File photo: Iran will never have nuclear weapon, says US Secretary of State Rubio
“If you don’t want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60% enriched fuel?
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Iran will never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon under US president Donald Trump , as Washington pushes Tehran to make a substantial reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity as part of any deal to end the war. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, simple, period and end of story,” Rubio said at a joint press briefing with Greek foreign minister Giorgos Gerapetritis in Athens. Rubio’s comments came a day after US Vice President JD Vance said Washington would not accept assurances from Tehran without concrete action on its nuclear programme. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Vance said Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its enrichment capacity for the US to agree to an end to the seven-month war. Vance said. He said Tehran had amassed large stocks of ballistic missiles and drones capable of retaliating against countries that attempted to strike its nuclear facilities. Rubio said the Trump administration had significantly weakened those capabilities. “He destroyed their drone programme, their drone manufacturing capability,” Rubio said, referring to Trump. “They will never have a nuclear weapon, period, not as long as president Trump is in office,” he said.
The secretary of state also accused Iran of building up its conventional military capabilities to protect its nuclear programme from foreign attack.