Tulsi Gabbard has stated that Iran may be capable of producing nuclear weapons “within weeks,” a stark contrast to her earlier testimony before Congress in which she asserted that the nation was not engaged in such activities.
The US Director of National Intelligence asserted that her testimony in March, where she indicated Iran possessed materials but was not actively constructing weapons, had been misrepresented by what she termed “dishonest media.”
Following Donald Trump’s assertion that she was “wrong” and his claim that intelligence indicated Iran possessed a “tremendous amount of material” capable of leading to a nuclear weapon “within months,” her shift in stance was noted.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes and asserts that it has never aimed to develop a nuclear weapon.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he was allowing Tehran a “maximum” of two weeks to negotiate a deal regarding its nuclear activities with Washington. The official indicated that a decision regarding the potential involvement of the US in Israel’s military actions against Iran would be made in the near future.
Within Trump’s “America First” movement, a growing divide has emerged regarding whether the United States should engage in the ongoing conflict.
On Saturday morning, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the country is “absolutely ready for a negotiated solution” regarding its nuclear program. However, he emphasized that Iran “cannot go through negotiations with the US when our people are under bombardment.”
In a recent social media post, Gabbard stated that US intelligence indicates Iran is “at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months.”
“President Trump has made it clear that this cannot occur, and I concur,” she stated.
In a recent development, Gabbard released a video showcasing her complete testimony before Congress from March, during which she asserted that US intelligence agencies had determined Iran was not in the process of developing nuclear weapons.
Experts have concluded that Iran has not restarted its halted nuclear weapons program from 2003, as stated in the clip. This assertion comes despite the fact that the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium, a critical element for such weapons, has reached unprecedented levels.
During her testimony, she stated that Iran’s stock was “unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.”
Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recognized as the global nuclear watchdog, raised alarms regarding Iran’s accumulation of enriched uranium. This material has dual applications, serving both as reactor fuel and as a potential component for nuclear weapons.
Trump has previously criticized Gabbard’s March testimony, stating to reporters that he did not “care what she said.”
The President of the United States expressed his belief that Iran was “very close to having a weapon,” asserting that his administration would not permit this situation to unfold.
In 2015, Iran reached a significant long-term agreement regarding its nuclear program with a coalition of global powers, following years of heightened tensions surrounding the nation’s purported attempts to create a nuclear weapon.
In a significant development, Iran was in discussions with the United States regarding its nuclear program earlier this year, with plans for another round of talks. However, these negotiations were interrupted when Israel conducted airstrikes on Iran on June 13, an operation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as targeting “the heart” of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Netanyahu asserted, “If not halted, Iran could manufacture a nuclear weapon in a remarkably brief period.”
Israeli air strikes have targeted and obliterated Iranian military facilities and weaponry, resulting in the deaths of high-ranking military commanders and nuclear scientists.
On Saturday, Iran’s health ministry reported that the death toll had reached at least 430 individuals. In contrast, the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a human rights organization, provided an unofficial count of 657 fatalities as of Friday.
Iran has launched missile and drone strikes in retaliation against Israel, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals, one of whom reportedly suffered a heart attack.
