Sec. Colin PowellPowell's Iran Nuke Info Questioned
* Source Reportedly Produced More Than 1,000 Pages Of Documents
kutv.com
Nov 19, 2004 8:10 am US/Mountain
WASHINGTON (CBS) Secretary of State Colin Powell's assertion that Iran was trying to fit missiles to carry nuclear weapons was based on the unverified claims of a single source, the Washington Post reported Friday.
The newspaper, citing two unidentified U.S. officials, described the source as a "walk-in" who produced more than 1,000 pages of documents, including plans to modify Iranian missiles to carry atomic warheads. One official told the newspaper the CIA was uncertain about the authenticity of the documents and how the "walk-in" obtained them.
Separately, the Los Angeles Times quoted an unidentified source as saying the Powell intelligence was weak. Some White House officials "were surprised he went public on something that was weak and, because it was weak, was not supposed to be used," the source told the Times.
The Times said Powell's apparently unscripted remarks about Iran on Wednesday appeared to catch the White House off guard.
Powell partially confirmed claims by an Iranian opposition group that Tehran is deceiving the United Nations and is attempting to secretly continue activities meant to give it atomic arms by next year.
"I have seen intelligence which would corroborate what this dissident group is saying," Powell told reporters Wednesday as he traveled to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago. "And it should be of concern to all parties."
Pressed by reporters on the intelligence reports, Powell said the intelligence indicates that Iran "had been actively working on delivery systems" capable of carrying a nuclear weapon.
Powell said there is no evidence to suggest that Iran has developed the technology to make a nuclear weapon, but suggested that the regime is working to adapt missiles for nuclear warheads.
"I'm talking about information that says that they not only had these missiles, but I'm aware of information that suggests they were working hard as to how to put the two together," Powell said.
Iran on Thursday denied allegations that it was working on atomic weapons and trying to fit missiles to carry nuclear warheads.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said the claims by the United States and an Iranian dissident group were intended to damage Tehran's relations with Europe and the U.N. nuclear agency.
"The claims are raised to destroy the positive atmosphere that resulted from the Paris Agreement," Asefi was quoted as saying by the official Islamic Republic News Agency.
Earlier this week, after negotiations with Britain, France and Germany, Iran announced it would suspend uranium enrichment activities in return for European guarantees that Iran has the right to pursue a peaceful nuclear program.
The next day, an official with the National Council for Resistance in Iran — considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union — said Tehran was deceiving the United Nations and attempting to secretly continue activities meant to give it atomic arms by next year. |
