Let’s Look at a News Story

Today while reading the news I came across an article that clearly illustrates anti Israeli bias. The article is about Netanyahu’s claim that Iran would have developed a nuclear weapon and used it on Israel were it not for the two recent bombing campaigns. The article goes on to say There is no public evidence for that assessment, which runs counter to those of the U.N. nuclear watchdog and U.S. intelligence agencies.

FACT FOCUS: Netanyahu’s claims about Iran’s nuclear program run counter to public evidence, John Gambrell AP News

Comparing what Netanyahu says to the current US intelligence agencies, in other words placing trust in US intelligence assessments, is asinine. It assumes that US agencies are telling the truth.

The part of the statement above referring to U.N. nuclear watchdog agencies is completely false.

On 31 May 2025 the International Atomic Energy Administration published a report on it’s monitoring program used to keep tabs on Iranian nuclear programs. The first points of the IAEA report.

  • Iran can convert its current stock of 60 percent enriched uranium into 233 kg of WGU in three weeks at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), enough for 9 nuclear weapons, taken as 25 kg of weapon-grade uranium (WGU) per weapon.
  • Iran could produce its first quantity of 25 kg of WGU in Fordow in as little as two to three days
  • Breaking out in both Fordow and the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), the two facilities together could produce enough WGU for 11 nuclear weapons in the first month, enough for 15 nuclear weapons by the end of the second month, 19 by the end of the third month, 21 by the end of the fourth month, and 22 by the end of the fifth month
  • In front of the inspectors’ eyes, Iran is undertaking the near-final step of breaking out, now converting its 20 percent stock of enriched uranium into 60 percent enriched uranium at a greatly expanded rate, although this rate cannot be sustained much longer
  • Iran has no civilian use or justification for its production of 60 percent enriched uranium, particularly at the level of hundreds of kilograms. Its rush to make much more, quickly depleting its stock of near 20 percent enriched uranium, which has a civilian use in research reactors, raises more questions. Even if one believed the production of 60 percent is to create bargaining leverage in a nuclear negotiation, Iran has gone way beyond what would be needed. One has to conclude that Iran’s real intent is to be prepared to produce large quantities of WGU as quickly as possible, in as few centrifuges as possible.

Source; Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — May 2025 Institute for Science and International Security

It is the Israeli response this report that kicked off the missile and drone war with Iran in June of 2025. It is interesting to note that Donald Trump first used the bunker buster bomb on the Fordow site and two others on 22 June 2025. Exactly three weeks after the IAEA report (see first point in list above). It is feasible that Iran already possesses up to nine nuclear weapons. These are weapons that only weigh 25kg, something one could carry in a backpack.

The real highlight of this story is the disagreement between the IAEA assessment and that of the US intelligence agencies. In the following article Tulsi Gabbard states Iran was not enriching uranium; directly contradicting the IAEA report.

US intel chief Gabbard says Iran was not rebuilding enrichment prior to war al-Jazeera

Tulsi Gabbard’s assessment of anything pertaining to the Middle East is suspect however.

  • The Tulsi Gabbard Bashar al-Assad Controversy Explained Newsweek
  • Tulsi Gabbard’s Secret Meeting with Syrian Dictator Exposed New Republic
  • 7 Times Tulsi Gabbard Went To Bat In Congress For Now-Deposed Syrian Dictator Bashar Assad Huffington Post

The AP article shows that Mr Gambrell is at best a mediocre journalist who does not do his research. At worst the article is pure propaganda.

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