03:01 13-04-2026

Iran Retains Nuclear Capacity After US, Israel Strikes

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Iran retains uranium stockpiles and nuclear infrastructure despite US and Israeli strikes, strengthening its leverage and maintaining pressure in Hormuz Strait.

The United States and Israel have failed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, a development that is now strengthening Tehran’s position in negotiations, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources and analysts.

Experts say that despite repeated strikes, Iran retains its uranium enrichment capabilities along with roughly 450 kilograms of material close to weapons-grade levels. The country has also preserved fortified underground tunnel networks at sites in Isfahan and Natanz, making its nuclear infrastructure more resistant to future attacks.

According to former White House official Eric Brewer, Iran is unlikely to concede these assets easily and is expected to raise its demands compared with those put forward during the February talks on transferring such materials.

The report also notes that U.S. strikes during the military operation inflicted heavy losses on Iran’s conventional navy, destroying a significant portion of its fleet. However, key units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which oversee the Strait of Hormuz, remain operational.

Unlike the regular navy, the IRGC relies on fast, maneuverable boats, naval mines, and missile systems. These forces continue to influence shipping through one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.

Analyst Farzin Nadimi estimates that more than 60 percent of the IRGC’s fast attack craft remain in service and still pose a threat. He pointed out that such vessels are difficult to detect and eliminate due to their dispersed deployment and the use of underground coastal bases.

Former Pentagon official David De Roche noted that this asymmetric strategy continues to prove effective.

At the same time, the United States has achieved notable results against Iran’s regular naval forces. According to U. S. Central Command, more than 155 Iranian vessels, including frigates and mine-layers, have been destroyed. Among them was the warship IRIS Dena, sunk by a U.S. submarine.

Even so, analysts cited by the publication say these losses have not deprived Iran of control over the Strait of Hormuz. Small IRGC boats, unmanned maritime systems, and missile capabilities continue to exert pressure on commercial shipping. Since late February 2026, at least 50 attacks on merchant vessels have been recorded.

Former deputy head of U. S. Central Command Robert Harward estimated that Iran has lost between 80 and 90 percent of its naval power, but noted that the remaining forces present the greatest challenge.