Iran aims to modernise and expand its weapons of mass destruction program

Berlin: Iran claims its nuclear program is for civilian use. However, Germany’s intelligence service has denied the allegations. In a statement issued Friday, the German intelligence stated, “Iran, which is currently in talks with Western nations at Vienna, is still working to modernise and expand its weapons of mass destruction. For this purpose, the Iranian agents last year contacted companies in Europe, including Germany, the intelligence report said.

Last week, the Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), German’s domestic intelligence agency, released a security report. BfV’s report in the German language details security developments in the country in 2020. A leading US daily published a translation of the report on Iran. Iran is increasing its production and modernising its weapons of mass destruction, the BfV said in the report.

Last week, Iran boosted its uranium enrichment to 60 per cent. While speaking on the topic, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that “Iran also had the capacity to increase the enrichment to 90 per cent but had no interest in developing a nuclear weapon.” Nevertheless, the German authorities have denied the allegations.

BfV claimed that Iran was creating a diversion by highlighting Iranian agents were trying to establish contacts with German companies working on high-tech in this field last year. Also, the German domestic intelligence agency alleged that Iran is circumventing the US and international sanctions to obtain the material for it. The number of Iranian spies in Germany has increased over the past few years, the BfV noted. Furthermore, the German intelligence service said Iranian agents are even working against groups that threaten its rule.

Iran and the West have been discussing the 2015 nuclear deal in Vienna for more than two weeks. During this time, the American news outlet has published this crucial report by German intelligence. The US Department of State has refrained from commenting on the BfV report, the daily highlighted. Besides, Benjamin Weinthal, an analyst with a US think tank, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel would also not be taking a stand against Iran despite the report by the intelligence service.

“Over the past few years, the German intelligence service has consistently been releasing reports that pinpoint Iran’s violation of the 2015 nuclear deal as even warn of its efforts towards acquiring nuclear weapons. At the same time, the report asserted that Iran was increasing its ballistic missile capabilities. However, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ignored intelligence reports and given more importance to trade relations with Iran,” Weinthal said.

Even as the German intelligence service is warning about Iran, the German government is trying to make the ongoing talks on the 2015 nuclear deal in Vienna a success. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has announced that the talks aim to get Iran to join the 2015 nuclear deal and ease the United States sanctions.

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