"If they continue with unravelling the Vienna agreement, then yes, within a fairly short period of time, within a fairly short period of time, between one and two years, they could have access to a nuclear weapon, which is not an option", Le Drian told RTL radio.

On Friday EU foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting to discuss ways of reducing tensions between United States and Iran.

Iran’s decision to lift restrictions on uranium enrichment after a US airstrike that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport made headlines in Western media, with some speculating that the Islamic Republic could be seeking nuclear weapons.  

Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, reassured the public that this is not the case – even though the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is now in jeopardy.

There is “no place for nuclear weapons in Iran’s defensive doctrine,” he told PBS Newshour, adding that the country is also abiding by the Non-Proliferation Treaty – a 1968 pact that aims for nuclear disarmament and sets standards for arms control.

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