U.S. Surveillance Reveals Iranian Officials’ Views: “Airstrikes Caused Less Damage Than Expected” June 30, 2

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📰 U.S. Surveillance Reveals Iranian Officials’ Views: “Airstrikes Caused Less Damage Than Expected”
🗓️ June 30, 2025
📍Washington, D.C.

Amid ongoing disputes over the impact of recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, intercepted U.S. intelligence communications indicate that Iranian officials believe the damage was less severe than initially claimed.

The Washington Post reported on June 29 that U.S. agencies intercepted private conversations among high-ranking Iranian officials, citing four anonymous U.S. government sources. These officials reportedly questioned why the June 22 airstrikes did not inflict the extensive damage expected.

This revelation complicates President Donald Trump’s earlier statement claiming that Iran’s nuclear program had been “completely destroyed.” The intercepted communications were not detailed publicly.

The Trump administration did not deny the surveillance but strongly questioned the Iranian assessments. White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt called it “nonsense” to claim that unnamed Iranian officials could accurately know what lies beneath hundreds of feet of rubble, reaffirming that Iran’s nuclear weapons program “is finished.”

A senior intelligence official emphasized that a single intercepted communication does not represent the full intelligence picture, noting that evaluations rely on synthesizing multiple sources and methods.

Intercepted calls and emails remain critical tools in U.S. intelligence operations and form the bulk of daily intelligence briefings to President Trump. However, The Post noted that these intercepted conversations lack context and often require corroboration with other intelligence.

Debates continue over the extent of damage caused to Iran’s nuclear sites from the airstrikes. Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CBS on June 29 that Iran may be able to resume enriched uranium production within months.

Earlier U.S. media reports, citing preliminary Pentagon intelligence, stated that while Iran’s nuclear facilities suffered significant damage, key sites were not completely destroyed.

Following these reports, President Trump criticized the media harshly, insisting the operation was “one of the most successful military actions in history.”

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