Behnam Taleblu, senior program director for Iran at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Islamic Republic’s ability to build nuclear weapons depends on the fate of stocks of enriched uranium after the 2025 attacks. According to him, if Tehran has secret stockpiles, it would be technically possible to advance the weapons program, though he personally does not believe such stockpiles exist.

Taleblu emphasized that a naval blockade and a maximum pressure policy are Trump’s most important tools against the Islamic Republic. He believes that intensifying economic and political pressure, alongside maintaining military readiness, is currently a priority over starting a new war. He also said that part of the recent threats by the United States and Israel was influenced by the countries’ electoral considerations.