Mossad Chief Hands over Evidence of Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions to Washington

A photo published by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Twitter account of his consultations with Mossad chief David Barnea last week (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A photo published by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Twitter account of his consultations with Mossad chief David Barnea last week (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Mossad Chief Hands over Evidence of Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions to Washington

A photo published by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Twitter account of his consultations with Mossad chief David Barnea last week (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A photo published by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Twitter account of his consultations with Mossad chief David Barnea last week (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Mossad chief David Barnea concluded his visit to Washington, where he held talks with senior US officials and presented them with sensitive intelligence information confirming Iran’s dishonesty in its nuclear negotiations with the US and world powers, according to Tel Aviv political sources.

According to evidence carried by Barnea, Iran is pushing onward with its efforts to enrich uranium and its project for nuclear armament.

Barnea told US military and political officials that Israel fears that the free world has missed its chance and that Iran is on the verge of producing nuclear weapons.

The Mossad chief held meetings with CIA counterpart William Burns, FBI director Christopher Wray, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and senior officials at the State Department.

“The enrichment of uranium to 60 % means that they now have the tools and can make at least one nuclear bomb,” Barnea told US officials, accusing Iran of deceiving the international community.

Israeli sources said that Barnea is working alongside other Israeli officials to persuade US and European officials to harden their positions on Iran and prevent it from reaching its nuclear ambitions.

Israeli officials are trying to get International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) member states to ratify a resolution against Iran considering a new report issued by the UN.

The UN report had confirmed that the amount of enriched uranium that Tehran possesses may be sufficient for producing a nuclear bomb if Iran chose to continue enriching uranium to 90 %.

A return to a nuclear deal with Iran is unlikely to take place before the US holds its midterm elections in November, a European diplomatic source told the Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.



Taiwan Reports Chinese Balloon, First Time in Six Months

A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
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Taiwan Reports Chinese Balloon, First Time in Six Months

A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
A woman holds flags amid celebrations of the 130th foundation anniversary of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), in Taoyuan, Taiwan November 24, 2024. (Reuters)

Taiwan's defense ministry on Monday reported that a Chinese balloon had been detected over the sea to Taiwan's north, the first time since April it has reported such an incident in what Taipei views as part of a pattern of harassment by Beijing.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, complained that in the weeks leading up to its presidential election in January Chinese balloon activity took place at an "unprecedented scale".

It described the incidents as part of a Chinese pressure campaign - so-called grey-zone warfare designed to exhaust a foe using irregular tactics without open combat.

Taiwan strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and says only the island’s people can decide their future.

The ministry, in its regular morning update on Chinese military activities over the previous 24 hours, said the single balloon was detected at 6:21 p.m. (1021 GMT) on Sunday 60 nautical miles (111 km) to the north of Taiwan's Keelung port.

It then vanished some two hours later, having flown at an altitude of 33,000 ft (10,000 meters), but without crossing Taiwan itself, the ministry said.

China's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

China has previously dismissed Taiwan's complaints about the balloons, saying they were for meteorological purposes and should not be hyped up for political reasons.

The potential for China to use balloons for spying became a global issue last year when the United States shot down what it said was a Chinese surveillance balloon. China said the balloon was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray.