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Where's the Report to Congress on Iran's Nuclear Program?

(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - Sen. Lindsey Graham helped to write Public Law 117-263, the Iran Nuclear Weapons Capability and Terrorism Monitoring Act of 2022. It requires the Administration to send Congress an assessment every six months about Iran's progress on uranium enrichment and other nuclear weapons development. In a letter Wednesday to Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), the Senator said the Administration is "in violation of the law" for missing two assessment deadlines over the past year. He said he'll put a hold on DNI nominations, and work with colleagues to condition funding for DNI headquarters, until the reports are sent to Capitol Hill. The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran has increased its stockpile of enriched fuel up to 60% purity to 313.3 pounds as of May. This is only a small technical step away from weapons grade 90% purity. Israeli officials are expressing their growing alarm in private conversations with U.S. officials. They're concerned enough that talk of a military operation is back on the table. Iran's progress may be a reason for the failure of Haines's office to provide the information to Congress. If it tells the truth about the program, members of both parties would increase the political pressure to do something. It is "unacceptable," as Graham puts it, that the Administration isn't providing "an updated assessment that outlines the exact status" of Iran's nuclear program.
2024-07-14 00:00:00
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