On the plus side of the ledger

Iranian nuke official said to be in safe house protected by U.S. intelligence

Iranian defense official Ali Reza Asghari, involved in Iran’s nuclear program, defected to the United States after disappearing in Turkey in December, according to an Iranian political refugee.

Amir Farshad Ebrahimi, a self-professed close friend of Asghari, told Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper that Asghari was the deputy defense minister responsible for weapon purchases and production.

“He also continued to work outside" the ministry, Ebrahimi said. “For example, he was the head of marketing at Pars Electric, a secret state-owned company affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards. He ran all nuclear transactions on his own. For example, if radioactive material had to be purchased overseas, Asghari would sign the contract.

He also knew the locations of all nuclear facilities and reactors.”

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