• Kamal Kharrazi is a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
• He says Iran has been able to enrich uranium up to 60%, far above limit set by world powers.
• And it can easily produce 90% enriched uranium, he says, referring to the percentage suitable for a bomb.

A top official boasted that Iran has the ability to create nuclear weapons; but has not yet decided whether to do so.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s top advisor Kamal Kharrazi issued the warning on Sunday; one day after President Biden concluded his Middle East tour; and pledged to prevent Iran from “acquiring a nuclear weapon.”

According to the Tehran Times, he stated that “Iran is on the nuclear threshold; and this is not anything hidden.”

Kharrazi asserted, “Iran has the technological capability to develop a nuclear weapon; but there has been no determination by Iran to build one.

According to Kharrazi, Iran has already easily “been able to enrich uranium up to 60%;” which is much more than the 3.67 percent limit set by Tehran’s nuclear agreement with international powers in 2015.

And we can easily generate 90% enriched uranium; which is the proportion needed for a nuclear weapon, he added.

Former foreign minister Kharrazi’s remarks were a rare indication that Iran could be interested in developing nuclear weapons; something it has long denied doing.

[embedpost slug=”iran-nuclear-talks-to-resume-in-days-eus-borrell”]

After President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the nuclear agreement in 2018; Tehran began to flout the terms of the agreement, including the requirement; that it limit its uranium enrichment activities.

Iran maintains that it is solely processing uranium for non-military purposes; and that any violations of the international accord can be corrected if the United States relaxes; its sanctions and rejoins the pact.

Nuclear weapons manufacture is prohibited by Khamenei, and Kharrazi underlined that they go against the country’s “beliefs”; but said that the potential to produce them serves as a “deterrent.”

He also mentioned Israel’s threats to attack Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations fail to rein in Tehran’s nuclear aspirations. Iran does not recognise Israel.

[embedpost slug=”usa-iran-nuclear-deal-halts-again”]