Will Iran Get the Bomb?

It's a scary thought, but Iran could be closer to building a nuclear bomb than we think. We are looking into what Iran would need to do in order to complete a working nuclear bomb, and the events leading up to Iran being capable of developing such a devastating weapon.

Interestingly, the Iranian government recently announced it would no longer abide by most of the restrictions on uranium enrichment and production set in place by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark 2015 nuclear agreement between P5+1 and Iran.

Iran’s announcement came as no surprise. It was a reaction to (a) the assassinations of Qassem Suleimani, a top-ranking Iranian military leader, and (b) Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, one of Iran’s top nuclear scientist. Yet, international security experts argue that the real reason Iran is no longer abiding by the JCPOA protocol has to do with former US president, Trump’s withdrawal from the treaty in 2018.

Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia is of particular concern. It has recently established a nuclear power program with plans to construct 16 reactors at an investment of $80 billion over the next 20-25 years. The country's top Nuclear Official, Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani, says the program is being implemented for "peaceful purposes." A nuclear-armed Iran would be a strong motivation to pursue other purposes.

One thing sure: If Iran possessed nuclear weapons, it would be harder to counter its disruptive influence. It could also encourage other nations in the region to build their own bombs—spreading nuclear weapons through the most turbulent region of the world.

David Oualaalou is a Geopolitical Consultant, Award Winning Educator, Veteran, Author, and former International Security analyst in Washington, D.C.