US intelligence says Iran not building nuclear bomb
US intelligence says Iran not building nuclear bomb
TEHRAN - Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, despite assessments by the International Atomic Energy Agency that Tehran has rapidly increased enrichment of uranium to levels sufficient to build several weapons, The National reported.
That is the view of the U.S. intelligence community in its Annual Threat Assessment, released on March 25.
“We continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon,” the report said.
US intelligence community view
The 31-page report represents the joint view of up to 18 US intelligence agencies, from the CIA – the US foreign intelligence service, to the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, which monitors communications, and the National Reconnaissance Office, which operates spy satellites.
It could surprise observers listening to President Donald Trump, who has warned Iran to stop its nuclear research program or face military consequences.
The report was published as Iran revealed more of its vast underground military infrastructure on Tuesday, some dedicated to protecting nuclear facilities from air attack, and some bases dedicated to housing drones and missiles.
Iranian state media showed a video of a subterranean “missile city” being toured by Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who commands the aerospace forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran has shown several similar underground bases in the past, housing drones, attack boats and even fighter aircraft.
source: tehrantimes.com