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U.S. Spies: Iran Split on Nuclear Program
(Wall Street Journal) Adam Entous - A new classified U.S. intelligence assessment concludes that Iran's leaders are locked in an increasingly heated debate over whether to move further toward developing nuclear weapons, saying the bite of international sanctions may be sowing discord. The new national intelligence estimate (NIE) says Tehran likely has resumed work on nuclear-weapons research in addition to expanding its program to enrich uranium - updating a contested 2007 estimate that concluded the arms program had all but halted in 2003. The NIE's findings suggest that some Iranian leaders are worried that economic turmoil fueled in part by international sanctions could spur opposition to the regime. "There's a strong sense that a number of Iranian regime officials know that the sanctions are having a serious effect," a U.S. official said.