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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-rejects-gabbard-s-nuclear-intel--says--i-don-t-care">english.almayadeen.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">Trump rejects Gabbard\u2019s nuclear Intel, says 'I don\u2019t care'</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">June 17, 2025</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>Trump
claims Iran was "very close" to building a nuclear weapon, dismissing
Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence reports that Tehran halted its program
in 2003.</p><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
<a href="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/6/17/b89b9295-19fa-4f66-9e3e-87ab929dd1ee.jpg?width=1000" tabindex="0"><img src="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/6/17/b89b9295-19fa-4f66-9e3e-87ab929dd1ee.jpg?width=1000&preset=w700" alt="US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada (AP)" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img"></a>
US President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit,
June 16, 2025, in Kananaskis, Canada (AP)
</li></div></ul>
<p>US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran was \u201cvery close\u201d to
acquiring a nuclear weapon, directly contradicting official assessments
from the US intelligence community and US Director of National
Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. </p>
<p>During an exchange with a <em>CNN </em>reporter on Tuesday, Trump was
asked how close he believed Iran had been to obtaining a nuclear
weapon. The question came in light of testimony from Gabbard earlier
this year, in which she cited the intelligence community\u2019s continued
assessment that Iran was <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-denounces-western-pressure-on-iaea--vows-response-to-re" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not pursuing nuclear weapons</a>.</p>
<p>\u201cThe IC continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear
weapon,\u201d Gabbard said during her March testimony. \u201cSupreme Leader
Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he
suspended in 2003.\u201d</p>
<p>Trump, however, dismissed those findings outright. \u201cI don\u2019t care what she said,\u201d he replied. \u201cI think they were <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-reaffirms-right-to-peaceful-nuclear-program--vows-not-t" target="_blank" rel="noopener">very close to having one</a>.\u201d</p>
<h2>Iran not ready to offer new concessions</h2>
<p>According to a report by<span> </span><em>The Wall Street Journal</em>,
Arab mediators have conveyed that Iran shows no indication of being
prepared to offer new concessions should nuclear negotiations with the
United States resume.</p>
<p>Citing unnamed regional officials involved in backchannel diplomacy,
the report highlights growing concerns that Tehran is instead signaling a
readiness to escalate both its<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/aeoi-affirms-peaceful-nuclear-development-despite-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear activities</a><span> </span>and regional conflict if talks remain stalled.</p>
<p>Arab officials reportedly told the<span> </span><em>WSJ</em><span> </span>that
Iran had warned of accelerating its nuclear program and expanding its
confrontation against the Israeli occupation if diplomatic prospects
with Washington fail to materialize.</p>
<p>The European trio, Germany, France, and Britain (E3), largely focused their statements on condemning Iran and<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/macron-backs--israel-s-right-to-defend-itself--in-call-with">upholding "Israel's" right to self-defense</a>.
Although the strikes originated from "Israel", the E3 refrained from
criticizing the offensive, instead stressing the need for de-escalation
and renewed diplomacy.</p>
<h2>Iran pursuing peaceful ambitions</h2>
<p>In a message on its official X account on Sunday, the Atomic Energy
Organization of Iran (AEOI) reaffirmed its commitment to advancing
peaceful nuclear technology, vowing that recent attacks would not deter
the nation's scientific progress.</p>
<p>"Iran stands strong," the post declared, signaling resilience in the
face of mounting external pressure and threats, emphasizing that Iran\u2019s
nuclear program remains firmly rooted in peaceful development, stating:
"With reliance on the efforts of the nuclear scientists of the homeland,
we will continue the path of developing peaceful nuclear technology for
the Iranian people with strength."</p>
<p>The<span> </span><a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/aeoi-slams-iaea-s-silence-despite-israeli-aggression-on-nucl">AEOI also dismissed recent hostile actions by adversaries</a>,
asserting that such aggression would not break the nation\u2019s resolve:
"The desperate attacks of the enemies cannot rival the will of this
nation."</p>
<p>Despite international scrutiny, Iran maintains that its nuclear
program is fully in line with its commitments under the
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and is solely intended for civilian
purposes.</p></div></div></div>
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