A confidential CIA assessment presented to administration officials this week concluded that Iran could endure the current US naval blockade for at least three to four months before facing significantly harsher economic conditions, the Washington Post reported citing multiple people familiar with the findings. According to the report, the intelligence analysis also determined Iran continues to maintain substantial ballistic missile capabilities despite weeks of US and Israeli strikes.
According to one US official cited in the report, Iran still possesses roughly 75 percent of its prewar mobile missile launchers and about 70 percent of its missile stockpiles. The official added that Iran has managed to restore access to most of its underground storage facilities, repair some damaged missiles and complete the assembly of additional missiles that were near completion before the conflict began.
President Donald Trump presented a more optimistic assessment on Wednesday, stating that Iran’s missile arsenal had been “mostly decimated." Four current and former US officials confirmed the general conclusions of the intelligence report to the Washington Post while speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter. A senior US intelligence official emphasized the impact of the blockade in a statement, saying it was severely damaging Iran’s economy, cutting off trade and reducing government revenue. The official also said Iran’s military capabilities had been significantly weakened. (Read More)
