Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly raised concerns Monday about Iran’s nuclear ambitions while arguing that the country was not enriching uranium at weapons-grade levels.
During a discussion about U.S. policy toward Iran on “Anderson Cooper 360,” Kelly pointed to Trump’s 2018 decision to exit the deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama. The senator argued that the agreement limited Iran’s uranium enrichment at the time and suggested that abandoning it contributed to the current tensions.
“In 2018, when Donald Trump was in the White House, he tore up the Iran nuclear deal,” Kelly said. “They were not enriching uranium to the point where they could develop a nuclear weapon. But Donald Trump didn’t like it because it was something his predecessor put in place. And he tore it up.”
The Arizona senator said, however, that Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain a serious concern.
“And that‘s how we got to where we are today. I believe that we‘ve got to make sure that they do not get a nuclear weapon,” Kelly said.
In 2023, it was reported that Iran had enriched uranium to 60% purity, far above the 3.67% cap set under the 2015 nuclear deal and well beyond what is typically needed for civilian energy use. The international inspectors even detected uranium particles enriched to 84%, just below weapons-grade levels. The report added that 60% enriched uranium is sufficient to produce a nuclear weapon in large quantities, while 90% is considered weapons-grade.
Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal faced heavy criticism because it included “sunset provisions” that would lift restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program after roughly 10 to 15 years, potentially allowing Tehran to expand its nuclear capabilities later without penalties. Those concerns were among the reasons Trump decided to withdraw from the agreement in 2018, arguing the deal failed to address Iran’s ballistic missile program and other regional activities while only temporarily restricting its nuclear development.
Iran has continued enriching uranium at levels that exceed typical civilian energy requirements while resisting binding caps that would permanently restrict its nuclear program. U.S. officials targeted Iran’s uranium enrichment infrastructure and “weaponized uranium enrichment capabilities” during military operations aimed at degrading the country’s nuclear program.
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