Report: US Quietly Accuses Iran of Nuclear Violations
JERUSALEM, Israel -- The U.S. has quietly accused Iran of shopping for some components of a plutonium bomb.
Foreign Policy magazine reports that U.S. officials have told a U.N. Security Council committee that Iran has been illicitly seeking equipment for a research reactor at its Arak nuclear plant, in violation of a year-old agreement that Iran would cut back on its nuclear activities in exchange for billions of dollars in reduced sanctions.
The U.S. apparently made its findings known in a private report, dated November 7, from an eight-member panel advising a U.N.committee responsible for monitoring sanctions compliance.
The report sharply contrasts with statements by Secretary of State John Kerry, who told a gathering at the Brookings Institute in Washington this week that "Iran has lived up to every commitment it made in the interim agreement."
Kerry also voiced hope that the P5+1 nations could soon conclude a more permanent agreement with Tehran. "I think the target is three [or] four months and hopefully even sooner if that is possible," Kerry said.
The White House has not commented publicly on the Iranian activities, but the Foreign Policy report is almost certain to spark more questions from skeptical members of Congress from both parties.
Colum Lynch, the author of the Foreign Policy article, quoted a diplomat at the Security Council, who admitted the intensive worldwide push for an agreement with Iran is causing a drop in reports of Tehran's violations of the interim agreement.
"We did think it likely that people had been holding back on reporting because of concerns about the impact it might have on the talks," the diplomat said.
The latest revelations drew the attention of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-California. He called the Iranian regime "a determined cheater" and issued a statement reading, in part, "Despite Iran's deceit and intransigience, the administration's optimistic talk goes on. We are on our second negotiations extension. Iran is not addressing our fundamental verification and enrichment concerns. It is well beyond time for more sanctions pressure."
