One year after the signing of the Iran nuclear deal, it has emerged that Iran is still attempting to secretly procure illicit nuclear technology and equipment.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency revealed last week that Iran is engaging in “illegal proliferation-sensitive procurement activities in Germany… at what is, even by international standards, a quantitatively high level”.
In its 317-page annual report, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) noted “a further increase in the already considerable procurement efforts in connection with Iran’s ambitious missile technology programme which could, among other things, potentially serve to deliver nuclear weapons”.
It added: “Against this backdrop it is safe to expect that Iran will continue its sensitive procurement activities in Germany using clandestine methods to achieve its objectives”.
The report also identified over 1,000 associates of Iran-backed terrorist groups that live in Germany, including about 950 members and supporters of Hezbollah and 300 members of Hamas.
It stated: “The followers of Islamist-terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah striving for the abolition of the Jewish State of Israel are focused on their regions of origin, which is where they commit most of their terrorist acts of violence”.
The report was emphasised by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her address to the German parliament on Thursday.
Chancellor Merkel told parliamentarians: “Iran continued unabated to develop its rocket programme in conflict with the relevant provisions of the UN Security Council”.
She added that the anti-missile system NATO deployed in Romania and the system it planned to deploy in Poland were “developed purely for defence” in response to Iran’s illicit military rocket programme.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed in July 2015 between Iran and P5+1 world powers.
In the year following the signing of the agreement and the removal of sanctions, Iran is reported to have performed at least eight missile tests — three in 2015 and five so far in 2016.
