Trump Claims Iran Was Two Weeks Away from a Nuclear Bomb
"If we didn't do what we're doing right now, you would have had a nuclear war," the President stated, asserting that Tehran could have achieved its goal within just two weeks had "Operation Epic Fury" not been launched on February 28. Trump further escalated his rhetoric by warning that any future Iranian leaders would be targeted for assassination if the country’s political system does not undergo a fundamental transformation.
These claims come as the joint U.S.-Israeli operation has shifted focus toward Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. On March 2, combined forces struck the Natanz Nuclear Facility in Esfahan Province, marking the first direct hit on a nuclear site in the current conflict. Satellite imagery confirmed significant damage to buildings at the entrance of Natanz’s underground Fuel Enrichment Plant. While the Trump administration maintains that these strikes are a "defensive necessity" to prevent an imminent nuclear breakout, critics and some arms control experts have questioned the "two-week" timeline, suggesting that weaponization—the process of turning enriched uranium into a deliverable warhead—historically takes much longer than the enrichment phase alone.
The IAEA’s Stance and Technical Reality
-
No Evidence of a Bomb: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi addressed the situation on March 4, clarifying that the agency has "no evidence of a structured, systematic program to build a nuclear weapon" in Iran. He described the timelines being discussed as "subjective."
-
Near-Weapons-Grade Uranium: Despite the lack of a "bomb," Grossi expressed grave concern over Iran’s massive stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity. Technically, this material can be refined to 90% (weapons-grade) very quickly, which is likely the basis for the "breakout time" concerns cited by the White House.
-
Lack of Access: The IAEA remains in a difficult position as Tehran continues to deny inspectors full access to several key sites, making it impossible for the agency to provide a definitive guarantee that the program is exclusively peaceful.
As of Thursday, March 5, the conflict continues to broaden, with U.S. and Israeli forces targeting Iranian decision-making centers in Tehran, including the Presidential Office and the Supreme National Security Council. While the U.S. insists the goal is to degrade military and nuclear potential rather than forced regime change, the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the early days of the war has already plunged the Iranian leadership into a state of total disarray.
