During a visit to Athens on Thursday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant claimed that Iran already has the capability to produce up to five nuclear bombs. The minister warned that Tehran would not stop at just one nuclear weapon, and that such a development would have serious ramifications for the entire Middle East.
“Make no mistake: a single nuclear bomb will not satisfy Iran.” “Iran has gained material enriched to 20% and 60% for five nuclear bombs so far,” Gallant told his Greek counterpart, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, according to the Times of Israel.
He did, however, point out that uranium must be refined to at least 90% purity in order to be used in a nuclear weapon. “Iranian progress, and enrichment to 90%, would be a grave mistake on Iran’s part, and could ignite the region,” said the defence minister.
In March, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley projected that Tehran would be able to create enough nuclear material for a weapon within weeks. However, the US general admitted that the Islamic Republic would need “several months” to turn it into a bomb.
Washington, according to Milley, “remains committed as a matter of policy that Iran will not have a fielded nuclear weapon.” In West Jerusalem, senior Israeli officials questioned if the US would allow Iran’s “nuclear weapons programme” as long as no nuclear bomb was installed on a missile or other delivery mechanism.
The US general corrected his previous comments by omitting the word “fielded.” Tehran has frequently denied seeking a nuclear weapon, claiming that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.
It has continued to gradually increase the level of uranium enrichment above the limitations stipulated by the 2015 agreement with world powers. Iran started doing so after then-US President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled out of the accord in 2018.
Attempts to resurrect the agreement under US President Joe Biden have so far proven futile. Tehran is said to have rejected Washington’s latest attempt to reach an agreement that would limit Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for a pause on sanctions.
Tensions have recently risen between Tehran and West Jerusalem. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi warned in mid-April that any military move by Israel would “lead to the destruction of Haifa and Tel Aviv.”
Gallant stated on Thursday that “Iran supports, finances, trains, and equips terror groups across the Middle East and around the world,” and that it is “sponsoring” assaults against Israel from Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria.
