Iran has yet to formally decide to pursue the construction of a nuclear weapon, but intelligence sources believe such a move could follow swiftly if the United States were to strike the Fordow uranium enrichment facility or eliminate Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a report from The New York Times published Thursday.
While the article references anonymous American intelligence officials suggesting Iran is not currently aiming to build a bomb, this view is not shared by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. According to CBS News, Ratcliffe has privately cautioned that Iran is on the verge of possessing nuclear weapons capability and is not merely debating it. “Claiming Iran isn’t close to a bomb,” he reportedly said, “would be similar to saying football players who have fought their way to the 1-yard line don’t want to score a touchdown.”
The Trump administration stated Thursday that Iran could finalize a nuclear weapon in “a couple of weeks,” underscoring how little time remains should Tehran choose to move forward.
That same two-week period is also the window during which President Donald Trump is weighing whether to authorize a military strike on the Fordow facility, located near Qom and buried about 300 feet underground. Israel lacks the kind of deep-penetration bombs required to destroy a site fortified to that extent.
The Times report also contradicts Israel’s assessment, which prompted it to initiate an offensive a week ago, based on information suggesting Iran had already enriched sufficient uranium for nine nuclear devices.
“All they had to do was weaponize them. We stopped that by attacking their nuclear scientists,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
Israel’s actions have continued beyond that initial strike.
“We control the skies over Tehran. We are striking with tremendous force at the Ayatollah regime. We are hitting the nuclear program, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of power,” Netanyahu declared in a video message on Wednesday.
{Matzav.com}
That rag is so useless I can’t even wrap a herring in it
And if they aren’t attacked? Oh then they will stop being animals and funding all the terror against Israel? Really
Let’s stop pretending there’s any good options with Iran
They have been stirring the pot for 40 years and whatever they do there’s always an excuse and we always get intimidated. It’s time to put them out of our misery.
The NY Times has no credibility!
This article is made up of absolutely but hot air.