A former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. has warned that Iran could have an operational nuclear weapon within weeks, raising concerns that Tehran might attempt to make a final push before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
Iran could have an operational nuclear weapon within 'weeks, maybe days,' a former Israel i ambassador to the U.S. said, as Israel closely watches whether Iran could quickly pivot and create a nuclear weapon before next month's change of administration in Washington.
Michael Oren told Newsweek that Iran will be dreading President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House, adding that Tehran wouldn't 'dare' to make the final push toward an operational nuclear weapon once the new administration takes over.Iran says its nuclear development, which had been curbed by now-lapsed restrictions, is peaceful and not intended to make weapons. But Iranian officials have started to publicly float whether Tehran should abandon this track, and analysts say it would not be difficult for Iran to take the final step toward a weaponized nuclear program.Iran has enough highly enriched uranium to make three or four relatively low-yield nuclear bombs, according to expert estimates.Iran may not have decided to make a nuclear weapon yet, but Tehran has certainly done its best to make sure it could do so very rapidly, said William Alberque, a visiting fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center and a former director of NATO's Arms Control, Disarmament and WMD Non-Proliferation Center.There is 'not a lot of time at all' until January 20, when Trump will be inaugurated, said Oren, who was ambassador from 2009 to 2013. But 'it's enough time for them to make a nuclear weapon' if Iran resolves to do so.'This is a point I can't stress enough—that we're in a very perilous period,' he added. 'I don't think they'll dare do this on Trump's watch.'Although Israel has an 'incredible degree' of intelligence insight regarding Iran, Israeli authorities may not know if, or when, Iran makes the decision to move forward with a nuclear weapon, Oren said. Officials and experts stress it is not clear whether Tehran has determined to push through the final stages toward a nuclear weapon
IRANI NUCLEAR PROGRAM TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ISRAEL NUCLEAR WEAPON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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