Israel's Gantz Says Iran Making Steady Process Toward Nuclear Capability

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz accused Iran on Monday of making steady progress toward nuclear capability as talks on an atomic deal begin to unravel.

"Our intelligence confirms international reports about Iran’s steady process, including both in production capabilities and the rate of enrichment," he told a Jerusalem Post conference in New York.

The UK, France and Germany said Saturday that Iran threatened upsetting the deal on the table with its demands that they claimed contradicted its obligations under the nonproliferation regime.

Iran criticized the European powers for making an unconstructive statement and giving in to the pressure of third countries, meaning Israel.

Gantz told the conference that Israel’s regional rival was producing more and more advanced centrifuges at underground facilities, where those activities are prohibited.

"If Iran is not required to destroy any centrifuges at all, they will be readily available for enrichment. And even if an agreement is reached, Iran will be prepared to restart enrichment in a short timeframe," he said.

Israel estimates that Iran has accumulated technology and scientific expertise to be able to enrich enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon to 90% of purity "within a matter of weeks," Gantz alleged.