Op-Ed Cautions That Iran's Enrichment For Nuclear Power Reactor Is Also Enough to Produce Nuclear Bombs

Extremely strict limitations on Iran's plans to enrich uranium are vital especially in the early stages of agreement negotiations, according to an opinion piece that ran in the Jerusalem Post Jan. 29.

The piece was co-written by Yonah Alexander, Director of Potomac Institute's International Center for Terrorism studies and the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies (Washington, DC); and Milton Hoenig, a consulting scientist.

Iran is touting their "success" that they didn't agree to dismantle anything in the interim deal in Geneva.  But they are not allowed to operate additional enrichment centrifuges.   According to the authors, a "breakout" time of at least a year is important to assure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear bomb.

Few are optimistic about the Geneva deal's chance of success, and now with Congress suggesting legislation to increase sanctions against Iran could end the hope of a final agreement.

The op-ed can be read here.

Alexander and Hoenig co-authored the book The New Iranian Leadership: Ahmadinejad, Terrorism, Nuclear Ambition, and the Middle East (Praeger Security International, 2007).