Howard Berman: “Iran has repeatedly denied that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons. But it is increasingly difficult to conceive of…”

“Iran has repeatedly denied that it is trying to develop nuclear weapons. But it is increasingly difficult to conceive of any other plausible explanation for its efforts to enrich uranium and develop other nuclear-related capabilities. And even harder to understand why else it would try so hard to conceal these activities from the international community. As reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has failed time and time again to comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. It has also failed to provide a full disclosure of all nuclear activities to the IAEA, and engaged in a pattern of lies and deception. Since Iran's covert nuclear program was exposed to the world in February 2003, IAEA inspectors have found traces of highly enriched uranium, discovered that Iran had reprocessed a small amount of plutonium, and forced Iranian officials to reveal critical information about advanced centrifuge designs and components. These and other revelations about Iran's nuclear program are even more troubling in light of Iran's extensive ties to international terrorist organizations.”