Top US officials warn Iran nearing nuclear weapons capability

14/05/2026

Top US officials warn Iran nearing nuclear weapons capability

WASHINGTON, May 14: Senior US officials intensified warnings over Iran’s nuclear program on Wednesday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling Tehran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon an “irreconcilable” issue for Washington and its allies. In an interview with Fox News, Rubio said Iran’s clerical leadership seeks nuclear arms and stressed that “the world, led by President Trump, says that can’t happen.”

Republican Senator John Kennedy also warned that Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it obtained one, describing Tehran as an immediate and dangerous threat. Speaking to Fox News, Kennedy said Iran’s uranium enrichment to 60% placed it only a short step away from weapons-grade capability, adding that a completed warhead could be mounted on missiles and used against other countries.

Meanwhile, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told lawmakers that Iran was “frighteningly close” to constructing nuclear weapons and only weeks away from enriching enough uranium to weapons-grade levels. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Wright said Iran’s stockpiles of 60% and 20% enriched uranium were “very concerning” and argued that ending Tehran’s nuclear enrichment program was necessary “to have a safe world.”