“We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons

program.”
-- 2007 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran (PDF)
“The Agency has been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear
material in Iran.”
-- Feb. 19, 2009 International Atomic Energy Agency report (PDF)

Date Person Quote Source True?

March Former Vice "[W]e still have an Iran that I believe is pursuing Interview with CNNʼs State
15, President Dick nuclear weapons. What they've done, I think, as of the Union with John King
2009 Cheney
best I can tell -- I'm not reading the intelligence
Video: CNN (http://
reports anymore like I did before January -- is they www.cnn.com/video/#/
produced a fair amount of low enriched uranium, video/politics/2009/03/15/
the kind that you would use for a power plant. king.intv.cheney.cnn)
That's the hardest step to get to. Once you have
got low enriched uranium, it's relatively simple to
change it to highly enriched uranium, and that's the
last step that's needed before you've got fissile
material for a weapon. So I'm not sure exactly
where they are at this point, but I am confident of
what their objective is, and I don't think that's
changed."
 Date Person Quote Source True?

March Director of LEVIN: Now does the intelligence community Senate Armed Services
10,
2009
National
Intelligence
assess that Iran currently has made the decision to
produce highly enriched uranium for a warhead or
Committee hearing.
Exchanges with Committee X
Admiral Dennis Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI)
Blair a bomb? and Sen. John McCain (R-
AZ.
BLAIR: We assess that Iran has not yet made that
Video: CSPAN (http://
decision. cspan.org/Watch/
watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
-- A-16214)
I don't think those missile developments, Senator
McCain, prejudice the nuclear weapons decision
one way or another. I believe those are separate
decisions. The same missiles can launch vehicles
into space, they can launch warheads, either
conventional or nuclear, onto land targets. And Iran
is pursuing those for those multiple purposes.
Whether they develop a nuclear weapon, which
could then be put in that warhead, I believe, is a
separate decision which Iran has not made yet.
 Date Person Quote Source True?

March Secretary of State NICKLASCH: [C]an Iran be integrated in the peace Interview with Kai
6, 2009 Hillary Clinton process? Nicklasch of ZDF-TV
(Germany) (http://
CLINTON: It's up to Iran. They are very www.state.gov/secretary/
aggressive in their pursuit of nuclear weapons, rm/2009a/03/120117.htm)
in their interference with other countries' internal
affairs, with their funding and deployment of
terrorists like Hamas and Hezbollah to further
Iranian aim.

March Secretary of State “I know that there's an ongoing debate about what Press Availability after
5, 2009 Hillary Clinton the status of Iran's nuclear weapons production NATO Meeting (http://
capacity is, but I don't think there is a credible www.state.gov/secretary/
debate about their intention. Our task is to rm/2009a/03/120068.htm)
dissuade them, deter them, prevent them from
acquiring a nuclear weapon, which given the range
of the missiles they currently have access to
threatens Europe and Arab neighbors in the Gulf,
not the United States.”

March State Department “Our reaction is that our missile defense program is Daily Press Briefing (http://
3, 2009 Spokesman about Iran. It is to deal with the threat from the www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/
Gordon Duguid Iranian regime that we perceive through Iranʼs dpb/2009/03/119953.htm)
pursuit of not only nuclear weapons but missile
technology.”
 Date Person Quote Source True?

March President Barack “And what I said in the letter is the same thing that Press Conference with
3, 2009 Obama I've said publicly, which is that the missile defense British Prime Minister
that we have talked about deploying is directed Gordon Brown
towards not Russia but Iran. That has always been
the concern, that you had potentially a missile from Video: CSPAN (http://
Iran that threatened either the United States or cspan.org/Watch/
Europe. watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
A-15976)
And what I said in the letter was that obviously to
the extent that we are lessening Iran's
commitment to nuclear weapons, then that
reduces the pressure for or the need for a missile
defense system.”

