Iran war: US military attacks Iran for sixth night running
07/16/2026 July 16, 2026 Iran could cross nuclear threshold within a year, says political scientist Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of
07/16/2026 July 16, 2026 Iran could cross nuclear threshold within a year, says political scientist Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of Chicago and founding director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats, told DW that Iran could be less than a year away from acquiring nuclear material that could be used in a bomb.
"I think in probably about 12 months or a year — it's possible even less — Iran is going to cross the nuclear threshold. And that's because it needs that for its longer-term security — and it's right on the cusp of it," Pape told DW. Iran's nuclear program has long been a major sticking point in negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Under a memorandum of understanding signed in June, which US President Donald Trump recently declared "over," Iran agreed not to seek nuclear weapons, a commitment Iranian officials had already made before. At the same time, Tehran maintained its right to develop nuclear energy and conduct nuclear research. Analysts have suggested that Iran already possesses significant quantities of uranium enriched to 60%, which could be further enriched in a relatively short period.
The Trump administration has called on Tehran to give up its stockpiles of enriched uranium.
The BriefWire