New US intelligence report shows Iran moving closer to nuclear weapon
Haaretz reports that official estimate, which pulls back 2007 claim that Iran had halted weaponization program, brings Washington in line with Israel
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A new report out of Washington shows the American intelligence community has come to adopt Israel’s view that Iran is making notable strides in its development of a nuclear weapon.
The National Intelligence Estimate, recently presented to US President Barack Obama, includes “alarming” intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program, including marked progress on key elements of its weaponization drive, the daily newspaper Haaretz reported Thursday.
The report is a 180 degree turn from the last NIE on Iran, in 2007, which reported that Iran had given up on its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and had not returned to it.
The 2007 report was seen as a setback to Israel, which believes Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and has been waging a campaign for the world to cotton to its view and work to stymie Tehran.
Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, such as energy and research.
The new NIE, compiled by intelligence czar James Clapper and representing the view of the wider US intelligence community, has not been released to the public. Haaretz based its report on unnamed Western diplomats and Israeli officials.
Earlier this week, Haaretz reported that new intelligence showed a surprising speeding up of military elements of Iran’s nuclear program, a view accepted by Israel, the US, Britain, France and Germany.
The Times of Israel Community.