Iran is said to be just months away from enriching uranium - despite Donald Trump's claim to have wiped out its nuclear facilities in a series of bombing raids last weekend.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, has directly contradicted Trump, warning that Tehran could restart enriching uranium "in a matter of months".
The International Atomic Energy Agency chief said it is "clear that there has been severe damage, but it's not total damage".
The US President, meanwhile, had hailed how he had "completely and totally obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Grossi added that despite the bombing, Iran still has its industrial and technological capacities largely intact, meaning the country could resume its nuclear activities if it chose to do so.
Iran could resume its nuclear activities if it chose to do so, Grossi said
GETTY
His remarks follow analysis by the Pentagon's Defence Intelligence Agency which suggested the US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites last week did not destroy the core components of Tehran's nuclear programme.
That too was a direct rebuke to the Commander-in-Chief, who declared his B2 bombers had set Tehran's nuclear ambitions back by decades.
The so-called "12-day war" began when Israel launched a series of missile strikes aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.
That prompted fury and military retaliation by Iran, before American planes struck three key Iranian nuclear sites.
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PICTURED: JD Vance and Donald Trump in the Situation Room as US bombers strike Iran
REUTERS
Grossi told CBS that Iran "can have... in a matter of months... a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that."
The IAEA chief also addressed speculation over whether Iran moved its uranium stockpiles before the bombing.
"It's logical to presume that when they announce that they are going to be taking protective measures, this could be part of it," Grossi said.
He noted that while the IAEA had a "perfect view" of centrifuge numbers and material amounts, Iran had failed to provide credible answers about uranium traces found at other mysterious facilities.
Iran 'can have... in a matter of months... a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium', Rafael Grossi said
CBS
And the watchdog may be waiting to find out just how much uranium Iran has.
Tehran reacted to the bombing raids by moving to withdraw from international nuclear oversight, with the Iranian Parliament passing legislation halting cooperation with the IAEA.
And in a further blow to Western hopes of keeping Iran in check, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated the country could reconsider its membership of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which prohibits signatories from developing nuclear weapons.
Iran has consistently maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
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