The Inside Story Podcast Can dropping bombs stop Iran's nuclear programme?
Jun 23, 2025
Laura Rockwood, a seasoned expert in disarmament, and Roxane Farmanfarmaian, a scholar on global politics, join former nuclear scientist Imad Khadduri to explore the effectiveness of U.S. airstrikes on Iran's nuclear ambitions. They dissect the claims of obliterated nuclear capabilities, scrutinizing the reliability of satellite imagery and the challenges of targeting crucial sites like Fordow and Natanz. The discussion reveals the complexities of Iran's nuclear knowledge and the broader geopolitical implications of military action, questioning whether bombing can truly halt such ambitions.
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Unclear Impact of Bombing on Sites
- Satellite imagery shows attacks hit Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz sites but underground damage is unclear.
- No detected uranium or radiation release suggests sites were likely emptied before strikes.
Iraq Nuclear Program Bombing Experience
- US air strikes accidentally hit Iraq's enrichment facilities during the 1991 Gulf War.
- Scientists hid sites and concealed programs till a CIA-led demolition exposed them later.
Electricity Cuts Could Disable Centrifuges
- Cutting power to centrifuges could destroy them without heavy bombs.
- Damage visualization from satellites shows uranium conversion site heavily impacted but uranium stockpile location is unknown.