A prominent US senator has claimed that Washington’s intelligence assessments prior to the Iran War suggested that the Islamic Republic could soon achieve a missile arsenal capable of striking targets in Western Europe, including London and Paris.
John Kennedy (R-LA) suggested that Tehran was preparing ballistic and cruise missile capabilities with sufficient range to hit US allies in the Middle East and beyond.
During an appearance on comedian Theo Von’s podcast, he said: “Here's what our intelligence showed, and I've seen it. It's classified, but I've seen it. But I can give you a general outline.
"Our intelligence showed that Iran was building up its missile capacity, both ballistic and cruise, and they were going to compile so many missiles and drones that they were going to turn to America and Israel and say, 'We're restarting our nuclear weapons programme, and if you try to stop us, we're going to destroy the rest of the Middle East. And by the way, our missiles can now reach London, Paris, and Germany’.”
Kennedy also suggested that the prospect of Iran posing such a threat to European allies was one of the motivating factors in President Trump’s decision to take the US to war.
"I've seen the intelligence. And President Trump was faced with, 'Well, do I let them continue?'” he added.
"He had already bombed some of their nuclear facilities, but he was faced with the decision: Do I let them get to the point where they have so many missiles and drones, ballistic and cruise, that they could destroy the Middle East, that they could hit London, that they might even be able to hit the United States? Or do I go in to stop them?' And he did.”
His comments come as Washington and Tehran attempt to negotiate a peace deal to end the war, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding to open a 60-day window for talks last month.
The Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes are both understood to be key points of contention, with the regime insisting it cannot accept compromises on either.
On Wednesday, Iran’s acting defence minister, Majid Ibn al-Reza, tweeted: “The Islamic Republic's defence, missile, and drone capabilities are a red line for our national security. They are not negotiable – now or in the future.”
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