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US intelligence believes Iran still undecided on building nuclear bomb: report
US intelligence agencies continue to assess that Iran has not yet decided to build a nuclear weapon, despite possessing enough enriched uranium to do so – according to senior officials cited by the New York Times.
This assessment remains unchanged since March, even as 'Israel' steps up attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
Senior officials caution that Iran may pivot toward bomb production if provoked by military action against key sites like Fordo or in the event of the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The debate over Iran's nuclear intentions has reignited amid pressure from hawkish voices in the US and 'Israel'.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly told the White House that Iran is nearing the technical threshold for a weapon. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt echoed this, saying Iran needs only a political decision to begin building a bomb, which could take as little as two weeks.
Some US officials cite 'Israeli' intelligence, particularly Mossad's estimate that Iran is just 15 days away from producing a bomb.
However, others within the American intelligence community challenge that timeline, maintaining that Iran would likely need several months to a year to complete a functional weapon
Officials also note that no new intelligence has been collected, only new interpretations of existing data – said the NYT report.
Iran's current uranium stockpile, enriched to 60%, must reach 90% purity to become weapons-grade.
Beyond that, Iran would need to assemble and potentially miniaturize a bomb for missile deployment.
While Iran has the technical capacity to build such a device, US officials say there's no clear evidence it has begun doing so.
Some experts believe Iran could opt for a simpler, less advanced bomb akin to the Hiroshima-era design, which would not require missile capability.
Despite these assessments, concerns persist. General Michael E. Kurilla told Congress that Iran could produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one bomb in a week, and enough for 10 bombs within three weeks.
Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard has warned that Iran's uranium stockpile is at an unprecedented level for a non-nuclear state.
