Iran has scored 157 out of 180 in the nuclear threat level, which puts the Islamic Republic in the"extreme danger" level, according to a think tank report. The report cites several factors, including Iran’s increased nuclear capabilities, shorter timelines to develop nuclear weapons and growing internal discussions about weaponisation.
According to the new report by the US-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), Iran's nuclear programme has reached a new danger level since last year, when the score was 151. "Since February 2024, the date of the last edition of the Geiger Counter, the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme has worsened significantly,” it added.
The Geiger Counter is an assessment tool used by ISIS to measure the threat posed by Iran to the United States and its allies.
Iran could be making thousands of centrifuges outside the monitoring of the IAEA, and the deployments at declared enrichment sites hint at this. The country could also be building or laying a secret enrichment plant, the report added. "As uncertainty grows, this or a black swan event could occur," he said.
Other factors that contributed to the increase in the threat level include Tehran's non-cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East. "The volatile security situation is now combined with the perception, if not the reality, that Iran is preparing to build nuclear weapons," the report added.
Another factor that drove up Iran's points is the public statements made by Iranian officials, which indicate an extreme level of hostility towards the United States and its allies. IRGC commander-in-chief’s senior advisor Ebrahim Jabbari threatened that "the ‘Operation True Promise 3’ (the third round of attacks on Israel from Iran)' will be carried out appropriately and at the right time, has added to the threat level.
The report also stressed Iran's alleged deception of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and violation of its safeguards agreement and JCPOA monitoring agreements.
About sensitive nuclear capabilities, Iran has not only increased its stocks of enriched uranium and ramped up its enrichment capacity, but also focused on increasing its capability to produce weapon-grade uranium at the underground Fordow enrichment plant.
