US Intel Assessed Iran Had No Nuclear Weapon Programme Before War

A former senior US counterterrorism official has revealed that the American intelligence community reached consensus prior to the onset of hostilities that Iran was not actively developing a nuclear weapon. The disclosure raises serious questions about the intelligence basis on which military action was predicated.

The ex-official's account suggests that assessments circulating within the intelligence apparatus contradicted the public rationale offered by proponents of military engagement. The revelation adds to an intensifying debate within Washington's national security establishment over the justification for the conflict.

Critics argue that the intelligence consensus, if accurately represented, reflects a significant failure of policy judgement and raises accountability questions for decision-makers who authorised or supported military action. Defenders of the intervention maintain that other security factors warranted the response.

The disclosure comes as US-Iran tensions continue to escalate, with global markets already reacting to the instability. Congressional committees are expected to press for a formal review of the pre-war intelligence record in light of the former official's statements.