Iran weeks away from acquiring materials for first nuclear weapon, Israeli defense minister says

Iran weeks away from acquiring materials for first nuclear weapon, Israeli defense minister says

FOX news -May 17th 2022

While the U.S. and Iran have so far failed to agree on terms for a new nuclear agreement, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that the Islamic nation is just weeks away from having the necessary materials for a nuclear weapon.

Gantz tweeted the claim in Hebrew when posting about remarks he delivered at Israel‘s Reichman University. The Jerusalem Post reported on the speech, relaying that Iran currently produces uranium at an enrichment level of 20% while already having 60 kilograms of 60% enriched material. Uranium enriched at a 90% level is needed for a weapon.

“Iran continues to accumulate irreversible knowledge and experience in the development, research, production and operation of advanced centrifuges,” Gantz said during his address, stating that Iran is working on 1,000 new advanced centrifuges, including at an underground facility near Natanz.

Gantz also said that Iran has been keeping inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency from accessing their systems.

Gantz said a “multidimensional” international response is needed to prevent all out war with Iran.

Today, the prices for tackling the Iranian challenge on the global and regional levels are higher than they were a year ago and lower than they will be within a year,” Gantz said.

The defense minister noted that Iran has been making a number of other improvements to their military capabilities, “including cruise missiles, surface-to-surface missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that have a range of thousands of kilometers.”

A nuclear Iran could pose an existential threat to Israel as Iran’s leadership has threatened to destroy the Jewish state.

Meanwhile. the Biden administration has been trying to enter into a new nuclear deal with Tehran, years after then-President Donald Trump withdrew from the international Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that critics said did not do enough to prevent an Iranian nuclear weapon in the long term or properly address their ballistic missile program.

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