U.S. and Israeli officials convened on Thursday following a significant intelligence discovery concerning Iran’s nuclear activities. The new information indicates that Iranian nuclear scientists are utilizing computer modeling potentially for nuclear weapon development, Axios reports.
This discovery raises alarms as Iran continues to build large reserves of enriched uranium and increases its advanced centrifuges. These actions have heightened concerns about Iran’s intentions, especially given what many perceive as President Joe Biden’s lackluster foreign policy.
The recent intelligence development regarding the computer modeling has sparked “suspicion” and “concern” that Iran may be shifting toward nuclear weapon production. Both nations have pledged to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capabilities.
Israeli officials stressed that in light of the intelligence lapses leading to the October 7 massacre, the country is now treating all evidence of threats, particularly concerning Iran’s nuclear goals, with utmost seriousness. Last year, Israel reportedly found evidence suggesting Iran was working to acquire components for a nuclear warhead.
Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, emphasized that this new intelligence could significantly alter the U.S. assessment of Iran’s nuclear program. Goldberg, who served in the Trump administration focusing on countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction, noted that the intelligence community had previously believed Iran was not actively working on a nuclear weapon.
“If true, this would upend that assessment and suggest Iran has a shorter runway to a bomb than previously reported,” Goldberg stated.
