Iran says it has built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment facility, ratcheting up tensions with the U.N. immediately after its atomic watchdog censured Iran for failing to comply with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

The decision comes as officials say they believe that Israel is preparing to launch a military attack on Iran. Tehran condemned the vote.

In an address, the Israeli prime minister said Iran had taken steps to weaponize enriched uranium and was on the cusp of developing a nuclear weapon.

Gabbard, who recently visited Hiroshima, Japan, reflected on the devastation and "haunting sadness" caused by the atomic bomb dropped during World War II in a post on Tuesday. In the video, she warned that political elite and warmongers are fomenting fear and tension, pushing us closer to "the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before."

A video Tulsi Gabbard posted on her social-media account highlights the tension between her personal beliefs and her official role.

Iran’s nuclear program remains a top focus for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency, particularly as any possible deal between Tehran and the United States over the program would likely rely on the agency long known as the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.

The decision, a major reversal, could help poorer nations industrialize, cut planet-warming emissions and boost U.S. competitiveness on next-generation reactors.

Spending on nuclear weapons by the world's nine nuclear-armed nations rose by 11% in 2024, a report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said on Friday.