Nuclear site bombings may be a military win but a diplomatic loss, as Iran\u2019s hostility towards US and Israel is unlikely to end, experts say.<\/b>
\nPresident Donald Trump claimed victory after US forces attacked three key nuclear sites in Iran last weekend, but the operation might not translate into diplomatic gains \u2013 at least for now, observers said.
They noted that whether the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran would hold remained uncertain, while Trump\u2019s unpredictable rhetoric and actions were making it increasingly difficult for foreign governments, including China, to trust the United States.
\u201cIn the short-run it appeared to be a gain for Trump, as the attacks dealt a significant blow to Iran\u2019s nuclear programme, but in the long term this could also make Iran determined that the only path is to pursue nuclear weapons; otherwise it would continue to be oppressed by the US and Israel,\u201d said Wu Xinbo, director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.
Iran\u2019s hostility with the US and Israel was unlikely to end, he added.
\u201cWhether it is the conflict with Israel or the tensions with the US, none of these issues have been resolved \u2026 so in the short term, it may be a gain, but in the long run, it could turn into pain for the US.\u201d
CNN, citing a preliminary classified US intelligence assessment, reported on Wednesday that the US military strikes did not destroy the core components of Iran\u2019s nuclear programme but \u201clikely only set it back by months\u201d.<\/p>\n