Nuclear scientist initially from Iran shows up at home, Ayatollah, with nothing

An Iranian nuclear scientist who defected to the U.S. in 2009 returned to a hero’s welcome in Iran Thursday. Shahram Amiri claims he was kidnapped by the CIA. When US officials were asked their side of the story, they say he defected all by himself and then got homesick. The whole time, Amiri could have been an agent that was there for the Iranian government, some believe. The U.S. believes it came out ahead by getting details about the Iranian nuclear weapons program. Amiri left $ 5 million in CIA cash behind. Propaganda is still coming out of this by the Iranian government nevertheless.

After being kidnapped, Iranian nuclear scientist says he was tortured

At the Imam Khomeini International Airport, Sharhram Amiri, the Iranian Nuclear scientist who Tehran says was tortured after being kidnapped by the US, was greeted by Hassan Qashqavi, Deputy Foreign Minister, the Islamic Republic News Agency reports. Even with the cash loan from the CIA, according to CNN, the US did well considering they got data about Iranian nuclear websites as well as Iranian Nuclear weapons. CNN was told about Amiri, “We have his insights — original details on the Iranian nuclear program that proved useful — and now the Iranians have him. Plainly, we got the better end of things.”.

Iranian nuke defector left $ 5 million/span>

Many of the $ 5 million given as a CIA cash advance loans to the Iranian nuke defector for details on the Iranian nuclear weapons program was left behind when he went home. Money put into escrow like this to pay back anybody who gives the government info, according to ABC News, happens a lot. The snitch can’t get all the money at one time if it is in escrow. It is uncertain how much Amiri received before he changed his mind but in escrow is still the majority of the money. He can’t get anything that is left because of sanctions against Iran.

Iranian government gloats about their victory

There were clear signs that the Iranian government used the Iranian nuclear scientist for propaganda. Amiri told Tehran reporters that he had to lie about Iran’s nuclear program since he was tortured in the US for 14 months, according to the Guardian. He said he didn’t know anything within the field. There was a lot of coverage given to his return by Iranian media, controlled by the state, and he was also invited to address parliament’s committee that is on national security. Siasat-e Ruz reports the end of CIA dominance, power of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and failure of western intelligence.

Iranian nukes – who’s fooling who?

Hiding in Virginia was somebody who claimed to be Amiri and had escaped in two videos that surfaced last month. A CIA official was quoted in a CNN article saying that he wondered how he would make videos while being held against his will. The Guardian article said Iranian bloggers suggest Amiri was a “controlled” agent and pointed to previous examples of undercover operations to discredit opposition activists. An Iranian analyst was quoted by the Guardian saying, “If it was something they wanted to sweep under the carpet, they wouldn’t have given it this huge amount of media coverage.”.

More information about this topic at these websites

CNN
cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/07/15/iran.researcher.claims/index.html?npt=NP1
ABC News
abcnews.go.com/Blotter/shahram-amiri-iran-nuke-defector-left-million-cia/story?id=11171171
The Guardian
guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/15/shamram-amiri-returns-iran-nuclear