Iran is not currently taking the crucial steps required to develop a nuclear weapon, according to a US government report published last month.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence published the information in a document made public last month entitled Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022.
The document states that its purpose is to “[examine] Iran’s efforts and advancements in its nuclear enrichment program and information related to potential weaponization and delivery systems.”
According to the report, since Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in 2020, Iran has sped up the growth of its nuclear program. The Persian nation had claimed, as a rationale, that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), no longer had any influence over its nuclear activities.
Iran’s stated conditions for returning to the JCPOA
According to the government report, Iran has depicted its activities toward developing nuclear-capable technology as a “reversible” response to the US’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, a move made during the Trump administration.
Iran has meanwhile claimed that it was willing to return to the deal under a couple of conditions. One of these conditions was that the US would have to return to the deal and provide sanctions relief. Second, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would have to end “its safeguards investigations related to three undeclared nuclear sites.”
Iran developing nuclear weapons capable tech for “energy”
The report goes on to state that, in 2021, the IAEA found that Iran had conducted research aimed at producing uranium metal, and indeed had produced limited quantities of the metal that had reached up to 20 percent enrichment.
The JCPOA had prohibited the production of the metal, and Iran stated that its production of enriched uranium was for a new type of reactor fuel.
Iran is increasing its uranium stockpile
The report further notes that “Iran continues to increase the size and enrichment level of its uranium stockpile” which already surpasses limits set by the JCPOA.
In fact, according to the report, Iran is defying JCPOA nuclear limits in a variety of ways and continues to further enrich uranium and progress its research in the matter.
While the report said that Iran is not working toward the steps required to create a nuclear weapon, the country is actively working on other concerning weaponry.
“Iran’s ballistic missile programs, which already include the largest inventory of ballistic missiles in the region, continue to pose a threat to countries across the Middle East,” the report notes. “Iran has emphasized improving the accuracy, lethality, and reliability of its missiles.”