A senior Iranian lawmaker warned Tuesday that Tehran could consider enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels if the United States or Israel attacks Iran again, sharply raising the stakes around an already fragile ceasefire.
The warning came from Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran’s parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission. According to The Guardian, Rezaei said one option after another attack could be enriching uranium to 90 percent purity, a level generally described as weapons grade. Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful.
Why the 90 Percent Warning Matters
The immediate concern is escalation. The Guardian reported that Iran has not handed over more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent, already a short technical step from weapons-grade enrichment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war is not over while Iran still holds highly enriched uranium and while enrichment sites remain intact.
Rezaei’s comments do not mean Iran has begun enriching to 90 percent. They do, however, put a new nuclear threat into the center of a ceasefire dispute that was already close to breaking down.
Trump Says The Ceasefire Is On “Massive Life Support”
The latest warning followed President Donald Trump’s rejection of Iran’s counterproposal to end the war. BBC News reported that Trump called the month-old ceasefire “unbelievably weak” and said it was on “massive life support” after reading Tehran’s offer.
Iran’s proposal reportedly called for an immediate end to the war on all fronts, a halt to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, guarantees against further attacks, compensation for war damage, and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump dismissed the offer as “totally unacceptable.”
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf responded that Iran’s armed forces were ready to answer any aggression, according to the BBC.
Hormuz Remains The Pressure Point
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the crisis. Normally, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the waterway. Iran’s restrictions there, combined with the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, have kept energy markets on edge.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described Tehran’s proposal as “generous” and accused Washington of making “unreasonable” demands. Al Jazeera also reported that oil prices rose as the diplomatic deadlock continued.
What Happens Next
The next flashpoint is whether the U.S. restarts naval escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz, a move Trump has said he is considering. The Guardian reported that Britain and France are also preparing talks with defense ministers on restoring safe navigation through the strait.
For now, the ceasefire technically remains in place. But the political language on both sides has hardened, and Iran’s new 90 percent enrichment warning turns a stalled peace effort into a direct nuclear escalation risk.
This is a developing story.