Report: US thought Iran was years from nuclear bomb, not months

Despite Israel’s claims that Iran had been months away from producing a nuclear weapon before the IDF’s preemptive strikes against Tehran began Friday, United States intelligence assessments found that the Islamic Republic was not actively pursuing the bomb and was several years away from obtaining one, according to a CNN report.

Citing four people familiar with Washington’s assessment, CNN reports that “not only was Iran not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon, it was also up to three years away from being able to produce and deliver one to a target of its choosing.”

The US Central Command, which oversees US military activities in the Middle East, presented a more urgent assessment than civilian intelligence bodies, the report adds, saying before Israel’s surprise assault, Central Command believed Iran could more quickly produce a nuclear bomb if it decided to rush toward one, citing a source familiar with the discussions.

Iran had enough highly enriched uranium for several bombs, according to the UN’s nuclear watchdog, but had not made any moves toward weaponization.

Asked by Fox News on Sunday about differing conclusions on Iran’s nuclear capabilities from the US and Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “The intel we got and we shared with the United States was absolutely clear, was absolutely clear that they were working, in a secret plan, to weaponize the uranium. They were marching very quickly.”

A US official cited in the report said that US intelligence officials believe that, thus far, Israel may have shortened Iran’s timeline for reaching a nuclear weapon only by some months. Experts have said Israel would likely require American military assistance to inflict more lasting damage, most critically on the underground Fordo nuclear facility.