1 week ago
5
Jerusalem – Iran angrily lashed retired astatine Austria’s authorities Friday aft Fox News Digital reported connected a papers asserting that Tehran has developed an precocious atomic weapons programme that tin motorboat long-range missiles.
The explosive study from Austria’s mentation of the FBI—the Directorate State Protection and Intelligence Service—provides a specialized model into the Iranian regime’s illicit atomic weapons program and its espionage activities successful the cardinal European country.
DELEGATES FROM IRAN, US HOLDING TALKS IN OMAN AMID ONGOING TENSIONS: WHAT TO KNOW
Fox News Digital was the first quality enactment to report connected the Iran sections of the study connected Wednesday, sparking a large diplomatic enactment betwixt the Islamic Republic and Austria.
"The Iranian atomic weapons improvement programme is good advanced, and Iran possesses a increasing arsenal of ballistic missiles susceptible of delivering atomic warheads implicit agelong distances," the Austrian home quality bureau study stated.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the assemblage during a gathering with officials, Islamic countries' ambassador to Iran and a radical of radical successful Tehran, Iran, connected Monday, March 31, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, denounced the Austrian quality bureau "for spreading lies," and called connected the Austrian authorities to "provide an authoritative mentation regarding the irresponsible, provocative, and destructive enactment by 1 of its authoritative institutions," according to the Ministry’s website.
IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER VOWS NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT WILL CONTINUE 'WITH OR WITHOUT A DEAL'
Tehran-based Austrian diplomat Michaela Pacher was summoned to the Iranian overseas ministry, according to the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
"[Pacher] took this accidental to reiterate Austria's and the EU's presumption connected the Iranian atomic program," Austrian officials said successful a statement. "This presumption was astir precocious expressed to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
Austria expressed enactment for an EU connection on with different countries successful March.
"Iran already accumulated much than six important quantities of 60% enriched worldly [which the Agency defines arsenic the approximate magnitude of atomic worldly for which the anticipation of manufacturing a atomic explosive instrumentality cannot beryllium excluded] and is presently producing 1 important quantity of highly enriched uranium each month," noted the EU statement.
The EU connection added that "All these actions transportation precise important proliferation-related risks and rise sedate concerns astir Iran’s intentions, since they person nary credible civilian justification. In this context, the EU remains acrophobic by statements made by Iranian officials astir Iran’s capableness to assemble a atomic weapon."
The shocking Austrian quality findings contradict the appraisal of U.S. quality agencies that Iran has yet to statesman a weapons program, but has "undertaken activities that amended presumption it to nutrient a atomic device, if it chooses to bash so." There person long been conflicting views (between U.S. quality agencies and European quality services) implicit Iran’s amerciable atomic weapons program.
The U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to remark connected the Austrian report.
"President Trump is committed to Iran ne'er obtaining a atomic limb oregon the capableness to physique one," a White House authoritative said.
The Austrian study coincides with a caller International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. The AP reported connected Saturday that Iran has further accrued its stockpile of uranium enriched to adjacent weapons-grade levels, a confidential study by the UN atomic watchdog said Saturday and called connected Tehran to urgently alteration people and comply with the agency’s probe.
The study comes astatine a delicate clip arsenic Tehran and Washington person been holding respective rounds of talks successful the past weeks implicit a imaginable atomic woody that U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to reach.
IRAN'S KHAMENEI SAYS AMERICANS SHOULD AVOID TALKING 'NONSENSE' IN NUKE TALKS
The study by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency says that arsenic of May 17, Iran has amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%.
That worldly is simply a short, method measurement distant from weapons-grade levels of 90%. A study successful February enactment the stockpile astatine 274.8 kilograms (605.8 pounds).
The IAEA study raised a stern warning, saying that Iran is present "the lone non-nuclear-weapon authorities to nutrient specified material" — thing the bureau said was of "serious concern."
In February, Fox News Digital reported that the IAEA said Iran has capable enriched uranium to manufacture six atomic weapons.
US AND IRAN CLASH OVER URANIUM ENRICHMENT AS NUCLEAR TALKS RESUME IN ROME
"The Islamic Republic is the standard-bearer of deception and stonewalling. Today’s damning IAEA reports corroborate however Iran has been successful usurpation of the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] for years, adjacent erstwhile the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] was successful effect. It shows the authorities cannot beryllium trusted with immoderate diplomatic agreement," said Jason Brodsky, the argumentation manager of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).
The JCPOA is the ceremonial sanction for the Iran atomic woody that was concluded betwixt the Obama medication and Iran. President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA successful 2018 because, his medication said astatine the time, the woody did not forestall Iran from gathering atomic weapons.
"I deliberation Iran’s regime’s effect to Austria’s findings shows its sensitivity implicit these matters," Brodsky said. "It besides wants to bully Austria. Austria should unit the Iranian authorities to alteration the size of its embassy successful Vienna which it has agelong utilized arsenic a hub for malign quality postulation and operations passim Europe."
The clerical regime’s overseas minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, posted connected his X account a connection successful effect to the Fox News Digital report.
"Media is speculating astir an imminent Iran-U.S. deal. Not definite if we are determination yet," helium wrote. "Iran is sincere astir a diplomatic solution that volition service the interests of each sides.
"But getting determination requires an statement that volition afloat terminate each sanctions and uphold Iran's atomic rights—including enrichment. Path to a woody goes done the negotiating array and not the media."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The U.S. talks to dismantle Iran’s illicit atomic weapons programme coincides with a nationwide truckers’ onslaught successful Iran. The wide labour unrest could severely weaken the regime, according to Iran experts.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, who lives successful the U.S, called connected U.S. labour unions to basal with Iranian truckers.
"Truck drivers and workers crossed Iran are connected onslaught and are putting their lives connected the enactment to combat for their rights and for a amended aboriginal for their families," Pahlavi, who lives successful the U.S, wrote connected X. "Now, they are being jailed and threatened for posting photos and videos of their strike. Only successful a escaped Iran volition each workers person the close to freely and openly organize. I invitation you, labour unions and leaders, to basal with your chap workers successful Iran and amusement your solidarity."
English (US) ·