India, June 17 -- US President Donald Trump has stated that Iran was "very close" to acquiring a nuclear bomb, contrary to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's assessment.

The United States intelligence community "continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003," Gabbard stated in late March.

On Tuesday, Trump declared, "I do not care what she said," in response to reporters' questions regarding his spy chief's stance.

In reference to nuclear weapons, the President emphasized, "I think they [Iran] were very close to having them."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hindusta...