This is according to a new study by analysts at the Pentagon-affiliated Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The analysis provides several signs that Iran is on the path to creating its own nuclear weapons and is already close to the end point.
On September 4, Iran supplied Russia with more than 200 Fatah-360 short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. According to Western officials, Russia responded by sharing nuclear secrets. In recent months, the Russian Federation has expanded cooperation with Iran in the nuclear field “in line with Iran’s ambitions to create its own atomic weapons.”
On September 13, US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed that Russia could share certain nuclear technologies and secrets with Iran in exchange for Iran providing it with ballistic missiles.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken similarly said Russia was “sharing technologies that Iran seeks … including on nuclear issues.” On September 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian in St. Petersburg, said Iran and Russia “expanded peaceful nuclear cooperation.”
“It is not clear from the above what exactly this means: Iran has decided to create nuclear weapons, or Iran is trying to develop the capability to create nuclear weapons, but has not actually decided to create them,” the military analysts said.
On September 16, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, spoke in Vienna at the 68th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He stressed that President Pezeshkian seeks to “expand constructive interaction” with the IAEA. In turn, Pezeshkian said that Tehran could start direct negotiations with the United States if Washington abandons “its hostile policy” toward Iran.
At the same time, these statements do not contradict Iran’s agreement with the Russian Federation, as Tehran can turn to Moscow for help in implementing its nuclear program.
Earlier, Kursor reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Tehran will never abandon its missile program because it needs it to ensure security in the region, where he says Israel can “fire missiles every day” on Gaza.
