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If Iran’s stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent is not removed from the Islamic Republic, the entire latest war will be considered “one big failure,” a senior Israeli military officer told The Times of Israel on May 1.
While there is a general belief that 90 percent enriched uranium is strictly needed to manufacture a nuclear weapon, the International Atomic Energy Agency actually considers highly enriched uranium, which is defined as uranium enriched to 20 percent or greater, as a “direct use” material, meaning it “can be used for the manufacture of nuclear explosive devices without transmutation or further enrichment.”
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, but Israeli officials claim that the Islamic Republic’s stockpile is sufficient for at least 11 nuclear bombs.
The senior officer stressed that if, as part of negotiations between the United States and Iran, no agreement is reached to remove the uranium stockpile and halt enrichment in the country, the achievements in the 40 days of fighting will have been for nothing.
“If the nuclear objective is not achieved, then everything we did in Iran will be one big failure. The evil Iranian regime can pounce on the nuclear program,” he said.
The officer added that “if the uranium is removed from Iran through diplomatic means, we have done our part,” noting that if that does not happen, Israel would need to launch another operation in Iran to achieve the objective.
The remarks were published right after the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that the Islamic Republic sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the U.S. to Pakistani mediators.
Iran’s supreme leader definitely vowed earlier in the week to protect the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
“Ninety million proud and honorable Iranians inside and outside the country regard all of Iran’s identity-based, spiritual, human, scientific, industrial and technological capacities — from nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities — as national assets, and will protect them just as they protect the country’s waters, land and airspace,” Khamenei said in a message released on April 30.
Recent reports also revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on new plans for potential military action against Iran, including dispatching special forces to snag Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile. It is unclear if Israel would take part in such a daring mission.
All in all, the remarks by the senior Israeli officer are another sign that an agreement with Iran is not near in any way. A return to war seems way more likely.
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yep, they keep crying about anti semetism while bombing women and children to dust!!! always plying the victom card, however, genocide to them is acceptable(the amalek) until it happens to them, then its crimes against humanty…
they are the best at raping women and children and bombing them from airplanes (when they have none to defend themselves)… i can’t wait for your “raid on entebbe” moment this time around, that will be on steroids against a nation that is 125 times your size and 10 times your population. hope your conscription is going better than what is happening to you in lebanon…
no problem if i can swallow some persian jizz