Can Iran Lay The Groundwork To Develop A Nuclear Weapon Very Quickly?

A general view of the Bushehr main nuclear reactor, 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran, August 21, 2010. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi

Jack Caravelli and Sebastian Maier, The Hill: Has Iran laid the groundwork to develop nuclear weapons on a moment's notice?

Hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough at its signing in July 2015, Iran’s nuclear agreement with leading members of the international community—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—has achieved some notable short-term successes, many in Iran’s favor. Most, not all, of Iran’s nuclear activities are either frozen or highly circumscribed. In exchange, Iran is reaping the benefit of receipt of billions of dollars in previously frozen assets as well as a return to international commerce where Europe and China, among others, are seeking to invigorate trade and investment with the theocratic regime. This will be a boon for Iran’s chronically mismanaged and struggling economy.

The bad news is that it is misleading to conclude that Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been shuttered or that those ambitions will no longer pose a threat to the security and stability of the Middle East or beyond. This is because the agreement has finite limits, ranging from 10 years to 15 years depending on the issue

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Update: Iran Developing Advanced Nuclear Capabilities, Reducing Time to Weapon (Washington Free Beacon)

WNU Editor: It was always known that should Iran decide to restart their nuclear program, they could do it very quickly. As for Iran's chief nuclear chief ... he is not optimistic on the future of this agreement .... “Iran Deal Survival Hinges on West’s Change of Course” (Iran Front Page). More here .... Iran nuclear chief warns US over support for Saudi Arabia (The Guardian).