UN believes Iran worked on developing nuclear weapons

[webfact]

UN believes Iran worked on developing nuclear weapons
By GEORGE JAHN

VIENNA (AP) — Iran did work related to developing nuclear arms in the past, the U.N. atomic agency concluded in a report Wednesday that wraps up a near decade of investigations and opens the way to implementing a landmark deal aimed at reducing any future nuclear threat from Tehran.

Iran has consistently denied any interest in nuclear arms or past work on such weapons, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqhchi told Iranian television that the International Atomic Energy Agency report "confirms the peaceful nature" Iran's nuclear program.

But the report contested that view and came down on the side of U.S. allegations, saying the agency "assesses that a range of activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device were conducted in Iran prior to the end of 2003 as a coordinated effort, and some activities took place" up to 2009.

At the same time, the report said any such work was restricted to "feasibility and scientific studies" that stopped short of the advanced development of such weapons.

No previous IAEA report has so clearly linked Iran's past nuclear work to weapons development.

At the same time, the agency described its finding as an assessment and left a final ruling on whether the case should be closed in the hands of Washington and other leading nations represented on the IAEA's 35-nation board. That decision is tentatively set for Dec. 15, when the board meets to decide whether to endorse the deal. Expected approval would close the IAEA investigation and fulfill a key requirement of the July 14 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers.

That deal specifies that the agency must be in the position to wrap up the probe and deliver its views as a key condition for the start of an end to nuclear-related sanctions on Tehran. In exchange, Tehran must cut nuclear technologies that could be used in the future to build a bomb.

Beyond its drive for an end to all sanctions imposed on it over its atomic activities, Iran attaches huge importance to closing the books on the allegations in its drive to lift all punitive measures against it and wipe the slate clean over its nuclear program.

Israel, Iran's implacable foe, urged further pressure on Tehran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the IAEA to "continue to deepen the investigation," saying Iran's past was relevant to the "current status" of its nuclear program.

The report noted:

—the existence of an "organizational structure" prior to 2003 "suitable for the coordination of a range of activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device."

—development of detonators "relevant to a nuclear explosive device" while acknowledging that the devices also have "growing" civilian and conventional military uses.

—work on a separate explosives initiator that has "characteristics relevant to a nuclear explosive device, as well as to a small number of alternative applications."

— environmental samples from a site that contravene Iranian assertions that the site was used for non-nuclear purposes. The agency strongly suspects Iran allegedly conducted tests of explosives meant to set off a nuclear charge at the location.

—no evidence of such work during a brief on-site inspection but determining that extensive construction work at the site previous to the inspections interfered with IAEA attempts to follow up on its suspicions.

The assessment noted Iran did not provide new information on some queries dating back to 2011 — when the IAEA first detailed its allegations — on work that in some cases seemed to have no other purpose but to make nuclear arms. In the case of "dual use" technologies that could be applied both for civilian and nuclear weapons programs, Iran said the experiments were civilian in nature or meant for conventional military purposes, the agency said.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner described the report as "consistent with what the United States has long assessed — Iran had a nuclear weapons program that was halted in 2003."

He also noted that the report fulfilled the conditions laid down in the July 14 nuclear deal. That agreement said that Iran must meet specific deadlines in cooperating with the IAEA in order for it to be able to wrap up its investigations by this month.

The U.S. has long urged that Iran not only trim its present nuclear program but also admit to what it says was past nuclear weapons work. Iran's refusal to address those demands led since 2006 to a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions and sanctions against Tehran — and until recently the latent threat of U.S, and Israeli military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Those threats diminished — and Washington's priorities shifted — with the signing of the July 14 nuclear deal co-engineered by the United States and Iran and signed by five other nations at the table. The agreement commits Iran to cutting back for more than a decade on nuclear technologies that could be used for weapons-making in exchange for sanctions relief.

The long-standing U.S. mantra accused Iran of "deception and deceit," on the weapons issue. As late as mid-June, Secretary of State John Kerry said the IAEA report must "resolve our questions about it with specificity" before any nuclear-related sanctions on Iran are lifted.

Just weeks later, however, Kerry said Washington is not "fixated on Iran specifically accounting for what they did at one point in time or another." Instead, he said the U.S. is concerned about "going forward."
___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Bradley Klapper in Washington and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-12-03

[ezzra]

" Kerry said Washington is not "fixated on Iran specifically accounting for what they did at one point in time or another." Instead, he said the U.S. is concerned about "going forward."

And one my good man, you will be very, very fixated on what Iran did in those years you gave them cart blanch

to do what ever they like because ' you have signed an agreement ' one day, the world will wake up to the

news that Iran is conducting underground nuclear testing, but by than, it will be way, way to late to do anything

about it...

[craigt3365]

I am confused.

Doesn't Pakistan have nuclear capability?

I wonder what direction the world would take if Iran did develop a nuclear weapon and used it on one of their neighbours.

I imagine the US or someone else would retaliate in a way that destroyed Iran.

My question is..............What then?

I was suppose to take a trip to India some years ago. Pakistan and India were threatening to nuke each other, so I backed off. Seems Pakistan does this fairly often.

