US Intelligence: Iran Could Produce Enough Fissile Material for a Bomb within a Year
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, shared the intelligence community's assessment of the Iranian nuclear program
Ami Rojkes Dombe
| 08/03/2018
By Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61357920
In a statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Daniel Coats revealed that the US believes that Iran could have enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon in one year. Tehran, on the other hand, claims it could produce highly enriched uranium within two days.
"Iran’s implementation of the JCPOA has extended the amount of time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon from a few months to about one year, provided Iran continues to adhere to the deal’s major provisions," the statement reads.
According to the DNI, "The JCPOA has also enhanced the transparency of Iran’s nuclear activities, mainly by fostering improved access to Iranian nuclear facilities for the IAEA and its investigative authorities under the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement."
"Iran’s ballistic missile programs give it the potential to hold targets at risk across the region, and Tehran already has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Tehran’s desire to deter the United States might drive it to field an ICBM. Progress on Iran’s space program, such as the launch of the Simorgh SLV in July 2017, could shorten a pathway to an ICBM because space launch vehicles use similar technologies," the statement adds.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, shared the intelligence community's assessment of the Iranian nuclear program
By Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61357920
In a statement before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Daniel Coats revealed that the US believes that Iran could have enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon in one year. Tehran, on the other hand, claims it could produce highly enriched uranium within two days.
"Iran’s implementation of the JCPOA has extended the amount of time Iran would need to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon from a few months to about one year, provided Iran continues to adhere to the deal’s major provisions," the statement reads.
According to the DNI, "The JCPOA has also enhanced the transparency of Iran’s nuclear activities, mainly by fostering improved access to Iranian nuclear facilities for the IAEA and its investigative authorities under the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement."
"Iran’s ballistic missile programs give it the potential to hold targets at risk across the region, and Tehran already has the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Tehran’s desire to deter the United States might drive it to field an ICBM. Progress on Iran’s space program, such as the launch of the Simorgh SLV in July 2017, could shorten a pathway to an ICBM because space launch vehicles use similar technologies," the statement adds.
