WASHINGTON – NATO extended full support behind US President Donald Trump’s claims that airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites dealt massive blow to Tehran’s atomic capabilities despite leaked intelligence report suggesting otherwise.
During a high-profile NATO summit in The Hague, Trump declared strikes had pushed back Iran’s nuclear ambitions “by decades.” That hit ended the war, Trump claimed, comparing Iran-Israel tensions to a schoolyard fight easily broken up after a few minutes.
Standing beside Trump, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte publicly endorsed the operation, stating, “They took out the nuclear capability of Iran. It was done in an impressive way.” His statement underscored NATO’s rare alignment with Trump’s controversial military approach.
The support comes amid internal debate in Washington, sparked by leaked Pentagon report suggesting Iran’s nuclear program was only set back by a few months. Trump dismissed the findings as unreliable, saying intelligence officials “really don’t know” how much damage was done.
Trump said he recently spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking him to focus efforts on Russia’s behavior, not Iran. “Help us on Russia, not on Iran,” he recalled telling Putin, adding that Russia had shown willingness to cooperate.
Trump suggested the Iran strikes may have accelerated progress toward a ceasefire. “We were close to a deal before this, and I think this helped,” he said.
As White House and NATO project victory, defense analysts remain skeptical, saying a lack of independent verification and Iran’s resilience in nuclear development.
Iran nuclear program ‘unshaken by US Attacks’ as Tehran vows to press on
