In a wide-ranging and unusually candid interview, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff told Fox News that Iran could, in theory, be “about a week away” from enriching uranium to weapons-grade levels.

“They’re probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material. And that’s really dangerous,” he said.

Yet the warning came with major caveats. Iran currently lacks access to much of its enriched material, has no functioning centrifuge network, and no operational weapons program after Israeli and U.S. strikes in June 2025 devastated its nuclear infrastructure, destroyed roughly 20,000 centrifuges, killed leading scientists, and crippled key facilities.

Before those strikes, intelligence assessments suggested Iran was already within days of weaponizing uranium, and just months away from fitting it onto a missile. That narrow margin, Israeli officials feared, left little room for early detection.

Today, U.S. and Israeli estimates place Iran at least two years from a usable nuclear weapon.

“There have been some very hard red lines drawn,” he said, reiterating Donald Trump’s demand for “zero enrichment” in any new agreement.

At the same time, the administration is reportedly considering an Iranian proposal for limited, “token” enrichment, provided it can be strictly verified as civilian.

Witkoff offered a rare glimpse into Trump’s thinking on Iran, describing the president not as angry, but perplexed.

“I don’t want to use the word frustrated,” he said. “It’s curious… why they haven’t capitulated under this sort of pressure.”

He pointed to U.S. naval deployments and growing domestic unrest in Iran, where student-led protests have resurfaced over the weekend, as part of the pressure campaign.

Asked about exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, Witkoff said the opposition figure “cares about his country,” but stressed that Iran’s future would ultimately hinge on American policy, not personalities.

Beyond Iran, Witkoff discussed ambitious plans for Gaza’s postwar recovery, centered on a $17 billion U.S.-backed investment through the newly formed Gaza Board of Peace.

“We’re going to be able to clear and demolish all the areas there and get it ready for a renaissance,” he said. “Today it’s 17 [billion], tomorrow it could be 34.”

The funds, he explained, would focus on housing and transportation, following the October 2025 ceasefire. He described the initiative as “uplifting,” reflecting a broader vision of regional transformation tied to stability in Iran.

Turning to Eastern Europe, Witkoff struck a blunt tone on the war in Ukraine.

“It’s a silly war,” he said, arguing that territorial disputes and “dignity” were prolonging immense human suffering. He expressed guarded optimism that negotiations could eventually bring together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin for a summit, though major hurdles remain.

“They don’t seem like they really want to fight with one another,” he said.

Throughout the interview, Witkoff credited Trump’s personal involvement for recent diplomatic breakthroughs, calling his record “unprecedented” in modern American politics.
“What presidency has ever done this much… in 11 months?” he asked.

He also highlighted Trump’s role in securing the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza, recounting an emotional meeting with families.
“None of them were going to come home without him,” Witkoff said, recalling tears in the president’s eyes.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)