CIA director: Iran’s nuclear program advancing at “worrisome pace”

CBS NEWS- Feb 26th 2023

BY SOPHIA BARKOFF

Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is more advanced than previously known and “if they chose to cross that line,” Tehran would only need a “matter of weeks” to enrich uranium capable of powering a nuclear weapon, CIA director William Burns told CBS News in an exclusive interview with “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday.

“To the best of our knowledge, we don’t believe that the Supreme Leader in Iran has yet made a decision to resume the weaponization program that we judge that they suspended or stopped at the end of 2003,” Burns told “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan. “But the other two legs of the stool, meaning enrichment programs, they’ve obviously advanced very far.”

Burns noted that Tehran has also been advancing its missile systems, and is now nearing the threshold of being a nuclear state, though it has not resumed weaponization.

U.S. intelligence analysts believed Iran paused working on nuclear weapons in 2003, but that they have continued to develop nuclear technology and expertise, including improved abilities to enrich uranium which can be used as nuclear fuel.

Uranium enriched to 90% purity can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Iran possesses uranium at 84% purity. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was aware of the reports and would discuss with Iran the results of recent verification activities that the UN nuclear watchdog had performed.

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