The State Department on Monday downplayed a new report that secret documents from the Iran nuclear deal show that Iran will be able to assemble a nuclear weapon in a little more than a decade under the current terms of the deal.
The Associated Press reported Monday afternoon that according to a classified document it obtained, Iran would be able to replace its 5,060 older centrifuges with “3,500 advanced machines” in 11 to 13 years from now.
The AP said that once those machines are operational, Iran could be just six to 12 months away from producing a bomb.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said he hadn’t heard of the story when he briefed reporters Monday afternoon. Still, he said the government rejects the conclusion the AP reached.
“I don’t have any reference to that,” he said. “We stand by the JCPOA and our belief that it will continue to prevent Iran from being able to pursue any pathway to obtain a nuclear weapon.”
“As to any alleged document, I just can’t speak to it at this point in time,” he said.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he couldn’t comment on the breaking report when asked about it at the Republican National Convention.
“I can just say that it would not be surprising to me at all to see those restrictions in the nuclear deal lifted within 10 years or Iran violating them in the meantime,” he told reporters. “Remember, we did a similar deal with North Korea and they detonated a nuclear device only 12 years later.”
This story was originally posted at 2:22 p.m. and was updated to reflect the State Department’s response
