Iranian Regime Described as ‘Stable but Weak’ by US Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard
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A senior official leading the United States intelligence community stated that the Iranian regime is “stable” but has become “very weak.”
During a congressional hearing, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and other senior officials from the Trump administration provided assessments on threats worldwide. This hearing took place on Wednesday.
This marked the first time since the war that began late last month that US officials publicly shared intelligence details. Prior to the hearing, the head of US counterterrorism agencies resigned, stating there was currently “no imminent threat” from Iran.
Gabbard said that the US had already anticipated potential problems in the Strait of Hormuz. She oversees the coordination of US intelligence operations.
“The intelligence community has concluded that Iran’s regime is stable, but due to fractures in its leadership and military power, it is extremely weak,” she explained.
Gabbard appeared alongside the heads of the CIA, FBI, National Security Agency, and Defense Intelligence during the congressional hearing.
Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff repeatedly asked Gabbard if she currently considers Iran a threat to the United States. However, she declined to answer the question.
“The only person who can decide whether it is a threat at this moment is the President,” she said.
Since the war began, members of both the Republican and Democratic parties, along with analysts, have questioned why the US attacked Iran and whether the Trump administration was aware in advance of possible problems in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump claimed that the attack was justified because Iran had developed nuclear weapons that posed a threat to both the US and Israel.
What Threat Does Iran Pose?
Jo Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center who resigned on Tuesday, asserted that the Trump administration entered the war under pressure from Israel and its powerful US lobby.
In a statement on social media platform X, Kent said there was no immediate threat from Iran to the US at this time.
At Wednesday’s hearing, CIA Director John Ratcliffe rejected this view, stating,
“In my opinion, Iran has long been a consistent threat to the United States and remains a threat today.”
Gabbard noted that Iran suffered “severe damage” to its military capabilities due to US and Israeli attacks.
She said, “During the 12-day conflict, Iran’s nuclear infrastructure sustained serious damage, and although Iran attempted to recover, it has refused to accept nuclear accountability.”
The US and Israel launched a 12-day offensive against Iran’s nuclear capabilities in June 2025.
Contradictions?
In a written statement prepared for the hearing, Gabbard had mentioned that the attacks caused significant disruption to Iran’s nuclear program and that Iran had not made reconstruction efforts, but she did not read this portion during her presentation.
When Democratic Senator Mark Warner asked, Gabbard explained that because the statement was lengthy, she chose to summarize parts of it.
Warner queried, “So did you omit passages that contradict the President’s argument?” referring to Trump’s rationale that military action was necessary because Iran developed nuclear weapons.
Lawmakers also questioned the involvement of intelligence officials in Trump’s decision to attack Iran. Independent Senator Angus King asked if intelligence officials were present when Trump made the final decision.
Ratcliffe stated he attended many meetings with the President but was not aware of any decisions made collectively in the room.
King asked whether intelligence officials had informed Trump about the possibility of Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz post-conflict.
Following the war, Iran has targeted the narrow waterways, disrupting oil exports.
Ratcliffe confirmed, “The President is continuously provided with intelligence updates.” He added that because Iran could strike US energy facilities in the region, the Pentagon has strengthened security measures.
Gabbard stated that intelligence agencies had already predicted Iran’s intent to control the Strait of Hormuz and that, based on this, the US Department of Defense has taken preemptive security precautions.
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