Iran news in brief, June 6, 2019

Iran news in brief, June 6, 2019

Former IAEA Official Believes Iran Might Get Nuclear Weapon in 6-8 Months

Former International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Deputy Olli Heinonen told Israeli Army Radio on Wednesday that Iran could develop nuclear weapons as soon as six-to-eight months, the Times of Israel reports.

Heinonen, a fellow at the Foundation of Defense Democracies think-tank, argued that Iran hadn’t been following to its end of the bargain in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal because they have been “actually weaponizing uranium enrichment without making a weapon.”

Heinonen’s prediction comes after the report that two German state intelligence agencies concluded that Iran has been making efforts to illicitly obtain weapons of mass destruction.

Trump Prepared to Talk to Iran but Says Always Chance of Military Action

U.S. President said he was prepared to talk to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani but that there was always a chance of U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic.

"So Iran is a place that was extremely hostile when I first came into office," Trump told British television station ITV. "They were a terrorist nation number one in the world at that time and probably maybe are today."

When asked if he thought he would need to take military action, he said: "There's always a chance. Do I want to? No. I'd rather not. But there's always a chance." He said, when asked, that he was prepared to talk to Rouhani: "Yeah of course. I would much rather talk."

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Norway to Present Findings of Tanker Attacks' Probe to UN

The United Arab Emirates, along with Saudi Arabia and Norway, will on Thursday present to the UN Security Council the findings of their probe of the May 12 attacks on oil tankers off the Emirati coast, diplomats said.

The United States has accused Iran of being behind the attacks, which came at a time of escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.

National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iranian mines were likely used in the sabotage.

During an informal meeting at the UAE mission to the United Nations, Security Council ambassadors will be briefed on the evidence uncovered during the investigation, diplomats said.

Deprived From Medical Treatment, a Report on the Condition of a Political Prisoner

Babak Dadbakhsh was arrested in February and was charged with “corruption on earth” and “waging war against God”. Although suffering from mental illness, he is derived from medical treatments. Also, the prison authorities do not permit family visits.

Dadbakhsh and his sister, have separately written open letters to the head of the judiciary system explaining his severe mental illness and emphasizing his innocence.

Dadbaksh was arrested by the security police in November 2018 in Tehran and was transferred to the ministry of intelligence. During his detention he has been held in various prisons such as Ward 209 of the Evin prison and Fashafoyeh prion. He also spent some time in Amin Abad mental hospital. He was eventually transferred to Rajai Shahr prison on February 16, 2019.

World Bank: Iran Likely to Suffer Worse Recession Than Previously Thought

The World Bank says Iran is likely to experience an even worse recession this year than previously thought, as U.S. sanctions largely choke off oil exports that have been Tehran’s main revenue source.

In its latest Global Economic Prospects report published Wednesday, the Washington-based institution that provides loans to countries said it expects Iran’s Gross Domestic Product to shrink by 4.5% this year, a steeper contraction than its earlier estimate of negative 3.6% GDP growth for 2019.