When this announcement is considered along with bomb-making documents unearthed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the centrifuges that Iran illegally procured from disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, it would appear that Iran has mastered all the necessary technologies to make a nuclear bomb. These were the technologies that the US and Europe were trying to deny the regime. While Iran has managed to enrich only up to 3.5% suitable for power generation and needs to enrich much more to achieve weapons grade uranium, the process is the same. Thankfully, Iran has only 164 known centrifuges from the Khan network. Iran needs many more centrifuges to enrich and manufacture weapons grade material. But Ahmadinejad said that he plans to double the number in a different facility and have the sites linked leading to speculation that the number procured from Pakistan may be more than 164.
Iranian Deputy Nuclear Chief said that his country has already notified IAEA that it plans to install a 3000 centrifuge facility which will ultimately reach 54,000, which could be enough to produce power for a 1000 MW plant. It is unclear whether Iran has already procured these centrifuges or intends to procure them.
In a rare international consensus, the US, EU members, and Russia issued a strong disapproving message to Iran and Russia asked Tehran to suspend its nuclear enrichment. However, Russia cautioned the international community to not rush into a quick judgment. Israel highlighted the serious development and said that the whole world is in danger. It pointed out that IAEA has so far not found any incriminating evidence of a nuclear weapons program though Iran’s behavior has been suspicious.
Iran’s missile arsenal, policy, and support to terrorists targeting Israel makes it the most formidable enemy for Israel.