Publication

This commentary examines the calculations used by US Secretary of State John Kerry in the P5+1 nuclear proliferation talks with Iran to determine how quickly Tehran could produce sufficient fissile material for an atomic bomb should it choose to build one. The author contends that although Kerry will likely put his calculation forward in order to win support from US congress for any deal reached with Iran, the uncertainty regarding the calculation's formulation render Kerry's pledge on how long it would take Iran to build a nuclear weapon all but meaningless.