Iran has enough uranium to build 12 nuclear bombs in just 5 months, says former UN weapons inspector

Scientists in Iran reportedly have enough uranium to build 12 nuclear bombs in less than six months. The revelation could have a serious impact on the future of the conflict in the Middle East.

The Telegraph reported that the details came out after the International Atomic Energy Authority said Iran has increased its production of enriched uranium by up to 60% purity, which is required for creating nuclear bombs. Modern nuclear weapons must have uranium that has been purified up to 90%, but the IAEA said this is a realistic possibility for Iran.

The report mentioned that David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq, believes Iran could have weapons-grade uranium in just a matter of weeks and already possesses the technical knowledge to create nuclear weapons. The development could have major consequences in the Middle East, as Israel continues its military operations in Gaza.

Earlier this month, CBS News reported that Pakistan's foreign ministry stated that it had carried out "highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes" against Iran. The Federation of American Scientists reported in September that Pakistan has made efforts to increase its nuclear arsenal, adding it was believed the country currently has a stockpile of 170 warheads.

Albright, who is the founder of the U.S. Institute for Science and International Security, said that if Iran continued to produce high-quality uranium at the same rate, the nation would have enough material to create 12 bombs in just five months.

“The unfortunate reality is that Iran already knows how to build nuclear weapons, although there are some unfinished tasks related to the actual construction of them," Albright said.

“Iran can quickly make enough weapon-grade uranium for many nuclear weapons, something it could not do in 2003."

“Today, it would need only about a week to produce enough for its first nuclear weapon. It could have enough weapon-grade uranium for six weapons in one month, and after five months of producing weapon-grade uranium, it could have enough for 12.”

He went on to say that "nuclear weaponization" and delivery could slow the process, as more research needs to be done in this area.

“Weaponization needs more work. It involves theoretical calculations and simulations; development, testing, and construction of the other components of the nuclear weapon; the conversion of weapon-grade uranium into metallic components; the integration of all the components into a nuclear weapon; and the preparation for mounting the weapons on aircraft or missiles or for use in a full-scale underground test.”

Iran is widely believed to be supporting Hamas in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

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