Austrian intelligence unveils Iran’s secret nuclear weapons push Details by US media

Austrian intelligence agencies have disclosed in a detailed report that Iran continues to actively pursue a nuclear weapons program, which, according to their assessment, could enable the regime to launch long-range missile strikes.

The report, highlighted by Fox News, accuses the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of embedding spies within European companies and manufacturing plants to acquire expertise and transfer advanced technologies back to Iran, per Caliber.Az.

This assessment stands in contrast to the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), whose director, Tulsi Gabbard, told the Senate Intelligence Committee in March that the American intelligence community “continues to believe that Iran is not producing nuclear weapons” and that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “has not authorized a nuclear weapons program, which he suspended in 2003.”

However, Austria’s State Protection and Intelligence Service — akin to the FBI — asserted in its intelligence briefing on May 29 that Iran aims to secure its regional dominance through comprehensive nuclear rearmament. The report stated that Iran seeks nuclear weapons “to make the regime invulnerable to attacks” and to “expand and consolidate its influence in the Middle East and beyond.”

Spanning 211 pages and addressing urgent threats to Austrian democracy, the report highlights that Iran’s nuclear weapons program is at an advanced stage, supported by a growing stockpile of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads over long distances.

The intelligence also details how Iran leverages relationships with scientific research institutions and academic centres in conflict zones to harvest expertise for advancing its military-industrial complex.

Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital reveal that Iranian intelligence aggressively pursues Western dual-use technologies and military goods through a network of front companies and shell corporations linked to the IRGC. This allows Iran to acquire sensitive components essential for weapons of mass destruction and sophisticated military hardware.

The report notes, “Western military technologies recovered from conflict zones—such as Israeli and American drones that have been captured—are dismantled, studied, and copied by Iranian agents.”

Furthermore, Austrian intelligence confirmed that Iranian services have developed sophisticated strategies to bypass restrictions on purchasing sensitive military equipment, proliferation-sensitive technologies, and materials needed for weapons of mass destruction.

Austria’s Counterterrorism Office has observed a rising number of Iranian job applications in Austrian firms, particularly in metallurgical and electrical engineering sectors, sparking concerns over espionage attempts aimed at stealing proprietary information to bolster Iran’s weapons programs.

The report also condemns Iran’s ongoing involvement in regional conflicts, pointing out that since the 2010s, Iranian arms shipments have fueled instability in hotspots such as Syria and Palestine.

Fox News cautions that these revelations could complicate U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate a nuclear resolution with Iran, as the report clearly indicates Tehran’s unwillingness to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

The report also reveals that Iran maintains one of its largest embassies in Europe in Vienna, which covertly disguises intelligence operatives as diplomats, facilitating espionage and technology transfer activities.

In summary, the Austrian intelligence report emphasises that “Iranian intelligence services are familiar with developing and implementing strategies to circumvent restrictions when acquiring military equipment, proliferation-sensitive technologies, and materials for weapons of mass destruction.”

By Tamilla Hasanova