• The Pentagon estimates U.S. strikes have delayed Iran's nuclear program by one to two years.
• Three key nuclear facilities in Iran were targeted during the military operations.
• Intelligence assessments indicate significant damage to Iran's nuclear capabilities.
• The head of the IAEA cautions that Iran could resume uranium enrichment soon.
• Iran has suspended cooperation with the IAEA, complicating international oversight.

The Pentagon announced that recent U.S. military strikes have significantly impacted Iran's nuclear program, potentially delaying its progress by "one to two years," according to spokesperson Sean Parnell. The strikes targeted three key facilities, including Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, utilizing over a dozen bunker-buster bombs and numerous Tomahawk missiles on June 22, 2025. Parnell emphasized that assessments indicate "probably closer to two years" of degradation to Iran's nuclear capabilities, which were described as "completely obliterated" by U.S. officials following the airstrikes, according to Reuters, ABC News, and Middle East Eye.

Despite the Pentagon's optimistic assessment, experts caution about the actual effectiveness of the strikes. Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), indicated that Iran may resume uranium enrichment within months, suggesting that the damage from the U.S. strikes may not be as extensive as claimed. Some analysts believe Iran had likely moved its stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium in anticipation of the attacks, raising doubts about the long-term impacts of the military intervention, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The Iranian government has responded by suspending its cooperation with the IAEA, claiming that its security needed to be guaranteed before any inspections could resume. This move has been met with criticism from the U.S. State Department, which described Iran's decision as "unacceptable," emphasizing the importance of oversight for global nuclear governance, according to India Times and TRT Global.

Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, have acknowledged that the attacks caused "severe damage" to the Fordow facility, but they stress that the full extent of the damage is still unclear, reflecting ongoing tensions and conflicting narratives regarding the effectiveness of the U.S. military operations. This uncertainty complicates the diplomatic landscape surrounding Iran's nuclear ambitions, as both nations assess their next steps moving forward, as shown in reports from Channel News Asia and India Times.