Stewart Stogel
Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2005

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  Reportedly, the remote-controlled drones have flown over Iranian territory to look for "signals" that indicate secret nuclear research.

The paper also reported that Iran had decided not to attack the aircraft so as to avoid a clash with Washington.

But a high ranking Iranian diplomat told NewsMax that Iran had acquiesed to the drone flights on the basis they had nothing to hide and such flights could prevent a military attack.

On Monday, the Post's story received a mixed review from Pentagon and CIA sources, according to several wires sources and CNN.

NewsMax can report that the existence of such flights had been known since last November to the Iranians.

As correctly reported in The Post and verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)- the U.N. atomic watchdog, Washington has not found any evidence of ongoing Iranian nuclear bomb research.

Without such evidence, the options available to the White House have become limited.

The Iranians, while publicly admitting to an advanced nuclear "research-power" program, have steadfastly denied they are secretly developing any weapons.

While that denial has not been taken seriously by Washington and the IAEA remains "skeptical," the fact is no "smoking gun" has been discovered.

NewsMax has leaned that the U.S. surveillance flights came up dry and may have since been suspended, at least temporarily.

Some suspect that Tehran halted activity and sanitized sites where weapons research was underway before the U.S. began flying the drones.

So, rather than exacerbating tensions between Washington and Tehran, the flights have actually undercut any Bush administration moves against Iran, at least for the time being.

Chinese Military in Iran

Another point ignored by The Post is the fact that publicly available satellite photos (obtained by NewsMax) and analyzed by a former Russian intelligence veteran, revealed the likely presence of Chinese military at Bushehr.

Bushehr, on the Persian Gulf coast, is the home of a soon to be completed light-water reactor power station.

It is believed that Chinese are at the site to train crews and service high-speed patrol boats Tehran had purchased from Beijing.

The boats are thought to be used for maritime security at the Bushehr complex.

Originally started under the Shah with German assistance, the reactor project was resurrected in the mid-1990's when Moscow offered to complete the construction of the power station.

The two Russian-built reactors will be among the world's largest when they come on-line later this year.

While Bushehr's reactors, which have been publicly inspected and are under IAEA monitoring, pose little military threat, Washington still remains concerned.

The Pentagon fears that "experience" in handling nuclear materials at the plant could be refined and modified for military use at some future date.

Problem is, Jerusalem or Washington have no clear military option.

With the presence of Russian and Chinese workers on-site, the Pentagon would be reluctant to attack.

IAEA sources also confirm to NewsMax that the construction of the Bushehr reactor containment domes is so reinforced a targeted strike may not penetrate the facilities.

Other suspected Iranian atomic sites are located much further inland and some are underground.

"It's a no-win situation [for Washington]," admitted an IAEA veteran.

"The time to address the problem passed long along ago," he admitted.

"The knowledge [to build a bomb] is there. It is in our heads, how can you remove it? This is the problem Washington must face," admitted a senior Iranian official.

Editor's note: