Report: US privately warned Iran over suspicious nuclear activities
Iranian explanations ‘somewhat eased anxieties’ of US and Israeli officials; US official says Tehran doesn’t appear to be building ‘testable nuclear device’
The United States sent a private warning to Iran last month expressing serious concerns about Iranian research and development activities that could be used for the production of a nuclear weapon, US media reported Wednesday.
Both Israel and the US have detected suspicious nuclear activities by Iranian scientists in recent months and fear that Tehran could be using the period in the runup to the US elections for a covert push to nuclear weaponization, according to Axios, which cited three unnamed US and Israeli officials.
Several months ago, US and Israeli intelligence services obtained information that showed Iranian scientists engaging in computer modeling and metallurgical research that could be used for the development of nuclear weapons, Axios said.
The report said that the US used both direct and third-party channels to send their concerns to Iran. The Iranians responded by clarifying their activities and telling the Americans there had been no change in Iran’s official policy.
Axios reported that the Iranian response “somewhat eased anxieties” among Israeli and US officials over the Iranian research and development activities.
“We do not see indications that Iran is currently undertaking the key activities that would be necessary to produce a testable nuclear device,” a US official told Axios.
Since the collapse of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers following the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018, it has pursued nuclear enrichment just below weapons-grade levels. Western powers say there is no credible civilian reason for that. Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful but officials have recently said it could change its “nuclear doctrine” if it is attacked or its existence is seen as threatened by Israel. That has prompted alarm at the International Atomic Energy Agency and in Western capitals.
Iranian president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian has called for “constructive relations” with Western countries to “get Iran out of its isolation” and favors reviving the 2015 deal.
Reports last month before the election indicated Iran’s leadership was considering whether to break out to the bomb.
Amid concerns, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was said to reestablish a series of working groups last month to deal with Iran’s nuclear program.
