'Iran Can Never Develop Or Acquire A Nuclear Weapon': US Tells Pakistan

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, firmly reiterated the United States' stance that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." This message was conveyed amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with both leaders emphasizing the need for cooperation to foster durable peace between Israel and Iran and maintain regional stability.
Operation Midnight Hammer: US Strikes On Iranian Nuclear Facilities
Following escalating conflict between Iran and Israel—which began on June 13 with Israel's "Operation Rising Lion" targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites—Iran retaliated with "Operation True Promise 3," launching missile and drone strikes against Israeli infrastructure. In response, the US executed "Operation Midnight Hammer," a large-scale military operation aimed at degrading Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure.
The US targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
The operation involved over 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, which dropped more than a dozen 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) "bunker buster" bombs on Fordow and Natanz.
Isfahan was struck by more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from US Navy submarines.
The operation was described by US military officials as the largest B-2 operational strike in US history, involving complex coordination with refuelling and support aircraft.
Assessment of The Strikes' Effectiveness
Despite US claims of "extremely severe damage and destruction" to the targeted facilities, early US intelligence assessments indicate that the strikes did not destroy the essential elements of Iran’s nuclear program.
According to the Defence Intelligence Agency's initial evaluation:
Iran's inventory of enriched uranium remained intact.
Most centrifuges at the targeted sites were largely "unharmed."
The strikes likely delayed Iran's nuclear program by only a few months at most.
Independent experts analysing satellite imagery concurred that the attacks did not eradicate Iran's nuclear capabilities, noting that several critical underground facilities remained functional and could facilitate a rapid restoration of the program. The White House, however, disputed these intelligence findings, maintaining that the strikes had caused significant damage.
In the aftermath of these military actions, a phased ceasefire between Iran and Israel was mediated by the United States and Qatar, beginning on June 24, 2025. Iran's limited retaliatory strikes and subsequent willingness to halt further escalation paved the way for negotiations, resulting in a cessation of hostilities that remains in effect as of June 26, 2025.
The US has unequivocally stated its position that Iran must never be allowed to develop or acquire nuclear weapons, reinforcing this stance through direct diplomatic engagement with Pakistan and by conducting major military operations against Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
While these operations inflicted significant physical damage, initial intelligence assessments suggest that Iran's nuclear program was only temporarily set back, not destroyed. The situation has since de-escalated with a US- and Qatar-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel, though the long-term impact on Iran’s nuclear ambitions remains uncertain.
Based On ANI Report