We don't need another country like Pakistan to have the bomb. Too many have it already and just makes it easier for some nut job to get one and use it in a major western city. The consequences would be horrible.

http://www.firstpost.com/world/sartaj-azizs-nuclear-threat-to-india-is-a-leaf-from-non-state-actors-abuse-manual-2410826.html

[OMGImInPattaya]

As is their right being a signator of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

[Credo]

I completely fail to understand this fascination with nuclear weapons. With today's technology, those precision bombs are much more effective and likely to achieve a stated aim.

[Usernames]

You mean Iran lied?

[off road pat]

" Kerry said Washington is not "fixated on Iran specifically accounting for what they did at one point in time or another." Instead, he said the U.S. is concerned about "going forward."

And one my good man, you will be very, very fixated on what Iran did in those years you gave them cart blanch

to do what ever they like because ' you have signed an agreement ' one day, the world will wake up to the

news that Iran is conducting underground nuclear testing, but by than, it will be way, way to late to do anything

about it...

There is still a long way from doing nuclear tests to constructing a nuclear arsenal, and there is a lot that could be done in that time.

Best regards,..

[OMGImInPattaya]

" Kerry said Washington is not "fixated on Iran specifically accounting for what they did at one point in time or another." Instead, he said the U.S. is concerned about "going forward."

And one my good man, you will be very, very fixated on what Iran did in those years you gave them cart blanch

to do what ever they like because ' you have signed an agreement ' one day, the world will wake up to the

news that Iran is conducting underground nuclear testing, but by than, it will be way, way to late to do anything

about it...

There is still a long way from doing nuclear tests to constructing a nuclear arsenal, and there is a lot that could be done in that time.

Best regards,..

And then dropping them on civilian targets...just saying.

[Steely Dan]

Is this the Iran leftists tell us haven't invaded anyone for hundreds of years? So they lied, no surprise there. Do we really expect them to abide by any agreement?

Obama's legacy in capitulating to Iran will be war, let it be sooner rather than later.

[Seastallion]

Have to laugh at everyone swallowing the very misleading headline and then reading what they want to see.

Did you guys miss this bit: "At the same time, the report said any such work was restricted to "feasibility and scientific studies" that stopped short of the advanced development of such weapons."?

[elgordo38]

I am confused.

Doesn't Pakistan have nuclear capability?

I wonder what direction the world would take if Iran did develop a nuclear weapon and used it on one of their neighbours.

I imagine the US or someone else would retaliate in a way that destroyed Iran.

My question is..............What then?

All it takes is for one madman to push the button and we are all finished.

[elgordo38]

Obama is dancing with the devil. The devil he thinks he knows but does he??

[elgordo38]

I completely fail to understand this fascination with nuclear weapons. With today's technology, those precision bombs are much more effective and likely to achieve a stated aim.

Do you remember back in your childhood when the neighborhood bully wanted to beat you up? Fast forward to today. We are now adults? but the bully feeling still remains. My bomb is bigger than your bomb.Its a good thing we do not know how many times some madman's finger hovered over the nuclear trigger. It has happened in the past and will again in the future. Its a suicide syndrome. Dr. Strangelove anyone??

[condo bought]

You mean Iran lied?

W

M

D

s.

[hawker9000]

...a useless discussion (sponsored by your friendly and equally useless UN). Obama has already handed Iran the winning lottery ticket. Time to start a new lottery for the date of Iran's first underground test.

[Dap]

I gotta' ask, what good is it to be concerned?

When I was a kid, the school I went to had us drill twice

a day to "duck & cover" just in case of nuclear attack. I

wasn't impressed then and I ain't much impressed now.

I got a little older and ended up in a really weird place

where I was told to kill people I didn't know because

they were the bad guys and they were trying to kill me.

Then the oceans were destroyed and the atmosphere

became poisoned and governments screwed everybody

and wars never stopped. People seemed to get stupider

and fatter and children are still starving all over the world.

I try to mind my own business and fly under everyones

radar. I worry about all the little children who will continue

to suffer and die for no good reason and I gotta' ask myself

why I should give one hoot about things I can do nothing about.

I don't think I'm afraid of dying either by bomb or "blue ice",

but please let it be done the first time because if I get up, I'm

gonna' be one major irrational pissed-off sob looking for all

the as**oles that cause this grief.

Rant over. I'll get my coat now.

[sanukjim]

NO SHXT SHERLOCK

[Harveyg]

Have to laugh at everyone swallowing the very misleading headline and then reading what they want to see.

Did you guys miss this bit: "At the same time, the report said any such work was restricted to "feasibility and scientific studies" that stopped short of the advanced development of such weapons."?

You who are so willing to defend what, the underdog? The oppressed? You will always find something.

I hope it doesn't take reports restricted to "feasibility and scientific studies" that stopped short of the advanced development of a tool to knock you on your ***.... Maybe judgement springing from bodily sensation will trump mind masturbation...

[arjunadawn]

Have to laugh at everyone swallowing the very misleading headline and then reading what they want to see.

Did you guys miss this bit: "At the same time, the report said any such work was restricted to "feasibility and scientific studies" that stopped short of the advanced development of such weapons."?

Why is the headline misleading? I mean, regardless of feasible or studies these things were ostensibly wee not to be taking place (I thought). Isn't that the reason the byline was meaningful, or valid? I see your point but this seems more or a caveat than a rationale.