"Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon...": US tells Pakistan

By Reena Bhardwaj

Washington DC [US], June 27 : US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the developments taking place in the Middle East, the Spokesperson of the US Department of State said on Thursday (US local time).

According to the State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio emphasised in his call to the Pakistani Prime Minister that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon".

Bruce said, "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif regarding events in the Middle East. Secretary Rubio emphasised Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. The two leaders acknowledged the importance of working together to promote a durable peace between Israel and Iran and maintaining regional stability."

Operation Midnight Hammer by the US targeted three key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan in Iran.

After the strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran, the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, said Operation Midnight Hammer was designed to "severely degrade Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure."

Dan Caine, while holding a press briefing at the Pentagon, had said, "At approximately 6:40 PM EST, 2:10 am Iran time, the lead B-2 two dropped GBU 57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow".

"... On the President's orders, US Central Command, under the command of General Erik Kurilla, executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities... This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure," he had further remarked.

The conflict between Iran and Israel began on June 13 when Israel launched a large-scale airstrike targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities under "Operation Rising Lion".

Iran responded by launching "Operation True Promise 3", a campaign involving missile and drone attacks against Israel's infrastructure.

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