Ritchie Torres: Claim Israel Is Fearmongering Because of Past Statements Ignores IAEA Warning on Iran Nukes

On Wednesday’s broadcast of Fox News Radio’s “Guy Benson Show,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) responded to arguments that Israel has warned of Iran being on the threshold of nuclear weapons many times before so they’re wrong now by pointing to warnings on Iranian enrichment increasing from the IAEA.

Host Guy Benson asked, [relevant exchange begins around 5:30] “You mentioned that, according to the Israeli government — and the U.S. government, because CENTCOM put this out as well — but they say that Iran is very close to being able to develop a nuclear weapon. A lot of critics on the left and some on the right say, well, that’s been the scaremongering claim now for many years, and here are all the times that Israeli and American leaders said that Iran was just months away from a nuclear weapon and here we are years later, they still don’t have it. I think that ignores a lot of the steps that were taken to prevent them from getting nuclear weapons. … What do you say to that?”

Torres answered, “Look, the other side’s simply denying the reality staring us in the face. Iran has been enriching uranium to 60%, which has no plausible civilian use. The only explanation is that it’s a progression towards the development of a nuclear weapon. And, keep in mind, according to the IAEA, which is an independent source, the most definitive independent source, Iran has expanded its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium by 50% in the last three months, even in the midst of negotiations with the Trump administration.”

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