U.K. source: We disagreed with U.S. assessment on Iran nukes
Source says British officials suspect Iran has been seeking nuclear weapons for the past few years.
By Reuters Tags: Iran Israel newsBritish officials suspect Iran has been seeking nuclear weapons for the past few years, differing from a U.S. view that Tehran halted work on design and weaponization in 2003, a UK security source said on Wednesday.
Last week's revelation of a second nuclear plant in Iran only served to support international suspicions about an Iranian cover-up to mask nuclear weapons designs, the source said.
A U.S. National Intelligence Estimate published in December 2007 judged with high confidence that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in the autumn of 2003 and had not restarted it as of mid-2007.
The estimate defined the phrase nuclear weapons program to mean nuclear weapon design and weaponization work and covert uranium conversion-related and uranium enrichment-related work.
"We didn't share the U.S. assessment and still do not," the British source said.
"That's what we felt in 2003. So (our concern) goes back to then. We're still not convinced and last week's developments have simply supported that skepticism."
"I want to make it quite clear we are not in an intelligence battle with the U.S. It's only a difference of assessment. It's to do with the analysis, not the information."
The 2003 U.S. intelligence estimate at the time dampened international support for further sanctions on Iran, which denies any plans for atomic weapons and says its uranium, enrichment work is intended only for electricity production.
But news of the second plant has raised pressure on Iran and added urgency to Thursday's Geneva meeting between Iran and permanent UN Security Council members China, Britain, France, the United Sates and Russia, as well as Germany.
Western leaders demand Tehran comply with international rules on nuclear non-proliferation, and Washington has suggested possible new sanctions on banking and the oil and gas industry if Tehran fails to assuage Western fears it seeks nuclear arms.
Apparent differences in foreign intelligence assessments of Iran's nuclear work have surfaced increasingly in recent weeks.
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director-General of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said this month that Israeli and French suggestions he was hiding evidence of alleged Iranian atom bomb work were baseless.
An August 28 IAEA report said Western intelligence material implying Tehran secretly combined uranium processing, airborne high-explosive tests and efforts to revamp a missile cone in a way that would fit a nuclear warhead was compelling.
The UN nuclear watchdog said on September 7 that Iran must clarify the matter instead of just rejecting the intelligence as fabricated. But the report contained no new, concrete evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons agenda, it said.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has said the IAEA had yet to publish annexes of findings on Iran which he said were "important" for an assessment of "possible military dimensions" to Iran's uranium enrichment campaign.
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Watch out Petra you will trip over your ego like Obammy, UK is still a mighty power and stands by its allies,not like USA whose allies sway with the wind. Look at Honduras, usa wants another chavez!!!!
While you are correct in the fact that there were not only the British Commonwealth countries fighting the Nazis in addition to those you mentioned. However, the point remains that Great Britain was the nation that led the resistance against Hitler and without which the others would be leaderless. The resistance was supported principally by Great Britain. It would have continued if any of the other groups dropped out. However, if Great Britain had surrendered, the other groups would have faded away as organized military units. Russia did not enter the war until later. Great Britain did essentially stand alone, and in doing so saved the world. BTW, Israel has received far more in aid than England received in lend lease. England paid it back. The last payment was the year before last. Israel hasn?t repaid. England was an ally. Israel has never been. Not in Desert Storm, Afghanistan or Gulf war 2. Never..
'17' my dear old thing, may I call you '7' for short? I have heard of the Red Army, they were Allies of Hitler until he launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. The Red Army was almost as late as the Americans in turning up to fight the Nazis.
While you are correct in the fact that there were not only the British Commonwealth countries fighting the Nazis in addition to those you mentioned. However, the point remains that Great Britain was the nation that led the resistance against Hitler and without which , the others would be leaderless. The resistance was supported principally by Great Britain. It would have continued if any of the other groups dropped out. However, if Great Britain surrendered, the other groups would have faded away as organized military units. Russia did not enter the war until later. Great Britain did save the world.
"Britain`s year of fighting all alone against Hitler..." M Sir, ????????????????? ps. Ever heard of Red Army?" I know you Americans don't think the war started until the Japs attcked Pearl Harbour and Hitler forced you into the war against him, by declaring war on you, but there was a lot of WW2 before your belated entry. France fell in May 1940. Hitler didn't attack Russia until June 1941. If you want to be picky, you could say that Greece was on our side between October 1940 when Italy attacked it and April 1941 when it was overrun by Germany, but do please do some reading on Barbarossa.
I guess I should have said British Empire and territories. Plus the Free French. But you have to admit that if Britain had made peace with Hitler after the fall of France, the war would have been over and Hitler would have won. The point I was really making was to US Petra. While I freely and gratefully acknowledge the massive contribution of the US to victory against Hitler, I get a bit tired of Americans acting like they were the only ones fighting Hitler, and everybody else was just there to be saved by them. They wouldn't even have been in the war against Hitler unless the Japs attcked them at Pearl Harbour. Even then Hitler, as Japan's ally declared war on the US, rather than the other way round.
Petra, I sure can;t figure you. You write nothing rational. Looking at your talkback history I would have assumed that you probably would agree with UK for speaking more agressively againt Iran? In some posts you hate the iraniam mullahs and on the other hand you are defending them here. I just dont get it. there is something seriously wrong with your mind! Oh maybe now I get it. All you want to do is bash Muslims and seems like UK have a lot of them. Is that your point?
"Britain`s year of fighting all alone against Hitler..." M Sir, ????????????????? ps. Ever heard of Red Army?
