Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Congress, on the eve of the Nov. 24 deadline, has been warned against an inadequate Western nuclear agreement with Iran.

A House panel was told that the U.S. intelligence community continues to lack data on Iran’s nuclear program. Former CIA director Michael Hayden said the intelligence community encountered difficulty in determining Iran’s progress toward a nuclear weapon.

“Current American intelligence paints a picture inconsistent with Iranian claims, but no one on our side would say we yet have a complete picture of their work to date,” Hayden said.

In testimony to the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and Africa on Nov. 20, Hayden said Iran, in what was termed a “tactical decision,” was determined to have suspended part of its nuclear program in 2007. But the former CIA chief said Teheran wanted to ensure that it could quickly reach a nuclear breakout.

“Even with incomplete knowledge on the program, it’s my belief that, at a minimum, Iran is keeping its options open, working very hard to keep its options open for a nuclear weapon,” Hayden said. “Iran is already too close to a nuclear weapon.”

Hayden, who served under President George Bush, said any agreement with Iran must ensure “far more transparency than we have today.” He said Iran must provide a “full accounting of the work they have done to date.”

“First, everyone must understand that Iran is a difficult intelligence target,” Hayden said. “The Iranian decision-making process is incredibly opaque and we should be under no illusions that we can precisely define the motivations or the future plans of the various power centers that vie for control in Teheran today. That gives me little confidence about any plans of action that are predicated on ‘helping the moderates’ in that capital.”

Hayden warned that the U.S. intelligence community could not warn of an Iranian nuclear breakout without what he termed an “invasive inspection regime” by the International Atomic Energy Agency. He said an Iran that was close a nuclear weapon’s breakout would destabilize the Gulf.

“Absent an invasive inspection regime, with freedom to visit all sites on short notice, American intelligence cannot provide adequate warning of Iranian nuclear developments,” Hayden said.

  CIA, Former CIA director warns U.S. knows too little about Iran’s nuclear program, Gen. Michael, WorldTribune.com