The US Department of Defense is acknowledging Tehran’s nuclear leap because previously the process would have taken at least a year, but now Iran can produce enough fissile materials in less than two weeks.
Iran can produce a nuclear bomb “in about 12 days,” US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said, according to Reuters.
He cited this as the main reason why the Biden administration sought to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“Because Iran’s nuclear progress since we withdrew from the JCPOA has been effective. Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to withdraw from the JCPOA, it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce fissile material for one bomb. Now it took about 12 days,” Kahl said.
He also expressed hope that the issue could be resolved through diplomacy and the restrictions on their nuclear program could be restored.
“If you could solve this issue through diplomacy and return restrictions on their nuclear program, it would be better than other options. But right now the JCPOA is in a frozen state,” the deputy minister said.
Recall that on February 19, International observers in Iran discovered uranium enriched to a level slightly below that required for the creation of nuclear weapons. Now IAEA staff are trying to find out how Iranian specialists were able to accumulate uranium enriched to 84% purity, only 6% below the level needed to craft the weapon.
By the way, on February 27, it became known that Moscow is helping Tehran develop its missile program, receiving weapons in exchange for a full-scale war with Ukraine.
Earlier it was reported that in 2022 Iran did not allow IAEA inspectors to investigate uranium enrichment activities. In this regard, the US and EU countries supported the demand of the Board of Governors of the organization to immediately begin cooperation between Tehran and the IAEA.
