Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee: The Islamic Republic May Become Nuclear by the End of 2024

The Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee in the United States stated in a television interview that the Biden administration has confirmed that the Islamic Republic of Iran attempted and plotted to assassinate Donald Trump, which requires a response from the Biden administration. Mike Turner, a Republican representative from Ohio, warned that the Islamic Republic may declare itself a nuclear-armed state by the end of this year. He referred to the arrest of a 46-year-old Pakistani man who has wives in both Pakistan and Iran, and U.S. officials said he was in contact with the Islamic Republic and intended to hire a 'killer' to assassinate Donald Trump, the former president and candidate for the 2024 elections. This senior Republican member of Congress added that killing a U.S. presidential candidate by a foreign power is considered by most national security experts as 'an act of war,' and there has definitely been an 'attempt' to assassinate a candidate. Turner made these remarks during a CBS television program on Sunday in response to a question about the Islamic Republic's efforts to interfere in the November 5, 2024, presidential election in the United States. He stated that Microsoft has reported that Trump's campaign headquarters was 'hacked,' and the Biden administration has also indicated that the Iranian government is behind this and the deliberate dissemination of misinformation, suggesting that there has been no 'response from the government' to the Islamic Republic's efforts in this regard. Three U.S. security agencies announced in a joint statement on Monday that the Iranian government has attempted to infiltrate both Donald Trump's campaign and that of his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Turner, considering the reported assassination attempt on Trump and the efforts to influence the upcoming U.S. elections, called for a response from the Biden administration, stating that it seems there is no 'red line' drawn for the Iranian government. In response to the host's question about whether he considers the arrest of the Pakistani national a reaction, he said, 'This is not a law enforcement issue. This is a state actor that the [Biden] administration has recognized as the executor of the plot to assassinate Donald Trump and is spreading misinformation in the elections, including hacking. This requires a government response.' Mike Turner stated that the Biden administration has not taken any action to hold the Islamic Republic accountable for these matters or to take deterrent measures. He added that the Islamic Republic knows Trump is against it, and Trump 'knows that a stronger America means a safer world.' The CBS host played a clip of Donald Trump's recent remarks, in which he said he wants to have a 'friendly' approach to Iran, but 'they cannot have nuclear weapons,' and then asked Turner, 'I am sure you will criticize Democrats who say they want to treat Iran friendly. What is your analysis of Trump's mixed messages?' Turner responded that he does not see it as mixed messages and that identifying the strengths of an enemy does not equate to weakness. In fact, Donald Trump exerted more pressure on the Iranian government than any administration in U.S. history, whether economically, militarily, or in terms of sanctions. This senior U.S. lawmaker warned that the Islamic Republic may declare itself a nuclear-armed state by the end of this year, stating that such a thing would not have happened under the Trump administration's maximum pressure campaign. Mike Turner added that the Islamic Republic has had 'flexibility and freedom' under the Biden administration to interfere in elections, plot to assassinate Donald Trump, and continue uranium enrichment for military purposes. These statements come as the Biden administration has repeatedly stated that it will never allow the Islamic Republic to acquire nuclear weapons.