ISTANBUL
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, claimed on Tuesday that Iran has “an unlimited capacity” to enrich uranium, describing efforts to stop it “almost impossible.”
Speaking on Fox News, Witkoff addressed the recent US and Israeli strikes against Iran.
He said that during negotiations, Iranian officials argued they had an “inalienable right” to enrich their nuclear fuel, while the US maintained that it had an equally “inalienable right” to prevent them from doing so.
Witkoff stated that the US had offered to supply Iran with nuclear fuel for 10 years on the condition that Tehran halt enrichment during that period, but the proposal was rejected.
He suggested this refusal indicates that Iran’s enrichment efforts are aimed at weaponization.
He further alleged that Iran possesses around 10,000 kilograms of fissile material, including approximately 460 kilograms enriched to 60 percent purity and about 1,000 kilograms enriched to 20 percent purity.
According to Witkoff, uranium enriched to 60 percent could be raised to weapons-grade (90 percent) within about a week to 10 days, while material enriched to 20 percent could reach weapons-grade levels within three to four weeks.
“They produce their own centrifuges to enrich this material,” Witkoff said, adding: “Stopping them is nearly impossible. They have an unlimited resource."