Trump Accuses Iran of Making ‘Nuclear Threats’ Over Enrichment

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, commenting on ongoing US warnings about the Iranian civilian nuclear program, announced that Iran will enrich uranium to “any amount that we want.” Iran is currently only enriching to 3.67%, and it’s not clear what higher levels they are even considering. In the past, they did small amounts of enrichment to higher levels for a medical research reactor.

President Trump referred to this as a “nuclear threat” in his own comments, which threatened Iran, saying such moves would “come back to bite you like nobody has been bitten before!“

Trump’s comments are really just the daily threats against Iran, coming just a day after accusing Iran of “playing with fire” over their ongoing enrichment at the current level.

In practice there isn’t none of this is a serious risk for nuclear proliferation. Iran has never attempted to enrich above the level of such civilian uses, and would have no conceivable reason to do so.

In reality, Rouhani’s comments are likely intended to push Europe to come through with the sanctions relief that are promised by the nuclear deal. Trump, on the other hand, is still trying to undermine the nuclear deal, and wants to present everything Iran does as a threat.