Tulsi Gabbard says Iran ‘intact but largely degraded’ in Senate testimony
WASHINGTON, DC: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers that Iran remains politically intact despite suffering significant military and strategic losses.
In her opening statement before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard said the intelligence community assesses that the Iranian regime “appears to be intact, but largely degraded” following sustained attacks on its leadership and defense infrastructure.
She noted that Iran’s ability to project conventional military power has been “largely destroyed,” leaving it with limited strategic options.
Gabbard says military capabilities ‘largely destroyed’
Gabbard said Tehran’s overall strategic position has been “significantly degraded,” with key elements of its military apparatus weakened.
The damage, she said, has sharply reduced Iran’s operational reach, particularly in terms of conventional warfare capabilities.
Highlighting the broader impact of international pressure, Gabbard pointed to US-led measures and the “snap-back” of European sanctions as compounding Iran’s economic crisis.
She said the already fragile economy triggered mass protests earlier this year, which were violently suppressed by authorities.
Even if the regime remains in power, she warned, internal tensions are expected to rise further as economic conditions deteriorate.
Gabbard says risk of military rebuild if regime endures
Gabbard cautioned that if a “hostile” regime continues to rule Iran, it is likely to embark on a long-term effort to rebuild its military strength.
This could include restoring missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities over several years, she said.
Before the current conflict, Gabbard noted, Iran had been attempting to recover from damage to its nuclear infrastructure sustained during earlier hostilities.
Questions over Iran's nuclear capabilities
She added that Tehran had refused to comply with its nuclear obligations, with the International Atomic Energy Agency denied access to key facilities.
In her written opening statement submitted to the committee, Tulsi Gabbard said that “as a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated,” adding that there had been no attempts to rebuild it and that entrances to underground facilities had been sealed with cement. However, she did not include that portion in her oral remarks.
During the hearing, Senator Mark Warner pressed her on the omission, asking whether it was linked to the president’s claims of an imminent threat.
Gabbard responded that she had skipped parts of her prepared statement due to time constraints.
Warner, however, suggested that the omitted section contradicted the president’s position.
Gabbard’s testimony comes as she and other senior officials, including John Ratcliffe and Kash Patel, face questions from the Senate Intelligence Committee over the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict and broader global threats.
