US officials say Iran could make 1 nuclear bomb in year, but would need longer to make it work

US officials: Usable Iran bomb not imminent

WASHINGTON — A top U.S. general who said Iran could make a nuclear bomb in about a year predicts it would still take longer than that to make the bomb usable.

Gen. James Cartwright says that, historically, it takes a country three to five years to make such a leap. Cartwright is the nation’s second highest-ranking military officer.

The timeline he cited Wednesday could be shortened if Iran pursued ways to deliver a weapon at the same time as it worked to build a bomb.