December 24, 2003

Pakistan admitted that, after months of investigations, some of its nuclear scientists had sold technology to Iran. It's not known if this was done for financial or ideological (Islamic) reasons. Probably a combination of the two. While Iran and Pakistan share a short border, Iran has not, historically, had designs on Pakistani territory. Relations between the two countries has generally been good. But Pakistan violated international agreements in building their nuclear weapons. Indeed, much of the uranium enrichment technology the Pakistanis are accused of selling to Iran was originally stolen from European firms. For decades, Pakistan was known to be looking for nuclear technology, and was willing to use bribes, or illegally buy, whatever they could not obtain legally.