Various experts question whether the Iranian nuclear facilities make a good target for Israel's counterattack.
Tel Aviv – Some experts see Iran's attack on Israel as an opportunity to attack Iran's nuclear program. Iran operates several centrifuges in which uranium is enriched.
John Bolton, the former US national security representative, pointed out this “opportunity” to
Der
Spiegel
: “It is in America’s interest to get involved.” But so far these are not concrete plans, but rather theoretical considerations.
According to experts, the mullahs' regime is close to developing a nuclear bomb. In
Spiegel,
military expert Fabian Hinz from the research institute International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) says: "Iran's strategy has always been to enrich uranium to a very high level, but to do so under a civilian cover." The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency states that Since last October alone, 23.5 kilograms of up to 60 percent enriched uranium are said to have been produced in the underground facilities.
Iran no longer adheres to nuclear bomb agreements
It has been known since 2003 that the Islamic Republic is enriching uranium.
ZDF
reports that the so-called nuclear agreement
slowed down the plans. But since the US withdrew from the agreement, Iran is no longer sticking to its terms. According to the
Washington Post,
the country has enough radioactive material for at least three nuclear bombs. The regime could build the first one within a few months.
Would it then make sense to attack the locations of the uranium deposits? “A limited strike would perhaps set the program back, but not destroy it,” Hinz tells
Spiegel
. He fears that this could only motivate Iran to complete a military nuclear weapons program.
Israel would be dependent on US support
The bunkers in which uranium is enriched are distributed decentrally across the country. According to Hinz, the Fordo nuclear facility near the city of Qom is located deep underground and is strictly guarded.
ZDF
says
that the facility is regularly inspected to ensure that no bomb is being built there. According to the military expert, an attack on the facility would have no major effect because: “It is so deep underground that it can only be reached by bunker-busting bombs from the Americans.” Since the Israelis have no weapons that could damage the bunker , they would be dependent on help from the Americans - but they would hardly be convinced to contribute bunker-busting weapons and fighter jets.
But it will still take some time before Iran can produce its first atomic bomb, Iran expert Azadeh Zamirirad from the Berlin Science and Politics Foundation told
ZDF
. Although the Islamic Republic is now considered a nuclear emerging state and has the necessary technology to build it, there are no other components for an atomic bomb. According to Zamirirad, Iran needs a suitable delivery system and nuclear tests.
(liz)