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Iran has ramped up its nuclear abilities since Trump ended the deal.
Iran has increasingly moved away from the limits imposed on its nuclear activities since Mr. Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and big powers, describing it as “the worst deal.”
Under that agreement, which still technically exists, Iran exported practically all of its enriched uranium stockpile, took other steps to severely limit its nuclear capabilities, and allowed inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure its peaceful intentions. In return, the United States and its European partners lifted all nuclear-related sanctions, leading Iran to expect an economic boom.
But Mr. Trump restored the American sanctions in 2018 and has added more. After that, Iran restarted uranium enrichment and is once again amassing a stockpile of fuel that, in theory, could be refined for use in a bomb. Iran has argued that it is not bound by the nuclear agreement because the United States reneged on its commitments.
On Nov. 4, Iran said it had begun running a significant number of new, advanced uranium centrifuges, accelerating its enrichment capabilities and throwing the nuclear deal into further disarray. The announcement was Tehran’s third move in six months to ratchet up pressure on the West and force the United States to comply with the original agreement.
The big question now is how quickly Iran, with its new capacity, could produce the fuel needed for a single bomb. Some analysts say that it might be able to do so in less than a year.
Protests calling for war with U.S. erupt in Tehran.
Hard-line protesters calling for war with the United States staged a demonstration in Tehran outside the residence of President Hassan Rouhani on Friday night, hours after the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist.
“No to submission, no to concession with America, only war with America!” a crowd of dozens of men chanted at the protest, as seen in videos shown on Iranian television and posted to social media. The demonstrators also called for expelling the international inspectors who are monitoring Iran’s nuclear program.