This week the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency released its report on the “Implementation of NPT Safeguards in The Islamic Republic of Iran”. When I read about this report in the news media, I thought that there must have been two reports. The western and Israeli news media articles had headlines such as “IAEA Report: Iran blocks weapons probe”. (An example is here.) The Iranian media articles were headlined “Verifications on track”. (The article is here)
It turns out that they were both right. If one takes the time to read the actual report (If you want it, it is here.) the IAEA is talking about two different issues. With respect to Iranian nuclear enrichment activities the IAEA says such things as “All nuclear material at FEP (Fuel Enrichment Plant) … remain under Agency containment and surveillance” and all records “indicate that the plants have been operating as declared (i.e. less than 5.0% U-235 enrichment)”. (The level needed for peaceful uses of nuclear energy.)
The issue of the “weapons probe” relates to an intelligence report supplied by the US to the IAEA which alleges that Iran has a program to modify missile warheads to accommodate nuclear warheads. Iran has said that this report is a fabrication and if the IAEA will provide them with a copy of the documentation they will be able to prove that it is false. As indicated in the IAEA report the US has refused to allow that to happen.
In the run up to the invasion of Iraq the US media was criticized for taking the intelligence claims of the US government at face value and contributing to the government effort to mobilize public support for the invasion. Are we headed down the same road again?
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