The IAEA published a report today that expresses concern that Iran may be using its civilian nuclear program to cover up a nuclear weapons program. The 10-page report, not yet public but obtained by the AP, appears to present no new smoking gun but rather relies on a gathering storm of evidence and a general unease with Iran’s repeated dodging of the IAEA’s attempts to probe for a cover-up. The report is the first written by new IAEA chief Yukiya Amano.
That gathering storm of evidence includes some information slipped out of Iran on a laptop and a technical document that suggests that Iran may be working on a nuclear detonator. American intelligence officials claim to have already been aware of all included intelligence. However, the AP is also reporting that the U.S. may be revising its 2007 intelligence assessment, which stated that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program.
The report was submitted to the Security Council, which is currently deadlocked on a fourth set of sanctions for Iran. Russia is still undecided, and China is opposed.