CIA Director John Ratcliffe told members of Congress last week that recent U.S. airstrikes dealt a devastating blow to Iran’s nuclear program by destroying its only metal conversion facility — a critical component needed to build a nuclear bomb, a U.S. official said Sunday.
Speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, the official said Ratcliffe made the assessment during a classified briefing, emphasizing that the destruction of the facility would delay Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by years.
The revelation comes as President Donald Trump and his administration continue to defend the effectiveness of the strikes amid skepticism from Democratic lawmakers and international observers.
Trump: ‘Obliterated Like Nobody’s Ever Seen’
Trump doubled down on his claim that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated,” telling Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that the strikes brought “an end to their nuclear ambitions, at least for a period of time.”
Ratcliffe reportedly told lawmakers that most of Iran’s enriched uranium — targeted at key sites including Isfahan and Fordow — is now buried under rubble. Even if some uranium stockpiles survived, the loss of Iran’s metal conversion facility has, in the CIA’s assessment, removed Tehran’s capacity to weaponize it.
The facility, located at the Isfahan nuclear complex, was used to convert enriched uranium gas into dense metal for a bomb’s core — a vital final step in weapons production.
IAEA Chief Confirms Heavy Damage, But Warns Capabilities Remain
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed on CBS’ Face the Nation that the three targeted Iranian facilities suffered “significant destruction.” However, he cautioned that some infrastructure still remains.
“They can, if they so wish, start doing this again,” Grossi said, noting that a full damage assessment depends on Iran granting access to international inspectors. “One cannot claim everything has disappeared.”
Conflicting Assessments of the Impact
While Trump and his officials describe the strikes as crippling, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s preliminary report says the damage to Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities was “substantial but not total.”
Israeli intelligence reportedly aligns more closely with the Trump administration’s view. A senior Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, said Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities were “neutralized for a prolonged period.” Israeli sources also claim the strikes killed nuclear scientists, damaged missile development infrastructure, and left Iran’s air defenses in disarray.
According to Ratcliffe, Iran’s degraded air defense system leaves it vulnerable to future attacks, particularly from Israeli forces, should it attempt to restart its nuclear program.
Rubio: ‘You Can’t Even Find It on the Map’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the CIA’s assessment during last week’s NATO summit. “You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility,” he said. “We can’t even find where it used to be on the map. The whole thing is just blackened out. It’s wiped out.”
Democrats and Experts Urge Caution
Despite the administration’s confidence, critics warn that the core knowledge required to build a nuclear weapon remains in Iran.
“You cannot undo the knowledge that you have,” said Grossi. “Military options alone cannot solve this permanently. What’s needed is a diplomatic solution.”
The full extent of the damage — and how long it will set back Iran’s nuclear ambitions — remains uncertain. But for now, the Biden administration and U.S. allies are left weighing the effects of one of the most significant military actions against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure in years.
