US President Donald Trump said he will wait up to two weeks before deciding whether to join Israel’s military strikes on Iran. He explained that there’s still a strong chance of diplomatic talks, and he doesn’t want to act before seeing how that plays out.
The announcement followed rising speculation about whether the US would get directly involved. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement from Trump saying, “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations… I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”
The US says Iran could build a nuclear weapon in just a couple of weeks, if its leadership chooses to do so. Leavitt told reporters that Iran already has the material and technology. All that’s left is a green light from the country’s supreme leader.
One of the biggest concerns is Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility. It’s buried deep underground and is used to enrich uranium. Reports from international inspectors say Iran is producing uranium at 60% purity, which is just short of weapons-grade. Analysts warn that Iran’s stockpile could quickly be converted into bomb material.
Only the US has the ability to carry out a strike that could seriously damage Fordow. The site is located 80 to 90 meters underground. A strike would likely cause a radiation leak, but the impact would be limited to a 2–5 km area.
Fordow is not a nuclear reactor, so a full-scale nuclear meltdown like Chernobyl is unlikely.
This comes shortly after Iran attacked the Arak heavy water reactor. The site was empty at the time, and officials confirmed there was little radiation risk. Arak is about 155 miles southwest of Tehran and uses heavy water to cool nuclear reactors. It also produces plutonium, another possible path to a nuclear weapon.
Under a 2015 nuclear deal, Iran had agreed to redesign the Arak reactor to limit its ability to make bomb material.
Trump’s decision in the coming weeks could determine whether this crisis turns into a broader conflict—or a return to talks.
Also read: Iran’s Fattah-1 vs Israel’s Iron Dome: Who wins?
