Iran Accuses U.S. Of Nuclear Espionage
Iran has sent a formal protest note to Washington for “spying” on Iran’s nuclear activities, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Saturday in the wake of the latest US report on the alleged Iranian weapons program.
Mottaki said the American report earlier this week concluding that Teheran halted atomic weapons development in 2003 and hasn’t resumed it since. US intelligence agencies based their findings on “satellite and espionage activities,” according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency.
IRNA said the note was handed over to the Swiss Embassy in Teheran, which looks after US interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations between Teheran and Washington.
“The day the report was issued, the Foreign Ministry submitted a formal note of protest to the Swiss Embassy and demanded explanations over (America’s) espionage activities taking place (on Iran’s nuclear program),” Mottaki was quoted as saying.
The US report, released Monday, was a sharp turnaround from a previous intelligence assessment in 2005.
Iran has touted the report as a vindication of its claim that its nuclear program is only peaceful. Iranian officials insist Washington should take a less hawkish stance and drop attempts to impose new UN sanctions in light of the report’s conclusions.
Mottaki said 70 percent of the US report was “true and positive,” but denied its allegations of Iran having had a nuclear weapons program before 2003, according to footage provided by AP Television News.
“The remaining 30%, in which they claim that Iran had a nuclear weapons program before 2003 is wrong,” Mottaki said. “They refused to confess about this thirty percent because they did not want to lose all their reputation.”
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency, called the report a “sigh of relief” because its conclusions also jibe with his agency’s own findings.
The United States and some of its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons - a claim denied by Iran, which says its nuclear program aims only to generate electricity.
Iran has already been slapped with two rounds UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can produce either fuel for a reactor or a nuclear warhead.
Mottaki said the US intelligence report contained both “correct and incorrect” information.
He didn’t elaborate which parts of the report were in his perception wrong, but claimed it was prepared in early 2007, only to be blocked from release earlier by political bickering in the United States.
“The US intelligence agencies report had been prepared at the beginning of the year, but political disputes between the warmongering faction and their opponents delayed its release,” Mottaki said.
Mottaki was also quoted Saturday as saying US President George W. Bush was “lying” when he said he was informed of the report recently.
“Remarks by Bush that he was informed of the report recently shows that he is lying and has a short memory,” Mottaki said.
Mottaki added that in the wake of the report, Iran ruled out any US military action against it for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.
“We rule out the option of a military strike against Iran after the release of this report,” the minister was quoted as saying.
(AP)
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
USA spying on Iran. Right you are amanDinnerjacket. We are trying to steal you great innovations and secrets.
December 8th, 2007 at 11:19 pmhuh,did not
December 8th, 2007 at 11:55 pmThose fucking traitorous defeatist jackasses. They thought pulling this shit would guarantee ‘Bushitler’ couldn’t use military force. Instead, they’ve guaranteed the opposited. Iran now thinks their untouchable, and our only alternative to nulear holocaust is war.
Congratulations. You’re now responsible for the deaths of thousands, possibly millions. But at least you can say you opposed Chimpy McHalliburton.
Somehow, they’ll still find a way to blame the now-inevitable slaughter on someone else, holding themselves up as the closest their twisted values system comes to saints.
December 9th, 2007 at 12:27 amThat NIE report was a total mindfuck to the Iranians. We did that shit on purpose I think. This shit is getting them really paranoid. I think we are going to bring them back to the barganing table, or they will be provoked to do something really stupid by their own paranoia.
These stupid Iranians are now by their reaction communicating that they did have a weapons program when they denied they did. They also state they do not have one now or a secret covert one.
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Rember only 18% believe Iran is telling the truth about their nuclear ambitions.
The Iranians are hanging themselves and we are giving them all the rope we need.
Our guys are really good!
Either way, this is gonna come to a head before Bush leaves office.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:30 amThe NIE report is political feces. Nothing more. Are we spying on Iran? LOL. Surprise Ahmedisadick. Is he just now figuring that out? I’m still laughing at his goat-fucking ass.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:43 amMottaki said 70 percent of the US report was “true and positive,” but denied its allegations of Iran having had a nuclear weapons program before 2003, according to footage provided by AP Television News.
Hello, this is the type of statement I was talking about. I do not think these guys have any brains. They are operating at an extremely low level of consciousness.
Their bitching about the spying program so quickly admits our spying was correct. They did have a nuclear weapons program. They previously said they did not have a nuclear weapons program. If the NIE report was inaccurate they should have just denied it as not true. Their making a big deal shows the world this really is a big deal that needs to be addressed now.
People that are lying communicate it with their body language. The ones that always lie think no one is smart enough to catch on. They are the easiest to spot.
What happens when someone tells you, “hey I am a Christian” I’m honest. What do you really think about how “honest” you think they are when they say that?
Someone that goes out of their way to explain how they do everything with honor and integrity will fuck you over in a heartbeat.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:44 amCorey Wayne, you spot on !
The american reaction put them in a mess ; they were going to replace the Amemtajacket, even in assassinating him with a “moderate”, but still in the Mullah partition, now they think to keep the fool, theyr are giving him some more partitions, so the “fun” is not finished
December 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am