Special to WorldTribune.com

Compiled by Bill Gertz, Geostrategy-Direct.com

The International Atomic Energy Agency waited six years before finally releasing detailed intelligence obtained from the United States and Israel showing Iran was developing nuclear weapons, contrary to Teheran’s denials.

The report, made public last week, revealed that Iran conducted secret work on its nuclear arms program after 2003. A controversial U.S. intelligence estimate four years ago had concluded that Iran was not engaged in nuclear arms work after 2003.

The IAEA report is a stunning rebuke to U.S. intelligence analysts behind the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate that some U.S. officials at the time said was “politicized” in an effort to dissuade the Bush administration, and possibly Israel, from attacking Iran for its refusal to halt the nuclear arms work.

The nuclear watchdog agency’s report helps explain why analysts came to the false conclusion that Iran stopped work in 2003. The report said that after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, Iran feared a similar military action and, rather than halt the program, moved it to different government agencies and research institutions.

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  2007 National Intelligence Estimate, Bush administration, Delayed UN report decimates ‘politicized’ U.S. intel estimate in 2007, International Atomic Energy Agency, Teheran