Israel Tells US Iran Is Weighing Chemical Weapons Use, NYT Reports
Israel has shared intelligence alleging Iran is considering chemical weapons use, the New York Times reported. US officials are divided, with some citing the 2002 Iraq WMD claims.
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The report cites US and regional officials, The New York Times said. It says the information was met with alarm by some American officials and deep skepticism by others.
Clash Report has not independently verified the intelligence. Iran has not been reported to respond to this report yet.
What the Report Says
The Times says Israel shared intelligence asserting that Iran is considering chemical weapons use against its adversaries. Some US officials compared the claims to the faulty 2002 Iraq WMD intelligence.
Some US and Gulf officials suspect Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to push President Donald Trump back into war. That is their suspicion, not an established fact.
A Long-Running Israeli Claim
Israel has long accused Iran of a covert chemical program. Netanyahu said in July that Iran “definitely” has chemical weapons, JNS reported.
Washington has found Iran non-compliant with the Chemical Weapons Convention. But it has not alleged a significant stockpile in decades, Defense News reported. Iran called a 2018 US allegation “groundless,” Reuters reported.
Talks on the Brink
The report lands as US-Iran talks stay stuck. Trump said he would not attack before Tuesday’s midterms, The New York Times reported. He has hinted that all bets are off afterward.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran gave the US a firm response. Mohsen Rezaei later said Washington’s reply was not convincing.
Senior Israeli officials see a narrow window for strikes after the midterms, Israel Hayom reported.
Kamer Kurunç
Kamer Kurunç is the Team Leader of Clash Report and has led the outlet for four years. He oversees its breaking world news coverage, from the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war to defense and global politics. His focus is fast, verified, source-based reporting. Follow him on X at @kamerknc.
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