Iran’s nuke program – how much time for diplomacy?

AP: Six-power talks with Iran are to begin with the U.S. confident that international efforts have slowed Tehran’s capacity to make nuclear arms.

The Associated Press

ISTANBUL (AP) — Six-power talks with Iran are to begin with the U.S. confident that international efforts have slowed Tehran’s capacity to make nuclear arms.

If true, that leaves more time to negotiate in hopes Iran will come around and give up uranium enrichment. That would remove the threat of an Israeli or U.S. military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

But experts at the Federation of American Scientists warn against complacency ahead of the talks starting Friday.

In a study shared with The Associated Press the Washington-based FAS argues that Iran last year appears to have increased efficiency of the machines that produce enriched uranium by 60 percent.

It says that gives it the technical capacity to produce enough material for a simple nuclear warhead in 5 months.