Iran could develop jacket-mounted nuclear bomb which could be greatest threat to US: VP JD Vance

While a jacketed nuclear bomb may not be capable of wreaking destruction on a massive scale, its deployment on a smaller scale could nevertheless prove highly effective.

Iran, jacket-mounted nuclear bomb, USA, JD Vance, Persian Gulf, nuclear bomb, United States, suicide nuclear bomber, IRGC, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, NPT, uranium — (Representational image/AI generated)

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf, Iran could potentially develop a “jacket-mounted” nuclear bomb. US Vice President J.D. Vance has expressed apprehension regarding this possibility. Vance asserts that Iran is seeking to create a weapon capable of wreaking havoc within the United States. Iran appears intent on developing a “suicide nuclear bomber”—modelled after the concept of a conventional suicide bomber—for which it could potentially design a nuclear-equipped jacket.

Vance also indicated that this jacket-mounted nuclear bomb could be designed with the world’s smallest nuclear weapon in mind. The United States currently possesses the world’s smallest nuclear bomb, which features a 23-kilogram warhead and has a total yield equivalent to 10 tons of TNT.

Apprehension Regarding Jacket-Mounted Nuclear Bomb

Iran’s IRGC-backed Tasnim News Agency recently published an editorial suggesting that the country should withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Tasnim argues that if other nations of the world are not adhering to international rules and laws, why should Iran? The NPT is a treaty framework aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

Iran currently possesses 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity. To construct a functional nuclear bomb, uranium enriched to 90 percent purity is typically required. From this 440-kilogram stockpile of uranium, it is theoretically possible to manufacture 11 nuclear weapons.

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Why Is This Dangerous For United States?

Currently, Iran does not possess any aircraft or ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States. This implies that, even if Iran were to successfully develop a nuclear weapon, it would lack the means to launch a direct attack on the US mainland. Conversely, if Iran were to develop a jacket-mounted nuclear bomb successfully, it could potentially use such a device to strike the United States. This is precisely why the US views this specific type of weapon with such alarm.

The other factor is that the sleeper cells linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran are known to be active within the United States. These sleeper cells could easily be mobilized to unleash chaos and devastation across the country. Iran knows that if a “jacketed” nuclear bomb were to be developed, intercepting it could prove extremely difficult. This is because preventing Iranian sleeper cells from infiltrating the United States is a formidable challenge.

Also, while a jacketed nuclear bomb may not be capable of wreaking destruction on a massive scale, its deployment on a smaller scale could nevertheless prove highly effective. According to J.D. Vance, if thousands of people were to perish simultaneously and a specific urban district were to be devastated, it could trigger a global crisis.

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