March Secretary of State “We share Israel's concerns about Iran's Press Conference with
3, 2009 Hillary Clinton pursuit of nuclear weapons and its continued Israeli Foreign Minister
financing of terrorist organizations like Hamas and Tzipni Livni
Hezbollah. As we conduct our policy review and
consider areas where we might be able to Video: Independent
productively engage with Iran, we will stay in very Television News (http://
close consultation with our friends here in Israel, itn.co.uk/videos/
with the neighbors of Iran in the region and beyond 169874e0f012f7cfd2d9db8
with those countries that understand what a threat b37852b5f.html)
Iran poses today, and what a greater threat it
would pose were it ever to be successful in its
pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
 Date Person Quote Source True?

March Secretary of State “When we sometimes discuss these serious Press Conference with
3, 2009 Hillary Clinton matters of terrorism and extremism, of the threat Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
posed by Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon, we Olmert (http://
can't disconnect it from what we are attempting to www.jpost.com/servlet/
do - to make sure that the people of Israel have a Satellite?
chance to live and flourish in a safe and secure cid=1235898331755&page
environment, and as the prime minister said, to name=JPost%2FJPArticle
seek a way that they can live next to their %2FPrinter)
Palestinian neighbors in a safe and secure
environment.”

March Secretary of State “Iranʼs pursuit of a nuclear weapon is deeply Interview with ABC Newsʼ
3, 2009 Hillary Clinton troubling to not only the United States, but many Martha Raddatz, World
people throughout the world.” News with Charles Gibson

“Missile defense may be actually more important in Video: ABC News (http://
Europe and in Russia and in the surrounding area, abcnews.go.com/Politics/
if Iran persists in its efforts to have a nuclear Story?
weapon.” id=6996346&page=1)

“Weʼre concerned about the proliferation of nuclear

weapons to regimes like Iran, which consistently
violates the Security Council resolutions and the
IAEA regulations about what itʼs nuclear program is
supposed to be doing.”
 Date Person Quote Source True?

Mar. 2, Secretary of State “We are talking with our friends and our allies who Interview with Lamis El
2009 Hillary Clinton have concerns, deep concerns about Iranian Hadidi, Egyptian TV
(http://www.state.gov/
behavior and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, its secretary/rm/2009a/
intervention in the internal affairs of other countries, 03/120114.htm)
its support of terrorism, frankly, including Hamas.”

March Secretary of “I don't think that either the last administration or Meet the Press with David
1, 2009 Defense Robert the current one have been distracted from the Gregory
Gates
growing problem with Iran and its nuclear program Video: MSNBC (http://
in the least over the last number of years. We www.msnbc.msn.com/id/
21134540/vp/
worried about it well before even the Bush
29452565#29452565)
administration. So I, I think that there has been a
continuing focus on how do you get the Iranians to
walk away from a nuclear weapons program?”

Feb. US Ambassador “That strategy will address the security needs of Speech before UN Security
26, to the UN Susan Israel and the legitimate political and economic Council (http://
2009 Rice www.usunnewyork.usmissi
aspirations of the Palestinian people; it will seek on.gov/press_releases/
to end Iran's ambition to acquire an illicit 20090226_036.html)
nuclear capability and its support for terrorism.”
 Date Person Quote Source True?

Feb. Director of "The halt, since 2003, in nuclear weapons design House Select Intelligence
25,
2009
National
Intelligence
and weaponization was primarily in response to
increasing international scrutiny and pressure, so it
Committee hearing.
X
Dennis Blair Video: CSPAN (http://
leads us to believe that some combination of cspan.org/Watch/
threats of intensified internal scrutiny and watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
A-15791)
pressures, along with opportunities for Iran to
achieve its security goals, might prompt Tehran to
extend the halt to some other nuclear weapons-
related activities."

Feb. Director of “The assessment that was in our 2007 National Senate Select Intelligence
12,
2009
National
Intelligence
Intelligence Estimate about Iran's nuclear weapons
programs are generally still valid today.”
Committee hearing.
X
Dennis Blair Video: CSPAN (http://
cspan.org/Watch/
watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
A-15607)
 Date Person Quote Source True?

