Nuclear weapons specialists are urging the Trump administration to establish a formal ban on utilizing plutonium from Iranian facilities for nuclear bomb production. The primary focus has been on Iran’s nuclear facilities that leverage uranium, but experts argue that the potential for plutonium-based weaponry shouldn’t be overlooked.
Jason Brodsky, who works at the Union Against Nuclear Iran, emphasized that any deal with Iran should specifically address the plutonium route to nuclear armament, pointing out past attacks on the Arak heavy water reactor and ongoing concerns about Iran’s potential to reconstruct it.
Meanwhile, some experts suggest that the Iranian government may be resorting to oil dumping in the Gulf as a response to economic pressure exacerbated by Trump’s sanctions. There’s also a chance that plutonium from the spent fuel at the Bushehr reactor could be repurposed for nuclear weapons, according to Henry Sokolsky from the Center for Nonproliferation Policy Education.
In discussing how the U.S. should act, Sokolsky mentioned that preventing Iran from accessing spent fuel and extracting plutonium is crucial. He proposed utilizing surveillance technology to oversee activities at Bushehr, echoing strategies used in past inspections.
Moreover, a recent write-up pointed out that Iran might possess sufficient plutonium to create over 200 nuclear weapons, compounded by the lack of consistent IAEA oversight. They’ve not fully cooperated with international regulations, which raises significant red flags.
Interestingly, skepticism remains about Iran’s willingness or capacity to manufacture nuclear weapons from plutonium. David Albright, a physicist, articulated doubts, highlighting that Iran would require technical designs it doesn’t possess, alongside various logistical challenges, including reliance on Russia for necessary resources.
Various experts are calling for tighter regulations on Iran’s plutonium processing capabilities. Andrea Stricker from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies stresses the need for a permanent ban on any form of plutonium reprocessing under new agreements. There’s also recognition from Russia about the potential dangers in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which has led to calls for renewed inspections behavior post-attacks on facilities.
