By Tony Duheaume
Al Arabiya, 4 August 2017 – Besides their policing duties within Iran’s borders, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was put in charge of the country’s clandestine nuclear program in the 1980s, taking full charge of the regime’s quest for nuclear weapons. With its hard-line commanders determined to lead the most powerful army in the Middle East, it needed sophisticated weapon systems to achieve this, and nuclear weapons soon became an obsession.
The full achievements made in the construction of these devices, will never be allowed to come to light, until those weapons are ready to be unveiled to the world; although, throughout the years, much intelligence has come to light to show the IRGC are well on course to achieving their goal.
With nationalistic fervor having always been at the forefront of the Guards revolutionary goals, they would never give up the quest for such a weapon. They feel that by possessing such an arsenal of weapons, they could steer Iran toward full control of the Middle East, as well as a handy tool for warding off an attack from the US or Israel, who would fear the catastrophic retaliation from Iran over such an attack.
With the Guards in total control of the procurement of weapons of mass destruction, they have supervised the construction of a vast network of underground facilities across Iran. The Iranian regime has claimed for decades that their nuclear program will be used to produce isotopes for medical purposes, and not to pursue a bomb. But with a vast amount of intelligence to prove otherwise, with all evidence pointing to a nuclear weapons program, it has to be assumed that Iranian boffins have been working on such weapons since the early days of Khomeini setting up the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Substantial documentation
There is substantial documentation to show that the Iranian regime has been for many years seeking equipment and expertise with which to build a nuclear device. Over the years, vast amounts of intelligence have come from many sources when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program.
In 2005, it came to light through the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), how Iran was in possession of quantities of polonium-210 and beryllium, plus the know-how to make a “neutron generator” that is needed to trigger a fission chain reaction, all key elements that are essential in the construction of a nuclear weapon.
With so much secrecy behind its nuclear program, plus the fact that underground nuclear facilities have been uncovered by the Iranian opposition group the MEK, and indisputable evidence that the Iranians have been building nuclear capable missiles, which they have been testing in recent months, this all seems to point toward the regime seeking a full nuclear capability for its military forces, and they could reach their goal in the very near future.
The deal
So as far as International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) policing its nuclear program as part of the Iran Deal is concerned, with the Iranian regime refusing the IAEA full access to secret bunkers such as Parchin, and its nuclear program just stalled and not dismantled, the agreement isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.
At the time of the Iran Deal, it was strongly believed that Iran’s nuclear weapon was close to completion, with already an arsenal of missiles capable of carrying them stored in underground bunkers ready to launch, many aimed at the Gulf states, and American military facilities in the area.
But such were the derisory sanctions placed against the regime by the West, headed by the Obama administration; Iran’s nuclear program has in effect only been suspended, which makes it possible for its boffins to restart it at any time. So, with Iran having received continued assistance from North Korea, a country that already has a functional nuclear device, as well as the capability to fit one to a missile, the scenario of full cooperation becomes ever scarier.
Defense systems
Also, through the millions of dollars handed back to Iran, the regime has strengthened both its internal defenses through the application of new air defense systems, as well as updating arms and equipment for its armed forces, making it a much bigger threat to its neighbors than ever before. As well as this, the amount of money it has had returned through the Iran Deal, has helped tremendously in bankrolling its military campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
So, by participating in this new game of diplomacy, which it has been playing very well, Iran’s clerical leadership is planning to be in the nuclear deceit game for the long haul. If they can keep the West playing along with them, the mullahs will be able to build up Iran’s inner security, and with its new strengthened military, it will have the ability to repel both internal dissent, and any outside invader, showing its neighbours that it is a country to be both feared and reckoned with.
Then no sooner is its economy booming, with its armed forces the most sophisticated in the Middle East, and its air defences second to none, the regime will finish building its long sought after nuclear weapon. Having reached the stage where it feels no outside force can stop it, the true belligerence of its leadership will take over, and their long sought after nuke will be revealed to the world.
But at least, now that Donald Trump is in charge of the White House, fresh sanctions have been put in place; but only time will tell how far the new president will go in confronting Iran, and in what form this confrontation will take.
Tony Duheaume
