Is Iran seeking even more than just nuclear weapons? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.
For decades, the world was concerned Iran was seeking materials to develop nuclear weapons, but German intelligence is saying the Iranians were seeking more than just nuclear capability—they also wanted to develop chemical and even biological weapons. And this effort extended at least into last year. The Iran nuclear deal was signed last summer, with implementation in January 2016.
The Jerusalem Post cited a 2015 intelligence report from one German state government included Iran with North Korea as making “efforts to obtain technology for atomic, biological or chemical weapons.” Fox News issued a similar article, saying that a German state intelligence report found that Iran had sought tools from German companies for nuclear, chemical, and biological military weapons.
One week after The Jerusalem Post report that Iran was seeking the capability to develop weapons of mass destruction, a US legislator hailed the initial passage of new sanctions on Iran for its terrorism and ballistic missile programs. The bills passed the US House, but have still must pass the Senate and be approved by President Barack Obama to become law.
“Today, Iran is considered the leading state sponsor of terrorism,” said US Rep. Ed Royce, sponsor of one of the bills, in a press release. “…And under the president’s nuclear deal, Iran has actually accelerated its illicit ballistic missiles program. We cannot stand by and watch as Iran develops the vehicle to launch a nuclear warhead at the United States.”
Royce wasn’t the only one concerned by Iran’s actions. A US Senator was very troubled by a Fox News report that quoted an annual report from Federal German intelligence as saying that Iran has secretly sought technology from German companies for a nuclear program “at what is, even by international standards, a quantitatively high level.”
US Senator Mark Kirk said in a press release, “I strongly opposed the flawed nuclear deal because Iran would keep cheating, as shown by Iran’s numerous ballistic missile tests aimed at threatening Israel, and now by the German intelligence report on Iran’s aggressive efforts to secretly buy nuclear and missile technology.”
While Fox News reported that the Germans say the efforts took place prior to the implementation of the nuclear deal in January, Fox News cited a Walls Street Journal report that said that Iran continued illegal efforts in 2016.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, July 14, 2016)