“Iran’s Intensified Illegal Efforts” to Acquire Nuclear and Missile Technology in Germany

Germany’s National Intelligence Agency released its annual security threats report on Tuesday, June 15, stating that “Iran’s efforts through illegal means to acquire nuclear weapons and missile technology in Germany have intensified.”

The report also indicates “a significant increase in the number of members and supporters of recognized terrorist movements such as Hamas and Hezbollah” and “a noticeable expansion of their activities on German soil.”

Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reports that the German intelligence agency’s report spans 420 pages, and the newspaper has reviewed the report’s contents after gaining access to it.

Germany’s National Intelligence Agency, whose official name is the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, mentions Iran’s name a hundred times in this document and emphasizes that it has monitored activities by Iran-related agents attempting to purchase the technologies requested by Tehran.

The German intelligence agency wrote that the scope of Iran’s activities and the actors seeking to purchase these technologies on Iran’s behalf show an upward trend compared to last year.

However, according to Jerusalem Post, Germany’s National Intelligence Agency did not consider these efforts to be violations of the JCPOA.

Jerusalem Post speculates that Germany, as one of Iran’s most important trading partners and still seeking to benefit from the JCPOA, did not consider Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear and missile technologies on German soil as violations of the nuclear agreement.

Germany, along with France and Britain, are the three European countries that remain in the JCPOA alongside China and Russia, and are attempting to facilitate the return of the Biden administration to the agreement through ongoing negotiations in Vienna.

However, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s President, emphasized three months ago in a meeting with his Israeli counterpart that Berlin is Israel’s partner in the goal of containing Iran’s nuclear program.

Heiko Maas, Germany’s Foreign Minister, who traveled to Jerusalem three weeks ago to express solidarity with Israel following the recent Gaza war, told senior officials of that country that Germany is a defender of Israel’s interests.

Iran, which has maintained full relations with Germany, generally does not respond to reports from that country’s intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, further details from the new German National Intelligence Agency report regarding the expansion of Hamas and Hezbollah’s presence and activities in 2020 on German soil have not yet been released to media.

Germany’s Interior Ministry recently, after declaring three groups in the country illegal on suspicion of collecting financial aid for Hezbollah, raided several locations in seven German states.

Germany’s intelligence and security organization assessed in mid-spring of this year that 1,050 people are operating on German soil in accordance with Hezbollah’s objectives.

On the other hand, the new government that took office in Israel from Monday, June 14, with Naftali Bennett as Prime Minister, and seized political power from Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizes that Israel’s policy of confronting Iran’s nuclear program has not changed, although it is aware that a return of the United States to the JCPOA may be imminent.

Yair Lapid, Israel’s new Foreign Minister, said that his country’s principles regarding Iran are “fixed” and Israel will prevent Iran from acquiring military nuclear capability.

Benny Gantz, Defense Minister in Israel’s new government, said Monday night in his first phone call after the new Israeli government took office, told Lloyd Austin, his American counterpart, that the two countries must continue to cooperate while preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Israeli media reported that Avivο Kohavi, Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, will also, in his first official trip to America this week, raise Iran-related issues with the Biden administration.

AvivoKohavi had said shortly before Benjamin Netanyahu stepped down from power that a return of the United States to the JCPOA means an Israeli attack on Iran.

However, it is unclear what orders the Israeli Chief of Staff, who is required to carry out the orders of his country’s political leadership, has received from Israel’s new government regarding Iran.

Source: Radio Farda