Tulsi Gabbard has raised alarms regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities, asserting that the country could potentially produce nuclear weapons “within weeks”. This statement comes on the heels of her earlier congressional testimony where she indicated that while Iran possessed materials for nuclear weapons, they were not actively building them. The US Director of National Intelligence has noted that her previous testimony was misrepresented by “dishonest media”.
Shifting Perspectives and Political Tensions
Gabbard’s about-face follows comments from former President Donald Trump, who stated she was “wrong” regarding Iran’s nuclear status. He referenced intelligence suggesting that Iran has accumulated a “tremendous amount of material” and could develop a nuclear weapon in a matter of months. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes and that it has never aimed to develop nuclear weapons.
On Thursday, Trump announced that he was granting Iran a maximum of two weeks to negotiate a deal concerning its nuclear activities with the United States. He indicated that he would soon make a decision regarding US involvement in any potential military strikes on Iran. A rift has emerged within Trump’s “America First” movement concerning the extent of US involvement in this escalating conflict.
Iran’s Stance and International Concerns
In a recent statement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed the country’s readiness for a negotiated settlement regarding its nuclear program, yet emphasized that negotiations could not proceed while Iranian citizens were under attack.
Gabbard highlighted in a social media post that US intelligence confirms Iran is “at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months”. She affirmed, “President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.”
Despite her previous remarks in March, where she noted that US intelligence agencies had concluded Iran was not building nuclear weapons, Gabbard now faces scrutiny for her contradictory positions. In her earlier testimony, she pointed out that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons, raising alarm among experts.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recently voiced concern over Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, a crucial element for both reactor fuel and nuclear weapons. Trump’s criticism of Gabbard’s March testimony has been pointed, with him stating he doesn’t “care what she said” while asserting that Iran is “very close to having a weapon” and that the US would not permit such developments.
In a historical context, Iran had previously agreed to a long-term nuclear deal with a coalition of world powers in 2015 after prolonged disputes regarding its nuclear ambitions. Ongoing discussions between Iran and the US regarding its nuclear program were set to continue earlier this year; however, these talks were interrupted by Israeli air strikes on June 13, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed targeted Iran’s nuclear heart.
Netanyahu warned that if left unchecked, Iran could quickly develop a nuclear weapon. Recent Israeli military actions have led to the destruction of Iranian military facilities and have resulted in numerous casualties among Iranian military personnel and nuclear scientists, according to reports. As of Saturday, Iran’s health ministry reported at least 430 deaths, while an NGO suggested the number could be as high as 657.
In response, Iran has conducted missile and drone strikes against Israel, resulting in further casualties, including one individual who suffered a heart attack during the attacks.