Iran’s activity must be viewed as practicing breakout to make enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons. It is learning to make such material more quickly and developing valuable experience in doing so.
This experience also complicates returning to the JCPOA, since that experience cannot be destroyed. As a result, some compensating actions are needed or a number of sanctions should be left in place to compensate for this irreversible gain in violation of the JCPOA.
Often lost in the debate is that 60% enriched uranium can be used directly in a nuclear explosive, although 90% is preferred. Iran now has about 10 percent of what it would need for one nuclear explosive fashioned from 60% enriched uranium.
