How Fast Can Iran Make A Nuclear Bomb? Expert Claims A Car's Battery Can Fuel Its Nuclear Aspirations

Ever since US President Donald Trump started a war against Iran, he kept on claiming, "Iran is likely to make a nuclear bomb very soon". Also, the US President claimed Iran has attained a stage where uranium enrichment can be used as a fuel to blow the United States. Although the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a primary global organisation for peaceful and secure nuclear technology cooperation, ruled out of US providing them any such evidence that could establish the claim, the US President kept it saying on multiple occasions.

Recently, he said that a new nuclear agreement being discussed with Iran will be “far better” than the 2015 nuclear deal. The US pulled out of that old deal in 2018 during Trump’s first term. On Tuesday, Trump extended a two-week ceasefire with Iran, just one day before it was due to end. He hopes to hold a second round of talks in Islamabad, Pakistan.

What are US concerns?

The United States wants Iran to completely stop enriching uranium. It claimed if Iran could able to make the nuclear bomb, it would be the target. 

What is Iran's position on nuclear enrichment

Accoriding to Iran, its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, like making electricity. Often, it describes Iran has already a nuclear fatwa in place. According to IranWire, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s former Supreme Leader, had issued a religious that banned the making, storing, and using of nuclear weapons. 

What is Uranium?

Uranium is a heavy, naturally radioactive metal. It is used as fuel in nuclear power plants and in nuclear weapons. It is found in small amounts in rocks, soil, and even seawater. It is usually taken out of the ground by mining or by using chemicals. 

How is Uranium enriched?

Natural uranium has three different forms called isotopes. To enrich it, it is turned into a gas called uranium hexafluoride. This gas is put into very fast-spinning machines called centrifuges. The spinning separates the lighter useful part (U-235) from the heavier part (U-238). For nuclear power, uranium needs to be enriched to 3 per cent to 5 per cent. To make a nuclear bomb, uranium must be enriched to 90 per cent.

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How easy would it be for Iran to make a nuclear weapon?

Ted Postol, professor emeritus of science, technology and international security at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), told Al Jazeera that Iran keeps its uranium stockpile underground, so bombing it may not destroy everything. A small setup of centrifuges is enough to make weapons-grade uranium. It can fit in a space as small as a studio apartment about 60 square metres.

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Even a normal car can generate enough electricity to run several of these setups. This means Iran could secretly and quickly turn its current 60 per cent enriched uranium into 90 per cent weapons-grade material, even after an attack. Iran also has missiles hidden in tunnels and does not need to test a simple uranium bomb before using it.

According to Postol, Iran has positioned itself so that even if attacked, it could still quickly build a nuclear weapon.