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Analysts pointed out that immediately after the launch of its satellite Omid, Iran drew the attention of international media to the perceived contradiction between the IAEA report and US Intelligence regarding the amount of fissile material Iran possessed1. Analysts also urged senior US officials and the media to exhibit greater care to accurately state what is known about Iran's nuclear capabilities2.
Reports also noted that if Iran went nuclear, it would not only defy five UN Security Council resolutions but would also cause a ‘proliferation cascade’ in the Middle East3.
Israel on its part charged that Iran was using the pretext of its ongoing talks with Western powers to pursue its nuclear ambitions. Israel's military intelligence head Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin told cabinet ministers that Iran had crossed the technological threshold and that ‘reaching a military-grade nuclear capability is a question of synchronising its strategy with the production of a nuclear bomb4.”
- 1. Kaveh L Afrasiabi, “IAEA 'mismanagement' raises Tehran's ire,” March 4, 2009, at http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KC04Ak01.html
- 2. Greg Thielmann and Peter Crail, “Arms Experts Correct the Record on Iran Uranium Claims,” March 2, 2009, http://www.armscontrol.org/node/3540
- 3. Mark Fitzpatrick, “Drawing a Bright Redline: Forestalling Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East,” at http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2009_01-02/Fitzpatrick
- 4. “Iran using nuclear talks to buy time for bomb: Israel,” March 8, 2009, at http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Iran_using_nuclear_talks_to_buy_time_for...