President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Iran's nuclear program had been dealt an irreparable blow by US attacks last month and that he was in no rush to resume negotiations with Tehran despite its alleged eagerness.
The United States attacked the Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow nuclear sites with long-range bombers and submarine-launched missiles on June 22.
Trump called the strikes "the most perfect military maneuver that anybody's seen — probably in 50 years," in a White House appearance alongside Bahrain's crown prince.
“We knocked out their entire potential nuclear capacity. And it was obliterated," he added. "It turned out it was more than obliterated. They can't go back.”
An initial Pentagon assessment suggested the attacks had only set Iran's nuclear program back by months, but subsequent analysis released by the Central Intelligence Agency said it would take Tehran years to recover.
In the first public remarks by a Persian Gulf leader apparently praising the attacks, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa - who also serves as Prime Minister - said, “I definitely believe that the volatility of the situation has been reduced.”
On the possible resumption of talks, Al Khalifa added, “I believe the ball is in their court. That is the true reality of where we stand today. They are the ones that stand to benefit from a negotiation.”
Following a June 24 ceasefire which paused the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, Trump questioned whether further nuclear diplomacy was needed given the scale of damage to Iranian nuclear sites.
European countries have called for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear impasse while Iranian officials have not ruled out further talks.
“They want to negotiate,” Trump added on Wednesday. “They want to negotiate badly. We're in no rush. We could have made a deal. They should have made a deal — and then we bombed the hell out of their various places.”
Hours before the White House meeting, the United States and Bahrain signed an agreement to enhance cooperation on the development of a civil nuclear program.
Iran’s nuclear program has long been a source of unease for its Persian Gulf neighbors. A Shi’ite-majority island kingdom ruled by a Western-backed Sunni monarchy, Bahrain has long viewed Tehran’s regional policies with suspicion. It also hosts major US and British military bases.
