BBC Information
Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg by way of Getty PhotographsTulsi Gabbard says Iran may produce nuclear weapons “inside weeks”, months after she testified earlier than Congress that the nation was not constructing them.
The US Director of Nationwide Intelligence stated her March testimony – by which she stated Iran had a inventory of supplies however was not constructing these weapons – had been taken out of context by “dishonest media”.
Her change of place got here after Donald Trump stated she was “fallacious” and that intelligence confirmed Iran had a “super quantity of fabric” and will have a nuclear weapon “inside months”.
Iran has all the time stated that its nuclear programme is fully peaceable and that it has by no means sought to develop a nuclear weapon.
On Thursday Trump stated he was giving Tehran the “most” of two weeks to succeed in a deal on its nuclear actions with Washington. He stated he would quickly determine whether or not the US ought to be a part of Israel’s strikes on Iran.
Disagreement has been constructing inside Trump’s “America First” motion over whether or not the US ought to enter the battle.
On Saturday morning, Iran’s International Minister Abbas Araghchi stated his nation was “completely prepared for a negotiated resolution” on their nuclear programme however that Iran “can not undergo negotiations with the US when our individuals are underneath bombardment”.
In her publish on social media, Gabbard stated US intelligence confirmed Iran is “on the level that it could produce a nuclear weapon inside weeks to months”.
“President Trump has been clear that may’t occur, and I agree,” she added.
Gabbard shared a video of her full testimony earlier than Congress in March, the place she stated US intelligence businesses had concluded Iran was not constructing nuclear weapons.
Consultants additionally decided Iran had not resumed its suspended 2003 nuclear weapons programme, she added within the clip, even because the nation’s stockpile of enriched uranium – a element of such weapons – was at an all-time excessive.
In her testimony, she stated Iran’s inventory was “unprecedented for a state with out nuclear weapons”.
Earlier this month, the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) – the worldwide nuclear watchdog – expressed concern about Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, which can be utilized to make reactor gas but additionally nuclear weapons.
Gabbard’s March testimony has been beforehand criticised by Trump, who earlier instructed reporters he didn’t “care what she stated”.
The US president stated he believes Iran have been “very near having a weapon” and his nation wouldn’t enable that to occur.
In 2015, Iran agreed a long-term deal on its nuclear programme with a gaggle of world powers after years of stress over the nation’s alleged efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran had been participating in talks with the US this 12 months over its nuclear programme and was scheduled to carry an extra spherical when Israel launched strikes on Iran on 13 June, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated focused “the guts” of Iran’s nuclear programme.
“If not stopped, Iran may produce a nuclear weapon in a really brief time,” Netanyahu claimed.
Israeli air strikes have destroyed Iranian army amenities and weapons, and killed senior army commanders and nuclear scientists.
Iran’s well being ministry stated on Saturday that not less than 430 folks had been killed, whereas a human rights group, the Human Rights Activists Information Company, put the unofficial loss of life toll at 657 on Friday.
Iran has retaliated with missile and drone strikes towards Israel, killing 25 folks together with one who suffered a coronary heart assault.
