French and British intelligence chiefs warn: Iran’s nuclear program ‘threatens us all'

Israel has long warned that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a significant threat to global peace. On Friday, the heads of the French and British intelligence services echoed this concern, stating that Tehran’s nuclear program “threatens us all.”

“Iran’s allied militias across the Middle East have suffered serious blows,” the British Secret Intelligence Service chief, Richard Moore, said, in reference to the IDF's extensive military operations against Iranian-backed terrorist proxies, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

“But the regime’s nuclear ambitions continue to threaten all of us,” Moore warned during a meeting with his French counterpart in Paris, France

The head of French Intelligence, Nicolas Lerner, backed Moore’s evaluation and emphasized the close intelligence cooperation between France and the United Kingdom.

“Our services are working side by side to face what is undoubtedly one of the threats, if not to say the most critical threat, in the coming months – the possible atomic proliferation in Iran,” Lerner stated. “The intelligence will be crucial to enable our authorities to make the right decisions and define the right strategies.” 

The Iranian regime has consistently maintained that it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons. However, Israel and Western governments remain skeptical of Tehran's official claims, citing actions that appear to contradict these assertions. Furthermore, the ayatollah regime continues to call for Israel’s destruction.

During a visit to Iran in early November, Rafael Grossi, the chief of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), voiced his opposition to any military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“I say this with regards to Iran… nuclear installations should not be attacked,” Grossi said, likely referring to a potential Israeli or American strike on Iran's nuclear program facilities.

Meanwhile, European and Iranian diplomats have reportedly met and discussed ways to reduce regional tensions before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in January. Germany, France, the UK and Iran reportedly agreed to continue diplomatic meetings “in the near future.”

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister of Legal and International Affairs, asserted that Tehran seeks the path of dialogue.

“We are firmly committed to pursue the interests of our people, and our preference is the path of dialogue and engagement,” Gharibabadi wrote on 𝕏.

In November 2023, the IAEA warned that Iran possesses enough enriched uranium to potentially produce three nuclear bombs.

“Iran’s stance is not only unprecedented but unambiguously contrary to the cooperation that is required,” the IAEA stated in its secret report on the Iranian nuclear program.

“The (IAEA) Director General (Grossi) continues to strongly condemn Iran's sudden withdrawal of the designations of several experienced Agency inspectors,” the report added.

Following a significant Iranian missile attack on Israel on Oct. 1, the Biden administration pressured Israel to refrain from retaliating against Iranian nuclear sites. During the presidential election campaign, U.S. President-elect Trump sharply criticized the Biden administration for limiting Israel's ability to defend itself against Iranian aggression.

“Craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Trump said, indicating that he would support a potential Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities if the Jewish state faced an existential threat.

Trump further argued that the Biden administration's appeasement of Iran had paved the path toward the Hamas terrorist organization's Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the subsequent war in Gaza, as well as the conflict in Lebanon against Hezbollah forces.