A predictable outcome drew an even more predictable defense from Secretary of State Antony Blinken as he revealed how close Iran was to producing material for a nuclear weapon and who to blame.
(Video: US State Department)
At every turn, President Joe Biden's big foreign policy talk has proven not only laughable, but dangerous to the lives of Americans. Now, after the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has claimed the lives of 13 service members, in addition to deadly drone strikes and several wars have been waged despite “deterrents,” Blinken said Friday that the 'Iran was “a week or two” away from producing fissile material.
Speaking from the Aspen Security Forum during a fireside chat hosted by NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, the secretary had been commenting on the recent election of Masoud Pezeshkian to be president of Iran when she recalled, “Every time that I interviewed you as secretary, I asked you the same question: Is it still the policy of the United States that Iran should not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon?
“It's decidedly,” he offered as she continued, “which is what you always answer. And then I always ask, So how are you going to stop them? How are you going to stop them?”
It was then that Blinken admitted to some extent that the Biden administration had already missed the mark in trying to fully deter a nuclear Iran.
“Well, there is, by far, the preferred way to do that would be through diplomacy. Where we are now is not in a good place. Iran, because the nuclear deal was rejected,” he said, blaming moves made under former President Donald Trump, “instead of being at least a year away from having the ability to produce fissile material for a nuclear weapon, it's now probably a week or two away from doing that. Now, no have they developed any weapons…
“Just a week or two, that's what…” Kelly tried as Blinken continued to downplay the threat. “A week or two is probably what the realistic breakup time is. They are, they haven't produced any weapons themselves, but that's of course something that we monitor very, very carefully. And you put these two things together: the fissile material and the explosive device, and you have a nuclear weapon.”
Earlier in the week, Iran's acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri, had told CNN that his nation was committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the JCPOA. Iran, which had begun under then-President Barack Obama.
“We are still members of the JCPOA, America has not yet been able to return to the JCPOA, so the goal we are pursuing is the reactivation of the 2015 agreement,” he remarked. “We are not looking for a new deal.”
Before the admission, the head of the State Department had stated: “As you know, when this administration came in, we tried to go back to nuclear diplomacy with Iran, because if you can at least take one issue off the board, which is Iran potentially with a nuclear weapon, that's inherently a good thing.”
“We had, as you know, an agreement reached during the Obama administration that actually put Iran's nuclear program in a box. And one of the biggest mistakes we've made in recent years was scrapping that agreement and allow Iran to break out of the box we put it in,” Blinken argued. “So we were testing the proposition as to whether we could at least recreate something that looked like this . . .”
Of course, few on social media were willing to let the secretary get away with shifting blame for Hamas-backed Islamists and Hezbollah terror being on the brink of nuclear capabilities after the current administration denied the asset fungibility after unfreezing billions in assets for Iran in addition to the pallets of cash sent there during the Obama administration.
Among those denouncing the latest development, syndicated radio host Mark Levin took to Friday X and claimed: “Iran is getting a nuke under the Biden regime as I predicted, and Blinken is blaming Trump as I predicted. The Biden regime not only appeased Iran, but also financed Iran. Biden and Blinken are the worst ever!”
Iran is getting a nuke under the Biden regime, just as I predicted, and Blinken blames Trump just as I predicted. The Biden regime not only appeased Iran, it funded Iran. Biden and Blinken are the worst ever!
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 19, 2024
I am confident that the Biden administration will be successful in finding who could be responsible for allowing this to happen
— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) July 19, 2024
Maybe Biden should unfreeze another $6 BILLION just in case they run into a problem.
— SaltyGoat (@SaltyGoat17) July 19, 2024
We are not falling for the “war with Iran” nonsense.
— Chief Trumpster (@ChiefTrumpster) July 19, 2024
People should be investigated for treason for this…
— Mark Sullivan (@Sullie870125) July 19, 2024
I've been told that cash pallets work wonders, especially when delivered at night
— Deplorable Petr (@PragueArtist) July 19, 2024
I miss old times.
— Reddit Lies (@reddit_lies) July 19, 2024
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