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The Hague, Netherlands - President Donald Trump insisted Wednesday that US strikes led to the "total obliteration" of Iran's nuclear capabilities and set the country's atomic program back "decades," despite contrary evidence.

President Donald Trump lashed out at reports casting serious doubt on his claims that the US "completely destroyed" Iran's nuclear program. © REUTERS

Over a 12-day conflict, Israel pounded Iranian nuclear and military sites while Iran launched waves of missiles in response to the unprovoked assault.

The US joined the fray, hitting two nuclear facilities with massive bunker-buster bombs over the weekend, while a guided missile from a submarine struck a third.

But leaked US intelligence cast doubt on the damage caused by American strikes, saying they had set back Tehran's nuclear program – which it insists is not pursuing military objectives – by just a few months.

"They're not going to be building bombs for a long time," said Trump, who is attending a NATO summit in the Netherlands. He added that the strikes had set back the program by "decades" and that the Iran-Israel ceasefire that he declared was going "very well."

Earlier, Israel's military said it was "still early" to assess the damage caused to Iran's nuclear program.

But US media on Tuesdaycited people familiar with the Defense Intelligence Agency report as saying the American strikes did not fully eliminate Iran's centrifuges or enriched uranium stockpiles.

The strikes reportedly sealed off entrances to some facilities without destroying underground buildings.

Trump angrily lashed out at those reports, singling out the New York Times and CNN in an all-caps post on Truth Social complaining about "an attempt to demean the one of the most successful military strikes in history."

Iran mulls ending cooperation with International Atomic Energy US strikes on Iran's nuclear facility in Fordow caused limited damaged, according to media reports. © via REUTERS

Israel – an undeclared nuclear power which is has refused to sign non-proliferation treaties – justified its brutal bombing campaign by saying it was meant to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.

Meanwhile, Iranian lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of suspending cooperation with the UN' nuclear watchdog, according to state TV.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency, which refused to even marginally condemn the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, put its international credibility up for auction," parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

The decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday his country was willing to return to negotiations over its nuclear program, but that it would continue to "assert its legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy.

In an interview with the Al Araby Al Jadeed news outlet, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities would have "serious and profound repercussions" on the country's future.

He said Iran remained committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty but that it had failed "to protect us or our nuclear program," adding that Iran's approach towards the non-proliferation regime "will undergo changes," without elaborating.

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