Iranian opposition: US suckered, nuclear weapons track resumed in 2004

[Phx_Dem]

An Iranian opposition group in exile on Tuesday agreed with the US National Intelligence Estimate that claimed Teheran halted its nuclear weapons development program in 2003, but said that the bomb-making program resumed the following year. The report was therefore misleading in ignoring the evidence of the resumption of the program. "We announce vehemently that the clerical regime is currently continuing its drive to obtain nuclear weapons," said Mohammad Mohaddessin, a spokesman for the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI.

Mohaddessin, at a news conference, said that Iran appeared to have duped US intelligence into that conclusion. "The clerical regime leaks false information and intelligence to Western intelligence services, through double agents," he said.

Mohaddessin acknowledged that Iran shut down the Lavizan-Shian weapons center in Teheran sometime in 2003 under international pressure, and demolished the site. However, he claimed that the Iranian authorities merely shifted their weapons development efforts to other sites around the country, and that work had resumed by 2004. Israeli officials, citing their own sources, have confirmed this scenario.

The NCRI is no friend of the West. It is described as the political wing of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, an opposition group advocating the overthrow of the government in Teheran. The Mujahedeen are considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union as well as Iran. There was no independent verification of the NCRI claims, which Mohaddessin attributed to sources within Iran, including staff at covert nuclear plants. He said the group had checked with its sources in the past week and discovered that the centers were still working.

More at:
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/12467.htm

[magellan]

1. "An Iranian opposition group in exile"

That was all I had to read to stop reading.

[plcdude]

3. looks like

another curve ball coming our way.

[MidwestTransplant]

10. Spitball.

[blondeatlast]

5. Exactly. nt

[KittyWampus]

2. is this exile group buddies with Ahmed Chalabi?

[Donnachaidh]

4. I guess the CIA tape thing gave them time to round up this group?

Talk about convenient. :eyes:

[gilpo]

6. israelinsider.com????

Yeah, reliable and unbiased, I'm sure.....

Edit for spelling and......

:sarcasm: for the :sarcasm: deficient

[Phx_Dem]

7. Jpost link

Iranian opposition: Teheran resumed nuke program in 2004
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1196847311372&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[blondeatlast]

8. What is jpost? I like to know where I'm being headed before I jump in.

Doesn't appear we're talking the Grey Lady here, so I'll proceed with caution, thank you.

[Phx_Dem]

9. The Jerusalem Post

pretty mainstream paper in Israel.

[blondeatlast]

11. Well, golly, no bias there, nosirree. I'd take even a WaPo link on this story today,

but until you offer something vaguely resembling a reasonably objective source, no thank you.

[Phx_Dem]

12. Both news sites I linked to

are reporting what the spokesperson for NCRI said, whether it's true or not is for the reader to decide.

[blondeatlast]

13. And I have. nt

[sutz12]

14. We will now return you to your fear-based neo-reality.

The NIE report was just a brief respite intended to provide temporary relief.

:scared:

[Phx_Dem]

15. Iran's top commanders are nuclear weapons scientists

WASHINGTON — Twenty-one commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps are the top scientists running Iran's secret nuclear weapons program, says the man who exposed Iran's nuclear weapons program in 2002.

On top of that, the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate published last week saying Tehran shut down its weaponization program in 2003 failed to mention that the program restarted in mid-2004, said Alireza Jafarzadeh, an Iranian dissident and president of Strategic Policy Consulting.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/4486/152/