WASHINGTON, Dec 3: An official US intelligence report released on Monday said that Iran halted work on its nuclear weapon programme in 2003 and was unable to make a bomb in the near future.
The report, which will have far-reaching impact on US efforts to censure Iran for its alleged attempt to make a nuclear bomb, says that Iran may not be able to enrich enough uranium for a bomb until 2010 to 2015.
The latest report contradicts a 2005 US intelligence estimate saying that Iran was “determined to develop nuclear weapons despite its international obligations and international pressure.”
The 2007 report, however, warned that Iran can still reverse its civilian enrichment programme and eventually produce a nuclear weapon if it wanted to do so.
Iran declared in 2006 that it has acquired the capability to produce enriched uranium for producing civilian energy. But even if Iran decides to do so, it would need much higher concentrations to yield a nuclear explosion, the latest report said.
“We judge with moderate confidence that the earliest possible date Iran would be technically capable of producing enough highly enriched uranium for a weapon is late 2009, but that this is very unlikely,” the report said. Monday’s report represents the consensus of US intelligence agencies.
