Obama Administration Admits Iran Still Pursuing Nuclear Program
Wednesday, 28 Jan 2015 05:41 PM
Senior Obama administration officials admit the Iranian regime is continuing nuclear work even as it negotiates with Washington about curbing its suspected weaponization efforts, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
In testimony before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday, administration officials said Iran is "tinkering" with advanced technologies in an effort to enrich uranium.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby asked Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken whether the U.S.-Iran interim agreement signed in November 2013 had significantly halted Iran's pursuit of advanced nuclear knowledge. In his reply, Blinken admitted that Tehran is most likely conducting limited research at some of its nuclear sites.
"You're absolutely right, that there’s no doubt Iran is seeking to continue other [work on] centrifuges," Blinken said, the Free Beacon reports.
Blinken attempted to minimize the significance of Iran's continued nuclear work, asserting that under the agreements with the United States, "it can’t do the critical kind of testing" needed to make great advances.
"Are they tinkering with centrifuges and trying to build them in some places? Almost certainly," Blinken said, the Free Beacon reports.
"That’s a little more than tinkering," Shelby responded skeptically.
Treasury Department Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen agreed with Blinken, the Free Beacon reports.
"There is no question that, as Deputy Secretary Blinken said, the Iranians remain interested in their nuclear program," Cohen said. "These negotiations are designed to ensure going forward Iran cannot produce nuclear weapons."
Blinken and Cohen also emphasized that the administration's goal during negotiations is not to dismantle Tehran's nuclear infrastructure but to delay its development of a bomb.
And despite the ongoing negotiations, Tehran's ballistic missile development efforts continue to move forward.
The Jerusalem Post's Caroline Glick reported last week that Iran has produced an intercontinental ballistic missile — an act that poses a threat to the United States due to its expanded range.
"The missile and the launch pad indicate that Iran's ballistic missile program, which is an integral part of its nuclear weapons program, is moving forward at full throttle," Glick wrote.
And the expanded range of Iran's ballistic missile program "makes clear that its nuclear weapons program is not merely a threat to Israel, or to Israel and Europe. It is a direct threat to the United States, as well," Glick added.
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© 2015 Newsmax. All rights reserved.In testimony before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday, administration officials said Iran is "tinkering" with advanced technologies in an effort to enrich uranium.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby asked Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken whether the U.S.-Iran interim agreement signed in November 2013 had significantly halted Iran's pursuit of advanced nuclear knowledge. In his reply, Blinken admitted that Tehran is most likely conducting limited research at some of its nuclear sites.
Blinken attempted to minimize the significance of Iran's continued nuclear work, asserting that under the agreements with the United States, "it can’t do the critical kind of testing" needed to make great advances.
"Are they tinkering with centrifuges and trying to build them in some places? Almost certainly," Blinken said, the Free Beacon reports.
"That’s a little more than tinkering," Shelby responded skeptically.
"There is no question that, as Deputy Secretary Blinken said, the Iranians remain interested in their nuclear program," Cohen said. "These negotiations are designed to ensure going forward Iran cannot produce nuclear weapons."
Blinken and Cohen also emphasized that the administration's goal during negotiations is not to dismantle Tehran's nuclear infrastructure but to delay its development of a bomb.
And despite the ongoing negotiations, Tehran's ballistic missile development efforts continue to move forward.
The Jerusalem Post's Caroline Glick reported last week that Iran has produced an intercontinental ballistic missile — an act that poses a threat to the United States due to its expanded range.
"The missile and the launch pad indicate that Iran's ballistic missile program, which is an integral part of its nuclear weapons program, is moving forward at full throttle," Glick wrote.
Related Stories:
- Report: Iran Has Ballistic Missile That Poses Threat to United States
- Sen. Menendez: WH 'Talking Points' on Iran Are 'Straight Out of Tehran'
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