US intelligence: Iran can build bomb at will

U.S. intelligence report: Iran continued to develop its nuclear program over the last year, political consensus to determine whether the country builds a nuclear bomb • U.S. President Barack Obama promises to veto new sanctions during talks.
Yoni Hirsch and Israel Hayom Staff

U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper

| Photo credit: AFP

Iran’s ability to create missiles with nuclear warheads is currently more dependent on the “political will” of the country’s leadership than on closing technological gaps, according to the annual American intelligence community’s report presented to Congress on Wednesday.

“Tehran has made technical progress in a number of areas — including uranium enrichment, nuclear reactors, and ballistic missiles — from which it could draw if it decided to build missile-deliverable nuclear weapons,” National Intelligence Director James Clapper wrote in testimony submitted to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“These technical advancements strengthen our assessment that Iran has the scientific, technical and industrial capacity to eventually produce nuclear weapons,” he added. “This makes the central issue its political will to do so.”
According to the report, Iran continued to develop its nuclear program during the year prior to signing the interim deal in Geneva with world powers. The Islamic republic continued “installing additional centrifuges at [its] Fuel Enrichment Plant, developing advanced centrifuge designs and stockpiling more low-enriched uranium.”

The report goes on to state that there is no consensus within the Iranian leadership on the issue of nuclear weapons. The intelligence bodies also noted that the Iranians agreed to the interim deal due to uncertainty over whether the nuclear program was worth the price being paid in economic sanctions, set to be eased by the Geneva agreement.

“We judge that Iran is trying to balance conflicting objectives. It wants to improve its nuclear and missile capabilities while avoiding severe repercussions — such as a military strike or regime-threatening sanctions,” the report says.

But when it comes to the question of whether Iran will decide to build a nuclear bomb, the American intelligence community wrote in the report that it does not know the answer.

A chance for diplomacy

Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama used the opportunity of the State of the Union address on Tuesday evening to tell the two houses of Congress that he has no intention of approving legislation for further sanctions on Tehran while nuclear negotiations are still ongoing.
“Let me be clear: If this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it,” Obama said, “For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed.
“If Iran’s leaders do not seize this opportunity, then I will be the first to call for more sanctions, and stand ready to exercise all options to make sure Iran does not build a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Obama said that Iran had already begun to destroy its stockpiles of uranium enriched to a high level, and is not installing advanced centrifuges. He said, “The mistrust between our nations cannot be wished away. But these negotiations do not rely on trust; any long-term deal we agree to must be based on verifiable action.”

The U.S. president added: “If John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan could negotiate with the Soviet Union, then surely a strong and confident America can negotiate with less powerful adversaries today.”

Credit to Israel Hayom