US spy chief says Iran was not rebuilding nuclear programme before war

Testimony by Tulsi Gabbard to the Senate Intelligence Committee has raised questions about a central justification for the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, according to information presented in March.

In written testimony, Gabbard said the US intelligence community assessed that Iran was not rebuilding its nuclear enrichment capabilities prior to the start of the current conflict. The assessment stated that Iran's nuclear programme had been "obliterated" during "Operation Midnight Hammer" in June 2025 and that no efforts to restore it had been detected, reports Al Jazeera.

The finding contrasts with statements by Donald Trump, who cited Iran's nuclear ambitions as an immediate threat when he moved away from diplomatic efforts in favour of military action.

During her oral testimony, Gabbard did not include the portion of her written remarks referring to the lack of rebuilding. When questioned by Mark Warner, she said the omission was due to time constraints but did not dispute the underlying assessment.

The discrepancy comes amid signs of internal dissent. Joe Kent resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Center in protest of the war, saying Iran "posed no imminent threat" and arguing that the conflict was inconsistent with Trump's "America First" campaign pledges.

Despite the intelligence assessment, Gabbard publicly defended the president's decision, saying on social media that it is the responsibility of the Commander in Chief to determine what constitutes an "imminent threat."

The White House has said Iran's ballistic missile and naval capabilities are "functionally destroyed." Gabbard, however, offered a more cautious view, saying the country's leadership had been "largely degraded" during "Operation Epic Fury" but remained intact and capable of launching attacks against US and allied interests through proxy forces.

The conflict has also involved high-level casualties, including Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Ali Larijani, who headed the Supreme National Security Council, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, according to the sources.

Foreign officials from Oman and the United Kingdom have disputed US claims that negotiations with Iran were failing before the war, saying Tehran's position did not warrant an immediate shift to military action.

The absence of a confirmed "imminent threat" has prompted questions about the legal basis for the conflict under both international law and US domestic law, which generally requires such a threat for a president to deploy military force without a formal declaration of war by Congress.

The war remains ongoing, with recent reports of Iranian attacks on Israeli targets and Saudi Arabian oil facilities.