Iran claims without evidence that it took Israeli nuclear files
[June 09, 2025]
By JON GAMBRELL
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's intelligence minister claimed
without offering evidence Sunday that Tehran seized an “important
treasury” of information regarding Israel's nuclear program, ahead of a
week in which the Islamic Republic likely will face new diplomatic
pressure over its own program.
The remarks by Esmail Khatib follow Iranian state television claiming
Saturday that Iranian intelligence officials seized documents, again
without any evidence. Israel, whose undeclared atomic weapons program
makes it the only country in the Mideast with nuclear bombs, has not
acknowledged any such Iranian operation targeting it — though there have
been arrests of Israelis allegedly spying for Tehran amid the
Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Iran, meanwhile, will likely face censure this week from the Board of
Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency over longstanding
questions about its program. Iran has also signaled it will reject a
proposal from the United States after five rounds of negotiations over
its nuclear program — setting the stage for that long-running crisis to
potentially spike as well.
‘Treasury’ of secrets claim comes without evidence
Responding to questions from an Iranian state TV reporter Sunday after a
Cabinet meeting, Khatib said members of the Intelligence Ministry
“achieved an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific
intelligence of the Zionist regime and it was transferred into the
country with God's help.”
He claimed thousands of pages of documents had been obtained and
insisted they would be made public soon. Among them were documents
related to the U.S., Europe and other countries, he claimed, obtained
through “infiltration” and “access to the sources.”
He did not elaborate on the methods used. However, Khatib, a Shiite
cleric, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 over directing
“cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran’s political
goals.”
For Iran, the claim may be designed to show the public that the
theocracy was able to respond to a 2018 Israeli operation that spirited
out what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “half ton” of
documents related to Iran's program. That Israeli announcement came just
before President Donald Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew
America from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which greatly
limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
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Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib attends the inauguration
ceremony of the 6th term of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran, Iran,
May 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Announcement ahead of IAEA board vote, as US talks waver
This week, Western nations are expect to go before the IAEA's Board
of Governors with a proposal to find Iran in noncompliance with the
United Nations' nuclear watchdog. It could be the first time in
decades — and likely would kick the issue to the U.N. Security
Council.
That could see one of the Western countries involved in the 2015
nuclear deal invoke the so-called “snapback” of U.N. sanctions on
the Islamic Republic. The authority to reestablish those sanctions
by the complaint of any member of the original 2015 nuclear deal
expires in October — putting the West on a clock to exert pressure
on Tehran over its program before losing that power.
Iran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity — a short, technical step
away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Tehran has enough highly
enriched uranium to build multiple atomic bombs should it choose to
do so.
Without a deal with the U.S., Iran’s long-ailing economy could enter
a freefall that could worsen the simmering unrest at home. Israel or
the U.S. might carry out long-threatened airstrikes targeting
Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts fear Tehran in response could
decide to fully end its cooperation with the IAEA and rush toward a
bomb.
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Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed
to this report.
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