GOING NUCLEAR: Intel: Iran Close To Testing Nuclear Weapons For First Time

Recent European intelligence reports suggest that the Islamic Republic of Iran is on the brink of conducting a possible test of a nuclear weapons device and has actively pursued illicit technology to advance its ongoing atomic weapons program. These startling revelations were initially translated and published by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) on their website, with the Jerusalem Post being the first Israeli newspaper to report on the intelligence findings originating from the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany.

One of the most alarming findings arises from the Netherlands General and Intelligence Security Service (AVID). According to AVID’s assessment, Iran’s rapid development of weapons-grade uranium has “brought the option of a possible Iranian first nuclear test closer.” The Dutch intelligence report explains that Iran has continued its nuclear program by accumulating stocks of 20% and 60% enriched uranium. These stocks, obtained through the use of centrifuges, can be further enriched to the 90% level required for the creation of a nuclear weapon.

The AVID report further highlights that Iran is disregarding agreements established within the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), while enhancing its uranium enrichment capacity by deploying more advanced centrifuges.

The European intelligence reports predominantly concentrate on Iran’s alleged illicit activities in the year 2022. Sweden’s Security Service reported in its 2023 annual report that Iran engages in industrial espionage, particularly targeting the Swedish high-tech industry and products that could be employed in nuclear weapons development. Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the country’s domestic intelligence agency, stated in its report that it identified a significant number of indications of proliferation-related procurement attempts by Iran for its nuclear endeavors in 2022.

Denmark’s national security and intelligence service (PET) released a report in 2023, indicating that Iran endeavors to bypass international sanctions imposed due to its nuclear and missile programs, human rights violations, and arms sales. The PET assessed that Iran seeks to procure Danish products and technology, even through third-party countries, that could potentially contribute to its weapons production or military projects.

Israeli Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser (res.), a prominent researcher at the Israeli Defense Security Forum and an Iran expert, emphasized that Iran is evidently dedicated to its nuclear weapons plan. He noted that the European intelligence reports expose Iran’s covert efforts to expedite the time required to achieve a nuclear arsenal. Kuperwasser highlighted that these efforts involve the illicit acquisition of equipment and knowledge from various European countries, and it is reasonable to assume that numerous such endeavors have remained concealed. He cautioned that Western policies perceived as weak could embolden Iran to intensify its quest for nuclear weapons components.

Kuperwasser also raised concerns about international powers, including the US, striving to reach interim atomic agreements with Iran, suggesting that such actions could inadvertently incentivize Iran to continue its pursuit of nuclear capabilities.

The Jerusalem Post has previously reported on Iran’s evasion of sanctions targeting its nuclear weapons program, both before and after the JCPOA was reached in 2015. The withdrawal of the US, under former President Donald Trump, from the JCPOA in 2018 was driven by the belief that the agreement failed to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its support for global terrorism.

Ayelet Savyon, director of MEMRI’s Iran Media Project, emphasized that Iran remains resolute in its efforts to develop nuclear weapons. She stated that Iran has consistently advanced its technological capabilities while misleading the international community about its intentions. Despite this, Iran continues to openly express its goal of obtaining nuclear-threshold status.

{Matzav.com}