Iran’s HEU cache sparks Asian nuclear hedge debate
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- Iran's 440 kg of near‑weapons‑grade HEU can be enriched in weeks into roughly a dozen nuclear bombs, highlighting the latent threat that Indo‑Pacific states now see.
- U.S. led a massive bombing campaign with Israel that crippled Iran’s missile forces but left its nuclear program largely intact, showing limits of kinetic strikes.
- China's expanding military presence in the Indo‑Pacific, alongside the U.S. pivot delay, pushes regional allies to weigh nuclear hedges.
Why it matters: Indo‑Pacific states must decide whether to pursue nuclear hedges as Iran’s 440 kg of HEU can be enriched into roughly 12 weapons; this would push defense budgets higher and heighten proliferation risk.
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