The EastWest Institute says Iran could build a nuclear weapon in one to three years, but it would take up to 15 to develop long-range technology that would pose a threat to the West.
A report by a group of Russian and American scientists and engineers at the EastWest Institute concludes that although Iran could build a nuclear device within one to three years of deciding to do so, it would not be able to deliver a long-range weapon for many more years. The scientists also say that a U.S. missile defense system being considered for Central Europe would be useless against an Iranian nuclear weapon.