New evidence suggests that Iran may be evading international sanctions, importing high-performance metals that could be used to build long-range weaponry, US security and law enforcement officials tell the Wall Street Journal. One invoice shows a shipment of metals going to an Iranian company through an intermediary. UAE officials, meanwhile, have intercepted two Iran-bound shipments of other such metals from China.
The discoveries are no smoking gun—the metals also have industrial and commercial uses. “We can't say we know it would, or would not, be used for military purposes,” said one proliferation expert. But “there doesn't seem to be any real doubt or debate whether Iran is going for the bomb or whether Iran is using front companies to import things. Everyone agrees on that around the world.” (More Iran stories.)