During a House of Representatives hearing on Tuesdya, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl stated that Iran could now produce enough fissile material for one nuclear bomb in about 12 days, which is a significant decrease from the estimated one year it would have taken while the 2015 Iran nuclear deal was in effect.

Kahl explained that Iran’s nuclear progress since the US left the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has been “remarkable,” and it is better to resolve this issue diplomatically by putting constraints back on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Back in 2018, when the previous administration decided to leave the JCPOA, it would have taken Iran about 12 months to produce one bomb’s worth of fissile material. Now it would take about 12 days,” Kahl, who is the third highest ranked Defense Department official, said.

“And so I think there is still the view that if you could resolve this issue diplomatically and put constraints back on their nuclear program, it is better than the other options. But right now, the JCPOA is on ice,” he added.

US officials have estimated Iran’s breakout time to acquire fissile material for a bomb at weeks, but they do not believe Iran has mastered the technology to build one.

The 2015 JCPOA had reined in Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions, which was abandoned by former President Donald Trump in 2018. The Biden administration attempted but failed to revive the pact in the past two years.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)