against the efficacy of these strikes.' 'Your people are trying to leak and spin that it wasn't successful, it's irresponsible,' he charged. The press conference - a rarity for Hegseth - came within days of CNN reporting that the U.S. strikes would only set back Iran 's nuclear sites by a couple of months. The report cited seven individuals briefed on a battle damage assessment done by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the Iranian sites. It directly contradicted President Donald Trump and the defense secretary's claim that the sites were destroyed - and clearly enraged the administration. Trump has raged against those reports, calling out CNN and The New York Times and saying that the leakers should be in prison and the reporters fired. The outlets have stood by their reporting. On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Ratcliffe sent out statements backing Trump´s claims that the facilities were 'completely and fully obliterated.' Gabbard posted on social media that 'new intelligence confirms what @POTUS has stated numerous times: Iran´s nuclear facilities have been destroyed.' She said that if the Iranians choose to rebuild the three facilities, it would 'likely take years to do.' Ratcliffe said in a statement from the CIA that Iran's nuclear program has been 'severely damaged.' He cited new intelligence 'from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years.' Most Republicans have defended Trump and hailed the tentative ceasefire he brokered in the Israel-Iran war. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., went as far as to question the constitutionality of the War Powers Act , which is intended to give Congress a say in military action. 'The bottom line is the commander in chief is the president, the military reports to the president, and the person empowered to act on the nation´s behalf is the president,' Johnson told reporters. But some Republicans, including some of Trump´s staunchest supporters, are uncomfortable with the strikes and the potential for U.S. involvement in an extended Middle East conflict. 'I think the speaker needs to review the Constitution,' said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. 'And I think there´s a lot of evidence that our Founding Fathers did not want presidents to unilaterally go to war.' Paul would not say whether he would vote for the resolution by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would require congressional approval for specific military action in Iran. A simple majority in the Senate is needed to pass the resolution and Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage. 'I will have Republican votes, plural,' Kaine said. 'But whether it´s two or 10, I don´t know.' Kaine authored a similar resolution in 2020 aimed at limiting Trump´s authority to launch military operations against Iran. At the time, eight Republicans joined Democrats in approving the resolution. 'I think I have a chance to get some votes from people who are glad that President Trump did this over the weekend, but they´re saying, `Ok, but now if we´re really going to go to war, it should only have to go through the Congress,´' Kaine told The Associated Press before the briefing. While Trump did not seek approval, he sent congressional leaders a short letter Monday serving as his official notice of the strikes, which occurred Saturday between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. EDT, or roughly 2:10 a.m. on Sunday in Iran. The letter said the strike was taken 'to advance vital United States national interests, and in collective self-defense of our ally, Israel, by eliminating Iran´s nuclear program.'
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Bombs the Leak Machine
It's a legitimate question which of this week's strikes from the commander in chief carried more megajoules: Donald Trump's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities or his subsequent one on a media that diminished that attack's effectiveness. It's another example of an administration moving to avoid a repeat of first-term problems—in this case, by vigorously confronting partisan leaks. The dust had yet to settle on Saturday's Iran strikes before CNN on Tuesday ran a story reporting a classified Defense Intelligence Agency report found the bombs 'did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program.' The outlet cited anonymous sources 'familiar' with the report, including one who said the strikes only 'set [Iran] back maybe a few months, tops'—undermining Mr. Trump's claim the bombs 'totally obliterated' the targets.
