Iran may have tried to violate nuclear deal: German report



07/09/16 10:37 AM EDT

Iran attempted to acquire a technology that could be used for its military nuclear program in violation of its global nuclear deal, the German domestic intelligence service said Friday.

German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution said that despite the international agreement, Iran continued its "illegal proliferation-sensitive procurement activities" on a high level.

However, the U.S. State Department rebuked the German report, calling it a broad assessment of 2015 that fails to distinguish between Iranian activities before and after the nuclear deal was enacted, according to CNN.

"We have no information to indicate that Iran has procured any materials in violation of the [nuclear agreement],” State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

Kirby added that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found that Iran is fulfilling all of its duties and obligations under the agreement and that the German government agrees with that assessment.

"We understand that Germany shares this view and is not suggesting that Iran has violated its JCPOA commitments,” he said.

"We have no indication that they are violating the deal, and the deal has never been about trust, it's never been about spirit it's never been about how we feel about Iran, it's about them meeting their commitments and they are meeting theirs and we are meeting ours. … This is not about touchy feely," Kirby added.

The Institute for Science and International Security on Thursday issued another report saying Iran attempted to secretly acquire carbon fiber, a key material needed to build a centrifuge.

Moreover, Iran did not notify the international community of its efforts, despite its obligation to be transparent under the 2015 agreement, the report said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel strongly criticized the secret Iranian program Thursday, telling the German parliament that it is "in clear contradiction to the relevant provisions of U.N. Security Council."


http://thehill.com/policy/national-s...-german-report