US Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, delivered a chilling assessment to lawmakers on Wednesday, warning that the Iranian regime has reached the precipice of nuclear breakout.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee and quoted by CNN, Wright stated that Tehran is now "frighteningly close" to possessing the materials necessary for a nuclear arsenal.
According to Wright, the Islamic Republic is only a "small number of weeks away" from enriching one ton of its uranium stockpile to weapons-grade levels. While a separate weaponization process is required to mount a warhead, the Secretary emphasized that the core enrichment phase is nearly complete.
Under questioning from Senator Richard Blumenthal, Wright detailed the extent of Iran's nuclear progress. He noted that while weapons-grade material requires approximately 90% enrichment, Iran’s current stores of 11 tons include significant amounts of uranium enriched to 20% and 60% levels.
“Frighteningly close. They are weeks, a small number of weeks away to enrich that to weapons-grade uranium," Wright told the committee, according to CNN. “There’s still a weaponization process that happens after that, but they’re quite close to constructing nuclear weapons."
The Secretary characterized the high volume of 20% enriched uranium as "very concerning," as it represents a major technical hurdle already cleared by Iranian scientists on the path to a bomb.
The hearing also touched upon the Trump administration's broader objectives as the regional conflict persists. Senator Blumenthal inquired whether the administration's strategy necessitated the targeting or removal of all Iranian uranium stores to effectively halt the threat.
“I think that’s the wise strategy," Wright responded. “Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well. Yes, to have a safe world, we need to end their nuclear program."
President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that he would not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, and repeated this stance on Tuesday before taking off for China.
Speaking to reporters, Trump warned the Islamic Republic it must accept the US terms for a deal to end the war and address its nuclear program.
“They’ll either do the right thing, or we’ll finish the job," Trump said, rejecting the idea that rising prices in the US pushed him to seek an end to the war.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all," the President clarified.
“The most important thing by far is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Every American understands it. If the stock market goes up or down a little bit, the American people understand it."
Trump stressed that the US will “win it one way or the other. We’ll win it peacefully or otherwise. No matter how you cut it, we win."
Commenting on the Iranian response to the US proposal, which he rejected as unacceptable on Sunday, Trump said that Iran agreed that they will never have nuclear weapons “and then that’s not what they sent to me. We don’t play games."
“We have Iran very much under control. We are either gonna make a deal or they will be decimated," he stressed.