US Energy Secretary Chris Wright stressed that he considers even 20%-enriched uranium "very concerning," given the size of Iran's stockpile.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright informed lawmakers that Iran is “frighteningly close” to developing nuclear weapons during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, CNN reported on Wednesday.
“They are weeks, a small number of weeks away to enrich that to weapons-grade uranium,” Wright asserted, referring to Iran's current uranium stockpile. “There’s still a weaponization process that happens after that, but they’re quite close to constructing nuclear weapons.”
According to Wright, Iran retains a uranium stockpile enriched as high as 60%, with CNN noting that weapons-grade uranium must be enriched to approximately 90%.
Wright stressed that he considers even 20%-enriched uranium "very concerning," given the size of Iran's stockpile.
According to CNN, several officials from US President Donald Trump's administration have used Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, reportedly at least 11 tons, as the justification for the Iran war, with Trump himself demanding that Iran give up the uranium as part of any potential peace deal.
Wright: 'Wise' to pursue entire stockpile
Wright told lawmakers that pursuing all of Iran's enriched uranium is a "wise strategy" for putting an end to the country's nuclear enrichment program.
“Ultimately, the goal is to prevent future enrichment of uranium as well," said Wright. "Yes, to have a safe world, we need to end their nuclear program.”
