This latest bombshell should raise further concerns in the West about Iran’s sincerity and trustworthiness in adhering to any nuclear deal being negotiated with world powers that would result in sanctions relief.
Negotiations are underway to reach some sort of deal by June 30 after reaching a somewhat shaky preliminary deal on April 2 this year. At that time, Iran agreed to reduce the number of centrifuges in use as well as other long-term nuclear limitations.
The United Nations Security Council’s Iran sanctions committee released some of the details of the attempted purchase in its latest annual report. Reuters was privy to that report. Reuters is reporting the panel said that “in January Iran attempted to buy compressors – which have nuclear and non-nuclear applications – made by the U.S.-owned company Howden CKD Compressors.”
The information was confirmed to Reuters by a Czech state official and a Western diplomat who was familiar with the case. Both said Iran had attempted to purchase the technology from Howden CKD in the Czech Republic in January of this year, but Czech authorities had been able to block the sale.
While there are no indications Howden CKD was knowingly involved in the purchase, Officials at Prague-based Howden declined to comment on the attempted purchase. The U.N. panel on Iran Sanctions says there was a “false end user” listed on the contract.
The panel added: “The procurer and transport company involved in the deal had provided false documentation in order to hide the origins, movement and destination of the consignment with the intention of bypassing export controls and sanctions.”
UN warned in April of Iran’s attempt to purchase nuclear tech
On April 20, 2015, the United Kingdom warned the UN sanctions panel that Iran was actively attempting to purchase nuclear technology with a network that included two blacklisted firms.
As part of its annual report, the UN panel stated: “The UK government informed the Panel on 20 April 2015 that it ‘is aware of an active Iranian nuclear procurement network which has been associated with Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA) and Kalay Electric Company (KEC).”
KEC is under UN Security Council sanctions, and TESA is under U.S. and European Union sanctions because of its probable links to Iran’s nuclear activities. What Iran is doing now is nothing new. They have been under sanctions for years and the whole time, they have been using front companies and other under-the-table methods to procure illicit nuclear technology.
Despite all the sanctions by the United Nations and Western countries, Iran has been able to develop a substantial nuclear program. Sanctions have not hindered the Iranians, but diplomats say the sanctions have slowed Iran’s progress.
On May 1, the U.S. and the International Atomic Energy Agency said that so far, Iran had complied with the April 2 terms of the limited agreement. But the allegations of further attempts by Iran to purchase nuclear technology will be taken into account by the U.S. Congress.
