On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “AC360,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) stated that Iran is “naked” to American and Israeli air power and so “they can’t do anything. They can’t clear that rubble away. They can’t try to reconstruct metalization plants without Israel or the United States just mowing the lawn again.” And that while Iran could have moved enriched uranium, “60% doesn’t mean weapons-grade 90%. It also doesn’t mean that it’s weaponizable. And there’s still a long way to go for Iran to get to that capability.”
Auchincloss stated, “There [are] two dimensions that matter here: There’s the capabilities and there’s the intention. Both before and after that briefing, I believe that Iran’s capabilities are significantly degraded, not just their capability to enrich uranium, but also their capability to weaponize that uranium. And, perhaps most importantly, their aerial defense capabilities, because, for so long as they are naked in front of Israel[i] and American air power, they can’t do anything. They can’t clear that rubble away. They can’t try to reconstruct metalization plants without Israel or the United States just mowing the lawn again. The more uncertain question is about their intention. And here is where coercive diplomacy is going to be critical.”
He further stated, “I’m not sure the White House believes that all that enriched uranium is buried underground. I think it’s pretty well understood that some of that enriched uranium could be moved. But, remember, 60% doesn’t mean weapons-grade 90%. It also doesn’t mean that it’s weaponizable. And there’s still a long way to go for Iran to get to that capability. As I said, much of that infrastructure has been destroyed.”
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