US Energy Secretary Warns Iran ‘Frighteningly Close’ to Weapons-Grade Uranium
“They are a small number of weeks away to enrich that to weapons-grade uranium. There’s still a weaponization process that happens after that, but they’re quite close,” Wright told lawmakers.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Chris Wright, United States Secretary of Energy, warned on Wednesday that Iran is “frighteningly close” to developing weapons-grade enriched uranium, raising fresh concerns amid ongoing efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Wright said Tehran is only weeks away from enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels, although he stressed that additional steps would still be required to produce a nuclear weapon.
“They are a small number of weeks away to enrich that to weapons-grade uranium. There’s still a weaponization process that happens after that, but they’re quite close,” Wright told lawmakers.
He explained that Iran already possesses uranium enriched to 60%, a level far beyond civilian energy needs and much closer to the 90% enrichment generally considered weapons-grade.
“They have some 20% enriched uranium, and that’s several more weeks behind the 60%,” Wright said. “It’s a long process to get it to weapons-grade. But when you’re at 60%, you are, although the numbers don’t sound that way, way closer to 90% of the way there for the enrichment necessary for weapons-grade uranium.”
“It’s very concerning,” he added.
The remarks come as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent renewed fighting following months of escalating conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump said the current ceasefire remains on “massive life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest counterproposal during negotiations aimed at ending the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
Trump described Iran’s response document as a “piece of garbage” but insisted he remains “100% confident” that Tehran will eventually agree to halt uranium enrichment and transfer its enriched uranium stockpile to the United States.
The dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities has remained at the center of regional tensions for years, with Western powers and Israel accusing Tehran of seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear arms, insisting its nuclear program is intended for peaceful civilian purposes.