Senior US intelligence officials have told lawmakers that Iran’s governing system remains in place but has been significantly weakened by recent military strikes, offering the first public assessment since the conflict escalated. During a congressional hearing, Tulsi Gabbard said the Iranian regime was “intact” but “largely degraded” following attacks on its leadership and military infrastructure. Leadership under pressureHer remarks came as she appeared alongside senior figures including John Ratcliffe and heads of other intelligence agencies to outline global threats facing the United States. Gabbard noted that damage inflicted during recent strikes had weakened Iran’s operational capacity, particularly in its military and command structures. However, she indicated that the core governing system continues to function. The hearing marked the first time US intelligence leaders have publicly addressed the situation since the war began in late February. Dispute over ‘imminent threat’The session also highlighted divisions within the US government over whether Iran posed an immediate danger prior to the conflict. Gabbard declined to directly answer questions from Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff about whether she had assessed Iran as an imminent threat before the strikes. Instead, she said that determination ultimately rests with the president. Her position contrasted with comments from Joe Kent, who resigned a day earlier. In his resignation letter, Kent stated that Iran had not presented an imminent threat to the United States and criticised the decision to go to war. Ratcliffe disagreed with that assessment, telling lawmakers that Iran had long posed a danger and represented an immediate threat at the time of the strikes. Nuclear programme and military damageGabbard said US and Israeli operations had “largely destroyed” Iran’s military capabilities and inflicted serious damage on its nuclear infrastructure. She added that intelligence agencies believe Iran is attempting to recover from that damage but continues to fall short of its international nuclear obligations. In prepared remarks, she had initially described Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme as “obliterated,” though she did not include that wording in her spoken testimony. When questioned by Senator Mark Warner, Gabbard said time constraints led her to shorten her statement. Strait of Hormuz concernsOfficials also confirmed that US intelligence had long anticipated the risk of Iran targeting the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. Gabbard said the intelligence community had assessed that Iran would likely attempt to disrupt traffic through the waterway in the event of conflict. She added that the Pentagon had taken precautionary steps based on those assessments. Ratcliffe told lawmakers that the president receives regular intelligence briefings and that military planners had prepared for potential attacks on US-linked energy infrastructure across the region. Ongoing scrutinyLawmakers from both parties used the hearing to question the intelligence basis for the war and the extent to which officials were involved in decision-making. Senator Angus King asked whether intelligence leaders were present when final decisions were taken, though Ratcliffe said he could not point to a single defining moment. The hearing comes amid continuing debate in Washington over the justification for the conflict and its wider implications, as well as concerns about escalating tensions in the region. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 19 March 2026
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