Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

Iran lied about banned nuclear activity using stolen documents - Israel

Iran lied about banned nuclear activity using stolen documents - Israel

Israel's prime minister says Iran used documents stolen from the global atomic watchdog to help conceal that it was carrying out banned nuclear activity.

In a video, Naftali Bennett said Iran "lied to the world and Iran is lying to the world again right now."

He showed what he said were copies of Iran's "deception plan", including handwritten notes in Persian which said Iran needed to prepare a "cover story".

Iran denies it had a secret programme, saying Israel forged the alleged proof.

It has not yet responded to Mr Bennett's claims.

The prime minister's declaration comes ahead of a meeting next week where International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi is due to present a report on its probe into unexplained nuclear material found at three undeclared sites in Iran.

The report says "Iran has not provided explanations that are technically credible in relation to the Agency's findings at those locations," according to Reuters news agency, which has seen the report.

Iran's foreign ministry said the report was "not fair and balanced".

Western countries suspect Iran might be seeking to build nuclear weapons in violation of conventions - something Iran strongly denies. Israel considers Iran, which does not recognise Israel's right to exist and calls for its elimination, a major threat to both Israel and the wider world.

Talks between global powers and Iran to try to revive a frayed 2015 deal curbing Iran's nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions have stalled. Iran has been pursuing activity barred under the deal after the US pulled out in 2018 and restored sanctions.

On Monday the IAEA said Iran's estimated stockpile of enriched uranium - material which can be used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs - was 18 times higher than allowed under the 2015 deal.

In his video message, Mr Bennett said he was holding "proof of [Iran's] lies in my hands".

"After Iran stole classified documents from the UN's atomic agency, Iran used that information to figure out what the atomic agency was hoping to find, and then created cover stories and hid evidence to evade their nuclear probes."


He said documents taken by Israeli intelligence agents in a daring raid on a warehouse in Tehran in 2018 contained proof of Iran's subterfuge.

He showed copies of the documents, including what he said were handwritten notes in Persian by Iran's then-defence minister to its top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Mr Bennett said one read: "Sooner or later, they [the IAEA] will ask us and we'll need to have a comprehensive cover story for them."

Mr Fakhrizadeh was killed by a satellite-controlled machine-gun in Tehran in November 2020 in an assassination which Iran blamed on Israel and an exiled opposition group.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

Iran has previously said the materials Israel says it took from the warehouse were fake.


In 2018, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled what he claimed to be Iran's secret atomic archive


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
×