The Islamic Republic of Iran has been secretly developing a nuclear warhead since late 2004 or early 2005, the Financial Times quotes British intelligence sources as saying. The report would indicate that Iran is completing the final steps towards acquiring deliverable nuclear weapons.

Britain’s intelligence services say that Iran has been secretly designing a nuclear warhead “since late 2004 or early 2005”, an assessment that suggests Tehran has embarked on the final steps towards acquiring nuclear weapons capability.

As world powers prepare to confront Iran on Thursday on its nuclear ambitions, the Financial Times has learnt that the UK now judges that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, ordered the resumption of the country’s weapons programme four years ago.

The UK’s assessment of Iran’s clandestine weapons programme will now add to concerns over Tehran’s capability, suggesting it could be making faster-than-expected progress on its nuclear project.

This makes the 2007 NIE report that stated Iran had halted its nuclear program in 2003 all the more laughable. Not only do we now know that Iran has secret enrichment facilities, but the country has been developing a nuclear warhead for about five years now.

Britain has always privately expressed scepticism about the US assessment on Iran but is only now firmly asserting that the weapons programme restarted in 2004-05.

Meanwhile, the Obama Administration fully intends to follow through on its pledge to meet unconditionally with high-level Iranian leaders, despite the fact Iran says its nuclear program isn’t up for debate. The administration has actually taken such a weak stance on Iran that Jon Stewart, the reliable liberal comedian, has taken to mocking its timidity.