Trump Boasts of "Overwhelming Success"
Western Military Sources: Difficult to Confirm Damage Scale
Hardliners Gain Power in Iran... Enriched Uranium Material Unaccounted For
On the early morning of the 21st (local time), the underground complex of the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran, which was targeted by a US airstrike, was captured in a close-up satellite image by Maxar Technologies on the 22nd. The Fordo nuclear facility is located underground in a mountainous area about 160 km south of Tehran, the capital of Iran, and about 30 km north of the holy city of Qom. Reuters Yonhap News
As US President Donald Trump praised the successful completion of airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, CNN reported, citing sources, that it is difficult to conclude that the Iranian nuclear threat has been completely eliminated.
According to CNN on the 23rd (local time), Western military sources pointed out that it is still too early to accurately assess the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities.
Previously, President Trump described the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities as an "overwhelming military success" and claimed that "the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities have been completely destroyed." It is known that more than 12 US bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles were used in this operation.
However, even if President Trump's assessment is accurate, there are concerns that the Iranian nuclear threat cannot be considered to have disappeared.
CNN pointed out that while the facilities may have been destroyed, the technology remains, and if Iran maintains its political will, the facilities could be rebuilt. Iranian state media also reported that key materials stored at the three nuclear facilities (Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan) were moved to other hidden locations in anticipation of the US airstrikes.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that it is unable to account for the enriched uranium material already produced by Iran. Uranium enriched to over 60% can be further enriched to weapons-grade uranium within two to three days at the existing Fordo facility, and it is estimated that up to 10 nuclear weapons could be produced in three weeks.
CNN also noted that for years, hardliners within Iran have advocated for nuclear armament as a deterrent against external attacks. While Iran continues to claim that its nuclear development is for peaceful purposes, there is an increasing likelihood that the arguments of hardliners will gain influence.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently questioned at a conference in Istanbul, T?rkiye, "The NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) did not protect us," and asked, "Why should a country that seeks peaceful nuclear energy rely on this treaty?" Some Iranian lawmakers have also called for Iran's official withdrawal from the NPT.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
