If you produce thick steel sheets, that is a requirement to build tanks, but it doesnt mean you are building tanks.
Now if you start welding those sheets together in a tank shape, while making all the other stuff that you find in a tank, now you are building a tank.
So if Iran starts building specific parts for nukes and processing the enriched Uranium in a way that is suitable for making a warhead, that would be building a nuke.
So if Iran starts building specific parts for nukes and processing the enriched Uranium in a way that is suitable for making a warhead, that would be building a nuke.
Which is precisely what they’re doing, unless you actually believe they want that level of enrichment for a power plant.
When they have all the components manufactured and the enriched Uranium in “nuke shape” then y would also say they are developing one.
But while nukes arent that complicated to build in principle, there still goes quite some trial and design efforts into it.
This most likely includes doing tests with causing a nuclear explosion. Such tests would be detectable and a certain criterium for an ongoing development.
Remember how NKs nuclear weapon propgram got a lot of attention some 10 or so years ago? We knew because the seismographs picked up the shockwaves of underground explosions.
Isn’t that part of the process though?
It is a prerequirement.
If you produce thick steel sheets, that is a requirement to build tanks, but it doesnt mean you are building tanks.
Now if you start welding those sheets together in a tank shape, while making all the other stuff that you find in a tank, now you are building a tank.
So if Iran starts building specific parts for nukes and processing the enriched Uranium in a way that is suitable for making a warhead, that would be building a nuke.
Which is precisely what they’re doing, unless you actually believe they want that level of enrichment for a power plant.
No matter how many tires you are stockpiling, you aren’t manufacturing a car, unless you actually manufacture a car.
By that line of reasoning, they could have all the components of a nuke, and not actually be manufacturing one until they bolt it together.
When they have all the components manufactured and the enriched Uranium in “nuke shape” then y would also say they are developing one.
But while nukes arent that complicated to build in principle, there still goes quite some trial and design efforts into it.
This most likely includes doing tests with causing a nuclear explosion. Such tests would be detectable and a certain criterium for an ongoing development.
Remember how NKs nuclear weapon propgram got a lot of attention some 10 or so years ago? We knew because the seismographs picked up the shockwaves of underground explosions.