Michael Fighting all alone, Like the Lebanon Syria Campaign of June 1941 Where along the 9,000 British troops Fought 18,000 Australians 5,000 Free French troops 2,000 Indian Troops And lets not forget the people in the front line Jewish Guides, Rangers and Saboteurs of the Palmach Where do you think Moshe Dayan got his eye shot? If not for all those who fought along with you in that battle, That you seem to forget or disregard, The British would have been forced to return back home to Britain! Romel would have no problem to capture all Africa and the ME! So give a little tiny respect to others who fought along with you! Australians troops, Free France troops, Indian troops, And the Jewish volunteers from Palestine Israel, at the leading units!
Whilst Washington mulls over said report, they do feel quite safe. One cannot compare PM Gordon Brown with the infamous Chambermaid fellow, now can we.? PM Brown has been predictably irritated and rather brash over the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program which nobody doubts, except certain folks that publish silly NIE reports. Good day from sunny Swiss Alps.
I assume you're American from the way you speak. Don't even start trying to blame Britain for the Iraq invasion! We were only dragged into that because Blair was desperate to cosy up to Bush. 2 million of us marched through London to oppose the invasion before it started, precisely because we thought the intelligence was rubbish. Bush by comparison had been trying to invade Iraq ever since 9/11.
For the politicians and people that do not understand why Iran is such a serious threat to the entire world, follow in sequence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wgDXOMAx5A&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Cqp3crBto&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLjVv3TkRXs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNoRkZZruu8&feature=related
We should note that British intelligence was a prime manufacturer of bogus intel about Iraq. The reality is that ALL of the major players in this debate have track records of being big liars. Iran, America, Britain, Israel. The fact is that due to recent lies, fabrications, prevarication's, and palter, none can be trusted in this matter.
free world. Finally british did something right. The american assessment is totally wrong beginning with that stupid baker report declaring Iran free of nukes years ago.That is dangerous for the children of the future.
Michael Fighting all alone, Like the Lebanon Syria Campaign of June 1941 Where along the 9,000 British troops Fought 18,000 Australians 5,000 Free French troops 2,000 Indian Troops And lets not forget the people in the front line Jewish Guides, Rangers and Saboteurs of the Palmach Where do you think Moshe Dayan got his eye shot? If not for all those who fought along with you in that battle, Who you seem to forget and disregard, The British would have been forced to return back home to Britain! Romel would have no problem to capture all Africa and the ME! So give a little tiny respect to others who fought along with you! Australians troops, Free France troops, Indian troops, And the Jewish volunteers from Palestine Israel, at the leading units!
Michael Fighting all alone, Like the Lebanon Syria Campaign of June 1941 Where along the 9,000 British troops Fought 18,000 Australians 5,000 Free French troops 2,000 Indian Troops And lets not forget the people in the front line Jewish Guides, Rangers and Saboteurs of the Palmach Where do you think Moshe Dayan got his eye shot? If not for all those who fought along with you in that battle, Who you seem to forget and disregard, The British would have been forced to return back home to Britain! Romel would have no problem to capture all Africa and the ME! So give a little tiny respect to others who fought along with you! Australians troops, Free France troops, Indian troops, And the Jewish volunteers from Palestine Israel, at the leading units!
was buying yellow cake from Niger!!!!! As I recall, Bush said they told him so. It was not so. The Brits intelligence sucks and the world community knows it. God, we are still mired in Iraq and the Brits hauled ass out after 'their assessment' of WMD's. Get real.
For once put aside the British bashing as the article is addressing their agreement with our opinions on the Iranian issue
Iran needs to tell the IAEA and the world it plans to build a 100 nuclear plants for peaceful purposes. This soap opera is getting absurd with the constant drumbeat from Israel. America has a 103 nuclear reactors, France has 58 and Israel god knows how many they have beside Dimona and so Zionists needs to find a new hobby other than whining and screaming to the top of their lungs like chicken little for public show. Iran has every right and I repeat, EVERY RIGHT, to pursue whatever technology their heart desires. If Jews don't like it, put up or shut up!!
old Wilson and ending on maerranos Jack Straw and Miliband-all of them kow-towed to arabs and Iranians while bashing Israel. Nowthey want togain some cheap kudos.
Sorry, you're obviously enjoying pouring out your venom on Britain (curious how people like you never talk about Britain's year of fighting all alone against Hitler before the US was belatedly forced into fighting him). However, if you actually read the story and understand it, the Brits are doing you a favour, saying Iran IS after nukes. Enjoy.
The Brits have no part in victory, they've been over run w/ muslims. They begged America for help in two world wars. No wonder England is reduced to a handful of dummies. Britain has become a joke on itself.
UK has the vision of Mr McGoo. Brits couldn't win a war w/o USA and now, w/ the UKs anti semitism at the fore, the UK would say anything to try and keep Israel as the sacrificial lamb. too late, the UK is over rum w/ Muslims. Israel will not believe anyone but their own intelligence. The brits can't spell it. Next time the UK needs USA's help, don't call US, we'll call you.
People seem to have got this the wrong way round.
between Europe and USA, in the matter of establishing clarification on events important to solving world mechanism. Signs are all over for a disapointing conduct of USA recently, especially in the past six months. The West is no longer expecting President Obama to play a vital role in the complicated and increasingly threatening world political and military arena. Sure, Mr Obema is concerned in his legacy primarily in the USA, proving that he may finally finish the social justice implementation work of F.D. Roosevelt, thus his lack of complete involvement in the outside of USA. Sure, the Chinese, India, Brazil and Russian clamering for a place in the sun has an added pressure for Obama administration to play a different role, subject to hit Israel's interest very soon. Thus my insistant that the times are here to reoriente Israel policy to the different drums. Berlisconny is already making fun of Obama's priorities (Denmark for Olympic, TV Stations daily for Health...) and his lack
Nobody much over here is interested in attacking Iran or even in putting sanctions on it. Politicians who feel they need to cosy up to America go through the motions, but there's no public interest whatsoever.