By Tom Clifford, Assistant Editor, International
There is no obvious evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons programme, a leading institution on international relations told Gulf News.
"There is no smoking gun," Dr. Gary Samore, who compiled a report for the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said yesterday.
"We are not saying for definite that there is not a nuclear weapons programme but we are saying that there is no verifiable evidence to suggest this," Samore said.
However," Samore added, "we do believe that Iran may be keeping its options open. If Iran did want to produce a nuclear weapon, then it is at least five years away, possibly ten."
Samore was particularly concerned about Iran's policy on uranium enrichment.
"Countries with a nuclear energy programme, for instance South Korea, can order enriched uranium from countries overseas that have a certifiable nuclear industry. There is a legitimate international procedure to get it from other countries for peaceful means."
Iran, however, harbours fears about US pressure and intentions and does not want any part of its programme exposed to other countries, Samore said.
"Now the EU troika, Britain, France and Germany, have stepped in to guarantee enriched uranium for a peaceful Iranian nuclear programme, but Iran is still suspicious. "The report states that Iran may be keeping its options open. It wants a completely domestic nuclear programme with its own uranium enrichment capability," Samore said.
Samore believes the temptation to translate nuclear knowledge into a military capacity at some time in the future may be difficult to resist for some Iranian leaders.
The chief of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammad Al Baradei, has criticised Iran for persistently failing to disclose details of its nuclear projects.
The institute's report was far less critical than one issued a few days ago by the IAEA which stated that after two and a half years of intensive international investigation, questions remain about key aspects of Iran's nuclear activity.
