Liberman on Iran, NIE

“The National Intelligence Estimate reinforces the need for concern and caution, not complacency, on the part of the United States and the international community, about Iran’s illegal nuclear activities. “On the one hand, today’s NIE suggests that economic and diplomatic pressure can work in persuading the Iranian regime to suspend at least some elements of its illegal nuclear activities-and that therefore we should continue to work with our allies to ratchet up the heat. “At the same time, as the NIE makes clear, the Iranian regime has neither verifiably ended nor abandoned its secret nuclear weapons program-the existence of which Tehran continues to deny. Rather, the Iranian regime has at best made a tactical decision to halt certain elements of this program, in response to increased international pressure and scrutiny, and which it may restart at any time. “As the NIE also makes clear, the Iranian regime continues to pursue its illegal uranium enrichment program, in violation of its international commitments and in flagrant disregard of the will of the international community. “As the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency have long insisted, Iran’s illegal uranium enrichment program is totally unacceptable. That is because, if Iran is able to perfect the technological know-how to produce highly enriched uranium through this program, this technology is then equally transferrable to produce a nuclear weapon. “It is very important for the American people to understand this point: even if Iran has suspended its direct drive for a nuclear weapon, its continued efforts to develop the technological know-how that would allow it, at short notice, to be able to assemble a nuclear weapon are just as threatening. “That is why it is so important for the United States and our allies to continue to turn up the economic and diplomatic pressure against Iran, to convince its regime to negotiate an end to all of its illegal nuclear activities.”