Intel sources say that the US report evaluated Iran from 3 to 8 months

Washington – On the same day that President Trump ordered strikes on Saturday about Iranian nuclear facilities, an American intelligence agency assessed that Iran could make a nuclear weapon within three to eight months – but there was no indication that it decided to do so, CBS News learned.

The intelligence summary, which was released on Saturday for the chief of staff in the army, found that Iran could build a nuclear device for months if it did not face technical or logistical delays.

But at the time, the summary did not establish that Iran had made a decision to run towards a nuclear weapon – lining up with American assessments for years.

Similar reviews were made in the days before US strikes On Iran’s nuclear facilities, and in the days that followed. The American air strikes came amid a widespread Israeli attack against Iranian nuclear installations, although Mr. Trump announced on Monday that Iran and Israel had agreed to a cease-fire.

The intelligence summary also found that Iranian officials discussed the transportation of highly fertilized uranium cans in car trunks and store them in public parking lots to avoid destruction.

Iran has increased the very enriched uranium stocks in recent months, which raised fears between Iran’s opponents and International monitoring. The country has affected the uranium of 60 % purity, which is only a short step from the 90 % level used in general in nuclear weapons.

Mr. Trump said last week that Iran was “very close to the presence of” a nuclear weapon, and the director of national intelligence, Toulsi Gabbard He said Iran “on the point that can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to put the finishing touches on the association.”

The head of the US Central Command, General Michael Corella, witnessed in mid -June that if Iran decides the enemy to a nuclear weapon, it will be able to produce enough weapons levels for a simple nuclear weapon in one week and can make enough nuclear weapons in three weeks.

For years, US intelligence officials said that Iran Stop Nuclear weapons development program in 2003. In March, the American Intelligence Society evaluation Iran was not building a nuclear weapon, and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khounai, still did not re-mandate the program, but “it is likely to pressure it to do so”-referring to “erosion of decades that continued to discuss nuclear weapons in public places.”

Various agencies in the intelligence community may have their own assessments about Iranian nuclear capabilities before strikes.

Gabbard reiterated this evaluation in the Congress certificate earlier this year. But last week, Mr. Trump told the correspondents that Gabbard was “wrong” about whether Iran was building a nuclear weapon, adding later, “I think they were about to get one.” Gabbard later He said She and the president were on the same page, and the media “took my testimony outside the context.”

American air strikes It targeted two Iranian uranium enrichment facilities and nuclear research site, after a few days an air campaign by Israel, which claimed that Iran “is racing towards a nuclear bomb.” The effect of strikes on the weekend is still unclear; The Pentagon provided a preliminary general assessment of the damage shortly after the strikes.

“Initial damage assessments indicate that all three sites have been severely damaged and severely destroyed,” He said Sunday, adding that the full evaluation will take time.

Iran, for its part, has long denied that it intended to build nuclear weapons, and insists that its uranium enrichment program is intended for peaceful purposes.

Foreign Minister Marco Rubio told CBS News, “The nation faced” on Sunday that the Iranian sites targeted in the American strikes were linked to the Iranian “nuclear weapons aspirations”. When asked if the United States believed that my crude had ordered the construction of a nuclear weapon, Rubio described the issue as “unrelated.”

“They have everything they need to build nuclear weapons,” Rubio said.

“President Trump and the administration have always been right to say that if Iran chose to make a nuclear bomb, they can do this within weeks, which is clearly that it represents an imminent threat to the United States and the world.”

She added: “(R) Hanks to lead President Trump’s powerful and incredibly successful military strikes on Iranian nuclear installations, its ability to build a nuclear bomb was obliterated and the world can sleep easily at night.”

“The Ministry of Defense routinely provides resources and evaluation to leaders at all levels that must be taken into account in decision-making-especially for military combat operations and publication,” the chief spokesman for the Pentagon Sean Parnell said in a statement.

“The report of the category that was leaked illegally to CBS does not draw a comprehensive picture of Iranian nuclear aspirations – many of which can occur in the national security community within weeks.”

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred any questions to the Ministry of Defense.

Olivia Victoria Gazaand

Sarah Cook and

Eleanor Watson

He contributed to this report.