US strikes Iran: Washington think-tank urges Trump to stop

A US “one-off” strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities in the middle of a negotiation could jeopardise President Donald Trump’s credibility as a peacemaker, a US think-tank has said Sunday.

The United States has carried out airstrikes on Iran’s three most significant nuclear sites — Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, according to Trump, who made the announcement on Truth Social on Saturday evening. 

The strikes come amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The US military action marks a major US  intervention that could reshape tensions across the Middle East.

The United Nations called the US strikes a “dangerous escalation”, while Iraq’s government warned the move could destabilise the region.

Iran confirmed the attack on Fordow, labelling it an “enemy airstrike,” and warned of consequences after diplomatic efforts to prevent war failed. 

In response to Israeli actions, Iran has fired missiles at Ben Gurion airport, research centres, and Israeli military command sites.

Trump insisted it was a “one-off” attack and warned Iran would face “more devastating attacks” unless it accepts peace terms.

While the strikes mark a tactical blow, several experts argue the strategic consequences could be severe and the nuclear impact limited.

“There is good reason to fear it might escalate to all-out war,” said Rosemary Kelanic, Director of the Middle East Programme at Defense Priorities, in a statement to Gulf News.

Defense Priorities is a US think-tank based in Washington DC that advocates for a more restrained foreign policy.

“President Trump should urgently redeploy American service members out of harm’s way before Iran can counterattack.”

Jennifer Kavanagh, Director of Military Analysis at Defense Priorities, warned the attack could undermine global trust, strain diplomacy, and incentivise Iran to pursue nuclear weapons more aggressively.

“President Trump announced he has concluded US bombing strikes on Iran and has called for peace. There is good reason to fear it might escalate to all-out war instead.”

Depending on how Iran responds, both in terms of pursuing nuclear enrichment and retaliating against the 40,000 US forces in a region vulnerable to Iranian retaliation, the US is at a high risk of being drawn into yet another regime change war that could mire the US in the Middle East for decades to come. 

“The loss of US lives,” Kavanagh, “will only make the drums of regime-change war louder.”

President Trump’s decision to strike Iranian nuclear targets is a short-sighted one that will not achieve his stated objectives, brings significant risks to the United States, and could derail his other foreign policy priorities,” Kavanagh aded. 

Temporary gains

She said that the strike may offer only “temporary gains” while dragging the US into a prolonged Middle East conflict.

“It will be some time before we know how much damage US bombs did to Iranian nuclear facilities but they are unlikely to have completely eliminated Iran’s enrichment capabilities. Iran’s stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium and its centrifuge components have likely already been moved and hidden elsewhere and so some portion will survive the US attack. 

“US strikes will certainly set back Iran’s nuclear programme, but there remain hundreds of Iranian nuclear scientists and engineers ready to reconstitute the programme over time. US airstrikes, even if deemed successful, will offer only temporary gains,” she added.

She also stressed that hitting Iran mid-negotiation may jeopardise Trump’s credibility as a peacemaker, especially amid other global priorities like Ukraine.

Trump claimed that US forces “struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites,” which he described as being “at the heart of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.”

The sites — already targeted earlier by Israel — are central to Iran’s uranium enrichment and nuclear research infrastructure.

1. Fordow

A secretive, deeply buried facility near Qom, Fordow is heavily fortified, with sections located about 90 metres (300 feet) underground. 

According to the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), Iran could convert uranium stored here into weapons-grade material for up to nine nuclear bombs in “a matter of weeks”. The facility currently hosts about 2,700 centrifuges.

2. Natanz
Located about 250 km south of Tehran, Natanz is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment site. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), it houses thousands of centrifuges, including underground facilities capable of holding 50,000 machines. 

The site has enriched uranium to 60% purity, dangerously close to weapons-grade levels. Earlier Israeli strikes reportedly knocked out power in lower levels housing these centrifuges.

3. Isfahan

This central Iranian site houses a sprawling nuclear research complex, including reactors, conversion facilities, fuel production plants, and labs. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, around 3,000 scientists work at the Isfahan complex, believed to be a hub for Iran’s nuclear R&D.