Israel’s sweeping surprise attack on Iran last week marked a major escalation in tensions, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring it had “struck at the head of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program.”
While Tehran insists its program is peaceful and the U.S. intelligence community says Iran isn’t currently building a bomb, concerns remain that Iran could weaponize quickly if it chooses.
Here’s a breakdown of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, progress, and the risks ahead.
When did Iran’s nuclear program begin?
Despite claims of peaceful intent, Iran’s uranium enrichment has drawn global scrutiny.
Why is the program controversial?
Where does Iran stand now?
Iran has made major strides toward weapons-grade uranium:
Breakout time: Estimated at just 1–2 weeks to produce enough weapons-grade material for one bomb
Centrifuge advancements, including IR-6 and IR-9 models, have drastically reduced the time needed to produce nuclear fuel.
What exactly is enriched uranium?
Uranium enrichment increases the percentage of uranium-235, the isotope needed for energy—and weapons.
Iran has achieved 60% enrichment—technically not bomb-grade, but dangerously close.
Has Iran violated international agreements?
Yes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran has breached its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and surveillance agreements. For the first time in nearly two decades, the agency passed a formal resolution against Tehran in 2025. Iran has responded by further escalating its activities.
Which facilities are involved?
Iran’s key nuclear sites include:
Iran has invested heavily in hardening its facilities against airstrikes by burying them underground.
What damage has Israel done?
While the full scope of the damage is unclear, experts say total destruction of Iran’s nuclear program would require sustained, complex strikes due to its depth and dispersion.
Bottom line: Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain a flashpoint in global security. With stockpiles of enriched uranium growing and military strikes escalating, the world watches to see if diplomacy—or further conflict—will shape what comes next.
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Protests broke out in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday after Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes. At least nine people were reported dead in clashes near the U.S. consulate in Karachi.
A number of senior Iranian figures have reportedly been killed in Saturday’s joint U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, according to Iranian state media, Israeli military statements and international reporting. Some of the details remain unverified.
The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has triggered one of the most significant political processes in the Islamic Republic: the selection of a new Supreme Leader.
Following the U.S.-Israel strikes, Iran has called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to be held on Monday (2 March), and vowed strong retaliation to the attacks. Touraj Shiralilou sent this update from Tehran.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating, with Washington ordering a significant military build-up in the region and multiple countries evacuating diplomatic staff amid fears of further instability.
Governments across the region responded swiftly to Israel’s strikes on Iran, closing airspace, issuing travel advisories and activating contingency plans amid fears of escalation.
Two people were killed and around 40 injured when a tram derailed in central Milan on Friday (27 February), a spokesperson for the local fire service said.
Pakistani air strikes hit a weapons depot on the western outskirts of Kabul overnight, triggering hours of secondary explosions that rattled homes across the Afghan capital and left residents fearing further violence.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
A number of senior Iranian figures have reportedly been killed in Saturday’s joint U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, according to Iranian state media, Israeli military statements and international reporting. Some of the details remain unverified.
The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has triggered one of the most significant political processes in the Islamic Republic: the selection of a new Supreme Leader.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years and the country’s highest political and religious authority, has died aged 86 following joint Israeli and U.S. strikes on his compound in Tehran.
Journalist and International Affairs Commentator, Tom Gross, joined AnewZ from Tel Aviv to tell us why he thinks the attack happened now and whether this could mark the beginning of the end for the Iranian leadership.
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