New Intelligence Suggests Iran is Exploring Faster Path to Nuclear Weapon Development
Iran is reportedly exploring a faster route to nuclear capability, while its president signals openness to talks with the Trump administration. As tensions rise, the U.S. and Israel assess their options.

Fresh intelligence reports indicate that a covert team of Iranian scientists is actively investigating a quicker, albeit less advanced, method of building a nuclear weapon, should Tehran decide to pursue that path. According to current and former U.S. officials, the discovery has heightened concerns among American policymakers, even as Iran’s new president signals an interest in renewed negotiations with the Trump administration.
The intelligence, gathered in the final months of the Biden administration, was later passed on to President Trump’s national security team during the transition period. Analysts warn that Iranian nuclear experts are seeking shortcuts to convert the country's substantial uranium stockpile into a functional nuclear device within months—far faster than the previously estimated timeline of over a year. However, U.S. officials still believe that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has yet to make a final decision on pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s Nuclear Position and Regional Strategy
While Tehran has amassed enough nuclear fuel to produce multiple bombs, experts stress that possessing enriched uranium alone does not equate to having a functional nuclear weapon. The latest intelligence focuses on Iran’s efforts to bypass traditional development timelines and take the final steps toward weaponization.
The timing of this development is critical, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet President Trump at the White House—making him the first world leader to visit since Trump’s second-term inauguration. Netanyahu, who has long viewed Iran’s nuclear ambitions as an existential threat, has previously considered military strikes against Iran’s facilities but has often held back due to concerns raised by Israeli and U.S. defense officials.
However, the geopolitical landscape has shifted significantly. Iran’s influence in the region has weakened following the setbacks suffered by Hezbollah and Hamas, both of which have lost key leadership figures. The collapse of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime has further restricted Iran’s ability to move weapons through the region. Additionally, an Israeli counterstrike in October damaged key Iranian missile defense systems and nuclear infrastructure, significantly hindering Tehran’s military capabilities.
Trump’s Approach: Diplomacy or Confrontation?
Despite escalating tensions, President Trump has indicated a preference for diplomacy over military confrontation. When asked about supporting an Israeli strike on Iran’s facilities, he suggested that negotiations remain the preferred path:
"Hopefully, that can be worked out without having to worry about it. It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step," he said, adding that he hopes Iran will "make a deal."
Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office following his predecessor’s death in a helicopter crash, has publicly expressed a willingness to engage in talks. However, analysts caution that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) operates independently from the presidency and may be pursuing nuclear capabilities without his direct knowledge.
“Iran has two parallel regimes,” explains Karim Sadjadpour, an expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “There is the deep state, consisting of military and intelligence forces loyal to Khamenei, overseeing the nuclear program and regional operations. Then there are the diplomats and politicians who engage with the West but have little insight into these covert activities.”
How Close is Iran to a Nuclear Weapon?
While Iran officially halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, documents obtained in a 2018 Israeli intelligence raid suggest that Tehran continued technical research in secret. Experts believe that if Iran were to shift its policy, it could enrich uranium to bomb-grade purity (90%) within days—given that it has already enriched fuel to 60% purity, a level sufficient for multiple weapons.
However, creating a usable nuclear warhead is far more complex. U.S. intelligence estimates that Iran would need 12 to 18 months to develop a missile-compatible warhead, while some Israeli assessments suggest the process could take up to two years. Recognizing this long development timeline as a vulnerability, Iran may be considering a crude, rapidly assembled weapon to signal its nuclear capabilities to the world.
This approach would not yield a miniaturized missile-ready device, nor would it match the reliability of modern nuclear warheads. However, it would serve as a powerful deterrent, making adversaries think twice before considering military action.
As tensions build, the coming weeks could prove pivotal in shaping the future of U.S.-Iran relations, with potential negotiations—or escalating conflict—hanging in the balance.