Blinken: Iran could have nukes in weeks

Iran claimed on Monday to have launched its most powerful rocket yet. The announcement, accompanied by video of a rocket blasting off, heightens worries about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. Though Iran says it developed the rocket for scientific use, it could use similar technology to develop a long-range missile. U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken warned on Sunday that Iran could be just “weeks away” from having enough material to make a nuclear weapon.

What can stop Iran now? The country has said it will abide by the limits of the 2015 nuclear deal it made if the United States will rejoin. President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement in 2018, saying it did not do enough to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing behavior in the region. Blinken indicated President Joe Biden is willing to sign on again to the agreement with the understanding the United States will try to renegotiate more favorable terms.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Mindy Belz’s in-depth report on Iran’s nuclear program.