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World
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright says Iran is only weeks from being able to produce weapons-grade uranium, calling the situation “frighteningly close.”
The United States has warned that Iran stands just weeks away from the capability to produce uranium enriched to a level suitable for a nuclear weapon. Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the timeline as “frighteningly close” during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
Wright told lawmakers that Tehran holds a substantial stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. That level, he explained, places the country technically very close to the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear device. The official stressed that the enrichment process from 60 to 90 percent is far quicker than the numerical difference might suggest.
The American official stated that Iran possesses approximately 1,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60 percent. US special envoy Steve Witkoff has previously indicated that this quantity could be sufficient to produce 11 nuclear bombs if enrichment levels were raised further. Wright also noted an additional 11 tons of lower-enriched uranium, which has deepened concern within Washington.
President Donald Trump has previously declared that the United States will secure Iran’s nuclear stockpile “one way or another.” He has emphasized that the ultimate objective is to end Iran’s nuclear program and prevent any future enrichment activities.
