Blinken claims that Iran is close to ‘nuclear breakout’
Date
7/21/2024 7:01:24 AM
(MENAFN) United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has issued a stark warning that Iran may soon be capable of producing a nuclear weapon, potentially within weeks or even days. This alarming assessment comes in the wake of Tehran significantly increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels. Blinken's remarks, made during the Aspen Security Forum on Friday, reflect concerns that the timeline for Iran to achieve nuclear breakout capacity has drastically shortened since the United States's unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.
Blinken criticized former President Donald Trump’s decision to exit the agreement, stating that it has dramatically accelerated Iran’s progress towards producing fissile material necessary for nuclear weapons. He indicated that, whereas Iran was previously estimated to be at least a year away from such capability, it is now believed to be just one or two weeks away from potentially achieving this milestone. Despite these developments, Blinken emphasized that Iran has not yet produced an actual nuclear weapon, but this remains a closely monitored concern.
The Secretary of State also highlighted that Iran could demonstrate its commitment to nuclear diplomacy by scaling back its atomic program activities. In the meantime, the United States continues to apply increased sanctions pressure on Tehran, aiming to influence its actions and resume negotiations.
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