Diplomacy is unlikely to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, United States intelligence chief Dennis Blair told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. However, he did not offer a clear answer on how to convince Iran to give up its suspected aim of manufacturing a nuclear bomb.
Blair suggested using economic incentives and more threats of intense pressure but added, “It is difficult to specify what such a combination might be.”
Iran has claimed its nuclear power plant, which is set to start operations later this year, will be used only to generate electricity, but told the Senate committee, "Although we do not know whether Iran currently intends to develop nuclear weapons, we assess Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop them.”
The testimony further confirms the validity of Israel’s angry reaction last to year an American intelligence report that Iran has ceased its program to enrich uranium, which is a key element for a nuclear weapon. The U.S. estimated that Iran ceased the nuclear arms program in 2003 and resumed it only two years ago.
Blair estimated that Iran could produce uranium for a bomb as early as next year but also warned that he cannot "rule out that Iran has acquired from abroad or will acquire in the future a nuclear weapon or enough fissile material for a weapon."
Blair Backs Freeman
Blair, who is Director of National Intelligence, also defended his choice of Charles (Chas) Freeman to lead the National Intelligence Council, a position that includes overseeing intelligence estimates.
Many Jewish and non-Jewish organizations have expressed several concerns that Freeman’s pro-Arab and anti-Israeli background could jeopardize American security. Freeman is a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Senator Joe Lieberman told Blair that Freeman’s previous statements made him “appear either to be inclined to lean against Israel or too much in favor of China…. And the concern here is that it suggests that he’s more an advocate than an analyst.”
Blair responded that those officials are carrying out a routine check on Freeman’s past. “As far as the statements of Ambassador Freeman that have appeared in the press, I would say that those have all been taken out of context and I urge everyone to look at the full context of what he was saying,” Blair added.