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Iran’s top leader has cast doubt on the possibility of reaching a new nuclear agreement with the United States.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, Iran has continuously maintained that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only, a claim Western intelligence agencies say is bullshit. For civilian purposes, a country would need to enrich uranium to around 3–5% purity for nuclear power generation, and up to 20% for medical and research applications. However, Iran is enriching uranium at 60% purity, a level that has no credible civilian justification and leaves the country just a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% enrichment. Western intelligence agencies have suggested that it’s intentionally shortening its “breakout time” to a bomb, and there’s more concern due to Iran’s secret network of undisclosed or hardened enrichment sites, some deeply buried under mountains. These facilities present challenges to the US, as they make any possible military strikes more difficult.
What’s going on now: Amid turbulent talks with the US over their nuclear program, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized the United States’ approach to ongoing talks, saying that it will likely not lead to a deal. Speaking on Iranian state television, Khamenei dismissed the prospect of a deal, stating, “We don’t think it will lead to any outcome. We don’t know what will happen.” He also condemned the US demand that Iran completely halt uranium enrichment, calling it “nonsense” and “outrageous.” He added, “Saying they will not allow Iran to enrich is a big mistake. No one is waiting for this or that party’s permission.”
Khamenei also criticized President Trump, labeling him a “disgrace” and accusing him of lying about American intentions in the region. He said, “Trump said he wants to use power for peace; he lied. When have they ever used power to create peace?” He accused the US of destabilizing the Middle East and exploiting Gulf nations through military dominance, stating that the American presence in the region is a “failed model of hegemony.”
This all comes as Iranian military officials have intensified their rhetoric and readiness amid Khamenei’s comments. Major-General Mohammad Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, touted that Iran is ready for any military scenario, boasting that the country has seen an increase in radar, detection, and monitoring systems over the past year. “Our interception and destruction capabilities for aerial threats have tripled,” Baqeri said during an air defense meeting, stressing that Iran’s airspace is under “constant surveillance.”
This buildup coincides with the deployment of US military assets to the region, including on the island of Diego Garcia, which is a strategic location that puts the US military in striking distance of Iran.
