Trending Now - U.N. Officials Warn Iran's Nuclear Program Remains Resilient

WHO:

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated that "a lot has survived" of Iran's nuclear capabilities.

Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence, testified that U.S. attacks on Iran last year had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the killing of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib on March 18, 2026, calling it “a cowardly assassination.”

The new supreme leader of Iran is Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

President Donald Trump, Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and various Iranian military and political officials.

WHAT:

Grossi emphasized that military operations alone cannot destroy Iran's nuclear program, stating, "This program is a very vast program."

Gabbard noted that there had been "no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability" following the strikes.

The Iranian regime has launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel and U.S. military targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Oil prices jumped more than 6% to nearly $110 a barrel following the airstrikes on Iranian energy sites.

The Iranian regime reported that at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in Iran since the start of the war on February 28, 2026.

Esmail Khatib was killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 18, 2026. The airstrike targeted critical Iranian energy infrastructure, including facilities linked to the South Pars natural gas field and the Asaluyeh processing hub. The IDF reported that the strikes damaged up to one-fifth of Iran’s gas processing capacity. Iran has launched missile barrages at Israel, resulting in civilian casualties, including two deaths in Ramat Gan on March 18, 2026. The Iranian regime has claimed to have conducted 61 waves of strikes against U.S. allies in the region.

WHERE:

The IAEA has not been able to access some sites during the conflict, relying on imagery to assess conditions.

The Iranian missile attack on March 18, 2026, killed two civilians in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, and caused damage to Tel Aviv’s Savidor Central railway station.

The airstrike occurred in Iran, specifically targeting facilities in Bushehr Province. The missile strikes from Iran targeted locations in Israel, including Ramat Gan and Tel Aviv. The Strait of Hormuz is also mentioned as a critical maritime corridor affected by the conflict.

WHEN:

Gabbard's testimony occurred during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on March 18, 2026.

The Iranian missile strikes occurred between March 17 and March 18, 2026.

The airstrike that killed Esmail Khatib occurred on March 18, 2026. The U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on February 28, 2026. The Iranian missile strikes on Israel occurred between March 17 and March 18, 2026.

WHY:

Grossi stated that the extensive nature of Iran's nuclear program underscores the need for diplomacy to address the issue after military operations.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated on March 18, 2026, that the country would draft a new Strait of Hormuz protocol aligned with regional and Iranian interests to ensure safe passage through the strait after the conflict.

The U.S. and Israel are conducting military operations against Iran to prevent the regime from obtaining nuclear weapons and to respond to perceived threats from Iran. President Trump has stated that the Iranian regime poses an imminent threat, which has motivated military action.

HOW:

Gabbard mentioned that the entrances to the underground facilities that were bombed have been buried and shuttered with cement.

The U.S. Central Command reported that 13 U.S. service members have been killed and eight severely injured since the war began on February 28, 2026.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted airstrikes using precision munitions to target Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. Iran retaliated with missile strikes, including the use of ballistic missiles armed with cluster munitions. The U.S. has also targeted Iranian naval capabilities and energy infrastructure as part of its military strategy.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 21:09 UTC)

In a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on March 18, Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, testified that U.S. attacks on Iran last year had “obliterated” the country's nuclear program, although she noted that there have been no efforts to rebuild their enrichment capabilities since then. Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated that "a lot has survived" of Iran's nuclear capabilities, emphasizing that military operations alone cannot fully destroy such a vast program. Grossi also highlighted the challenges faced by the IAEA in accessing some sites during the conflict, relying instead on imagery to assess the situation, while Gabbard pointed out that the entrances to the bombed underground facilities have been buried and sealed with cement.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 11:12 UTC)

In a significant escalation of conflict, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib on March 18, calling it “a cowardly assassination,” while announcing Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader. Following a barrage of drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and U.S. military bases across the region, oil prices surged over 6% to nearly $110 a barrel, and the Iranian regime reported over 1,400 deaths since the war began on February 28. Tragically, the missile attacks on March 18 resulted in the deaths of two civilians in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv, and inflicted damage on the Savidor Central railway station.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 07:17 UTC)

In a significant escalation of tensions, Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 18, 2026, which targeted critical energy infrastructure in Iran's Bushehr Province. The Israeli Defense Forces reported that the strikes damaged up to one-fifth of Iran’s gas processing capacity, prompting Iran to launch missile barrages at Israel, resulting in civilian casualties, including two deaths in Ramat Gan. The Iranian regime claims to have conducted 61 waves of strikes against U.S. allies in the region, as the conflict intensifies. This military action is part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. and Israel to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and to address perceived threats from the Iranian regime. The U.S. has also targeted Iranian naval capabilities and energy infrastructure as part of its strategy in this escalating conflict.