Iran still seeks nuclear weapons despite heavy strikes, expert warns

Security analyst says regime will use diplomacy to buy time and rebuild its nuclear program.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

Despite severe damage from recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, Iran remains focused on reviving its nuclear weapons program, a top security expert warned this week.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Iran’s strategy is to “repair, reconstitute, and rebuild” its nuclear infrastructure.

“It depends how they go about it,” he said. “Will they pretend to cooperate with the world or go completely dark? That remains to be seen.”

Iran confirmed that three key nuclear facilities — Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz — suffered major damage after last month’s joint strikes by Israel and the U.S.

President Donald Trump said the mission “obliterated” the sites, rejecting claims that Iran may have smuggled out sensitive materials beforehand.

Israeli officials, however, are still monitoring the fallout and say Iran could be working to assess and recover what it can.

Taleblu assesses that Tehran is using diplomacy to stall while it rebuilds.

“The regime will try to buy time. They’ll use talks to avoid real consequences and hold onto what nuclear capability they can,” he said.

This week, Iranian leaders gave mixed messages.

Some said they were open to restarting negotiations after President Trump signaled talks could begin as soon as next week.

But Iran’s foreign minister called that timeline unrealistic.

“I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,” said Abbas Araghchi in a CBS interview. “But the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”

At the same time, Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN’s nuclear watchdog.

The move drew sharp criticism from Washington.

“It is unacceptable that Iran chose to suspend cooperation at a moment when it had a chance to choose peace,” said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.

Iran has limited IAEA access before.

Taleblu warned that this tactic is one of Iran’s most effective tools.

“The regime will dangle IAEA access as a bargaining chip,” he said.

“It’s already their most powerful weapon.”

He explained that by restricting inspections, Iran forces the U.S. to rely on intelligence alone.

That uncertainty leads to internal debate, weakens Western resolve, and gives Iran breathing room.

“Without eyes on the ground, intelligence assessments can vary widely,” Taleblu said.

“That plays into Iran’s hands.”

Taleblu said Iran’s nuclear ambitions date back more than four decades.

“Everything we face now — drones, missiles, terrorism, the nuclear program — it all began in the 1980s,” he noted.

He stressed that Iran’s nuclear drive is not scientific.

“This is not a science fair project. It’s about power. The regime sees the bomb as the ultimate deterrent,” he said.

The expert warned that U.S. strikes alone will not stop Tehran’s nuclear quest.

“Iran’s obsession with nuclear weapons is rooted in its vision for reshaping the region. That hasn’t changed,” he said.