\u201cOur sources in Tehran now tell us that, in October, Khamenei decided to give the green light to the development of compact warheads for ballistic missiles,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
The report said Khamenei had previously blocked any move to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels or to develop deliverable nuclear warheads, despite pressure from within Iran\u2019s security establishment, particularly the Revolutionary Guards.<\/p>\n
It said the June conflict with Israel marked a turning point, exposing weaknesses in Iran\u2019s air defenses and allied forces, while highlighting the limits of its missile arsenal <\/a>in a prolonged conflict.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only true deterrent that could save the Iranian regime in the event of a conflict against Israel and its US allies would be nuclear weapons,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n Enrichment still capped, for now<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, however, Khamenei would still not have authorised uranium enrichment beyond 60%,\u201d the report said, adding that rumors persist of an undisclosed enrichment effort at a covert site not declared to the International Atomic Energy Agency.<\/p>\n It said Iran appears to be prioritizing warhead design over enrichment to reduce the risk of exposure to military strikes.<\/p>\n The report said that even if Iran chose to move quickly on enrichment, developing a deliverable warhead would take far longer. <\/p>\n \u201cWhile enrichment to 90% would require only a few weeks if there were still enough working centrifuges, compact warheads remain a far more complex challenge,\u201d it said, citing Pakistan\u2019s experience in the 1990s, when years of testing and design work were needed before a viable compact warhead was achieved.<\/p>\n