France claims Iran close to nuclear arms
Date
12/2/2024 6:48:17 AM
(MENAFN) Nicolas Lerner, head of the French Foreign Intelligence Service, warned on Friday that Iran could acquire a nuclear weapon within months, describing Tehran's nuclear program as a significant concern for both Paris and London. Speaking alongside Richard Moore, the head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, Lerner stated that addressing the potential nuclear proliferation in Iran is one of the most critical threats facing the West in the coming months.
Iran’s uranium enrichment activities have long been viewed by the West as part of a covert effort to develop nuclear weapons. After the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, Tehran resumed and intensified its uranium enrichment program, reaching 60% purity, though a bomb requires over 90%. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also reported that Iran plans to use advanced centrifuges to further enrich uranium. While Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, officials, including senior adviser Kamal Kharrazi, have acknowledged the country's ability to produce nuclear weapons, though they claim they have no plans to do so unless their survival is threatened. The situation remains tense, particularly with the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel over Gaza.
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