Feb. 9, President Barack “I said during the campaign that Iran is a country Presidentʼs 1st press
2009 Obama that has extraordinary people, extraordinary history conference.
and traditions, but that its actions over many years Video: CSPAN (http://
now have been unhelpful when it comes to cspan.org/Watch/
promoting peace and prosperity both in the region watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
A-15267)
and around the world; that their attacks or -- or
their -- their financing of terrorist organizations like
Hezbollah and Hamas, the bellicose language that
they've used towards Israel, their development of
a nuclear weapon or their pursuit of a nuclear
weapon -- that all of those things create the
possibility of destabilizing the region and are not
only contrary to our interests, but I think are
contrary to the interests of international peace.”

Feb. 5, CIA Director Leon BAYH: [I]s it your belief that Iran is seeking a Senate Intelligence
2009 Panetta nuclear military capability? Or are their interests Committee confirmation
hearing. Exchange with
solely limited to the civilian sphere? Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN).

MR. PANETTA: From all the information that I've Video: CSPAN (http://
cspan.org/Watch/
seen, I think there is no question that they are
watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
seeking that capability. A-15113)
 Date Person Quote Source True?

Jan. President Barack “Now, the Iranian people are a great people, and Interview with Hisham
27, Obama Persian civilization is a great civilization. Iran has Melhem, Al-Arabiya.
2009
acted in ways that's not conducive to peace and Video: Al-Arabiya (http://
prosperity in the region: their threats against Israel; www.youtube.com/watch?
their pursuit of a nuclear weapon which could v=HO_lLttxxrs)
potentially set off an arms race in the region
that would make everybody less safe; their
support of terrorist organizations in the past -- none
of these things have been helpful.”

Jan. Secretary of State “As we focus on Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Senate Foreign Relations
13, Hillary Clinton we must also actively pursue a strategy of smart Committee confirmation
2009 hearing.
power in the Middle East that addresses the
security needs of Israel and the legitimate political Video: CSPAN (http://
and economic aspirations of the Palestinians; that cspan.org/Watch/
watch.aspx?MediaId=HP-
effectively challenges Iran to end its nuclear
A-14186)
weapons program and sponsorship of terror . . .”

Jan. President Barack “Iran is going to be one of our biggest challenges Interview on ABCʼs This
11, Obama and as I said during the campaign we have a Week with George
2009 Stephanopoulos
situation in which not only is Iran exporting
terrorism through Hamas, through Hezbollah but Video: ABC (http://
they are pursuing a nuclear weapon that could abcnews.go.com/video/
playerIndex?id=6621314)
potentially trigger a nuclear arms race.”
 Date Person Quote Source True?

Mar. Vice President “I think it's been -- it's important if you're going to Interview with ABC Newsʼ
19, Dick Cheney look at the National International Estimate that we Martha Raddatz (http://
2008 abcnews.go.com/WN/
be precise in terms of what it says. And what it Vote2008/Story?
says is that they have definitely had in the past a id=4481568&page=1)
program to develop a nuclear warhead; that it
would appear that they stopped that weaponization
process in 2003. We don't know whether or not
they've restarted.”

Dec. 4, Senator Barack "By reporting that Iran halted its nuclear The Nation (http://
2007 Obama (press
statement)
weapon development program four years ago
because of international pressure, the new
www.thenation.com/blogs/
state_of_change/256710) X
National Intelligence Estimate makes a compelling
case for less saber-rattling and more direct
diplomacy."

Dec. 4, Lee Feinstein, “The new declassified key judgments of the Iran The New York Times
2007 spokesman for
Senator Hillary
NIE expose the latest effort by the Bush
administration to distort intelligence to pursue its
(http://query.nytimes.com/
gst/fullpage.html? X
Clinton (press res=9B0CE7DF1E3BF937
statement) ideological ends.” A35751C1A9619C8B63&s
ec=&spon=)