Iran's Nuclear Program: "Down But Not Out" with Amy McAuliffe

Four and a half months into the Iran war, what's actually left of Iran's nuclear program — and what would it take to keep it that way?

In this episode of Intel at the Edge, host Chip Usher sits down with Amy McAuliffe, who recently retired from the CIA as the Assistant Director for Weapons and Counter Proliferation. Amy also served as Chairman of the National Intelligence Council and Assistant Director of CIA for the Near East.

Amy breaks down:

· Why she describes Iran's program as "down but not out" after the June 2025 and 2026 strikes on Natanz and Fordow

· The uncertainty around Iran's 60%-enriched uranium stockpile and where it may be located

· The impact of losing key nuclear scientists — and how much technical knowledge Iran has actually retained

· How the death of Supreme Leader Khamenei and the rise of new IRGC leadership could shift Iran's calculus toward weaponization

· What a credible future nuclear deal would need to include, from enrichment caps to IAEA verification

· Whether a purely military solution can ever fully resolve the nuclear question

· Her advice for young people considering a career in the U.S. intelligence community

Intel at the Edge Podcast is a product of the Special Competitive Studies Project.