Hegseth tells Congress ‘indications’ Iran moving toward nuclear weapon
Iran has continued to enrich uranium up to 60% purity, just a step away from weapons-grade, but the US’ top intelligence office concluded earlier this year that it is not building a nuclear weapon.
WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Senate lawmakers on Wednesday that “there have been plenty of indications” Iran has been “moving their way toward something that would look a lot like a nuclear weapon.”
Hegseth made the comment before members of the US Senate Committee on Appropriations during a budget hearing on Wednesday.
The comment came in response to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who pressed Hegseth to say whether Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapon. Both Hegseth and the Pentagon’s top general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, hedged.
The two top defense officials were also non-committal when Graham, a Trump ally and Iran hawk, asked whether they believed Iran would use a nuclear weapon against Israel if it obtained one.
