French Intelligence Official’s False Accusations Against Iran’s Peaceful Nuclear Program
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing mehr News Agency, Reuters reported that Nicolas Lerner, head of France’s Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), claimed on Tuesday that all aspects of Iran’s nuclear program have faced several months’ delays following U.S.and Israeli airstrikes. However, doubts remain about the location of Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
Lerner spoke for the first time on national television during an interview with LCI network, asserting: “Our assessment is that every phase of Iran’s nuclear program has been seriously damaged and likely delayed by several months.”
Without presenting evidence and echoing inconsistent assertions from some Western and American officials, he further alleged that a small portion of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was destroyed while most remains under Iranian control.
The French intelligence chief added: “Today we have some indications about the location of these stockpiles, but until the International Atomic energy Agency resumes its work, we cannot speak with certainty on this matter. This is very notable becuase otherwise we will lose tracking capability.”
Lerner continued his speculative argument against Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities by claiming that other intelligence assessments suggest Tehran may still secretly retain part of its enriched uranium reserves and possesses the technical capacity to rebuild its program.
He also alleged there is a possibility that clandestine nuclear activity continues at a lower enrichment level.
Omitting any mention of France’s breach alongside the U.S. and European Troika in fulfilling JCPOA obligations or Israel’s unfriendly actions during negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Lerner stated: “This [secret Iranian nuclear activity] is why France places such emphasis on finding a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear crisis.”
This French official’s claims come as Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi recently told an American media outlet: “Our nuclear program is peaceful.We have no intention to pursue nuclear weapons. Such weapons are forbidden according to the Supreme Leader’s fatwa and hold no place in our security doctrine.”
Araqchi added: “I hope the world-especially the west-accepts this fact that Iranians have the right to enjoy their peaceful nuclear rights. Certainly, Iranians will not give up this right.”
