Jul 12, 2026
An Al Jazeera explainer cites MIT's Ted Postol arguing Iran could refine its 440 kilograms of 60 percent enriched uranium to weapons-grade in four to five weeks, while a Juan Cole interview with nuclear physicist Mehran Mostafavi contends Iran abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 1992 and never had a substantive one.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ongoing war with Iran is the 'last best chance' to avoid a nuclear Islamic regime in interviews with Al Jazeera and others, while President Donald Trump issued nuclear threats against Iran and the administration indicated US objectives could be achieved within weeks.