Washington

The United States has claimed that Iran has enough fissile material to develop nuclear weapons within two weeks.

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The US Department of Defence in its ‘2023 Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction’ report said that Iran has the necessary infrastructure and technological know-how to produce weapons in a record time. The report was published on Friday (Sep 29).

 “It is assessed that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapons programme at this time, but has the capacity to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear device in less than two weeks,” the report, which outlines Washington’s strategic approach to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction globally, said.

 “Further, the United States assesses Iran to be noncompliant with its CWC [Chemical Weapons Convention] obligations,” it added.

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“For example, Iran has not submitted a complete chemical weapons production facility declaration to comply with CWC processes. The United States is also concerned that Iran is pursuing dual-use central nervous system-acting chemicals for offensive purposes.”

'Iran flouting CWC regulations'

The US in its report further blamed Iran for not adhering to the obligations made under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

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“For example, Iran has not submitted a complete chemical weapons production facility declaration” as required under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the report stated.

“The US is also concerned that Iran is pursuing dual-use central nervous system acting chemicals of offensive purposes,” the report added.

It comes at a time when the United Nations Security Council 2231 is about to expire this month. It had prohibited Iran from developing long-range missile capacity connected to nuclear weapons.

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Can West continue its sanctions on Iran?

On Thursday (Sep 28), Britain, France and Germany said that they would retain ballistic missile and nuclear proliferation-related sanctions on Iran even after the resolution expires.

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Last month, Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi had warned if Iran enriches uranium above 60 per cent, Jerusalem would take a stern action.

“If Iran moves to enrich uranium above 60% and we identify it—and there is no possibility that we won’t, that the world would not recognize it—the result is that Israel would act out of necessity,” he said, adding, “There would be no choice.”

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