The Institute for Science and International Security has estimated that Iran may be able to produce the enriched uranium needed to build a nuclear bomb within 70 days.
The institute has based its findings on an analysis of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s new report on Iran’s activities over the past three months.
Former UN nuclear inspector David Albright, after studying the agency’s report, believes that Iran could produce the 90 percent uranium necessary to produce a bomb in less than two and a half months after reaching the breakout time.
According to Albright, Iran could also produce materials for a second bomb in the fifth month and a third one in the seventh month.
David Albright said in his assessment that if the fire breakout and power outages had not taken place in Natanz, the initial two-and-a-half months would have been reduced to about 40 days.
Speaking to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was no clear indication that Iran was committed to returning to compliance with the nuclear deal.
“We’ve been engaged in indirect conversations, as you know, for the last couple of months, and it remains unclear whether Iran is willing and prepared to do what it needs to do to come back into compliance,” he said.
Blinken also said that the breakout time for Iran to assemble a nuclear bomb could be reduced to just weeks if Tehran keeps violating the terms of the original 2015 accord.
The US and Iran began indirect talks in Vienna in April to see if both could resume compliance with the JCPOA.
The fifth round of talks ended on June 2 and diplomats have said a sixth may begin on Thursday. That would leave only eight days to rescue the deal before Iran’s presidential election on June 18, which is expected to bring in new a hard-line leader.
Source: Voice of America
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